401+ Ridiculously Useful Power Words To Increase Conversions

Bonus Material: FREE Power Words PDF

Ever wonder why some websites pump out viral post after viral post?

Or why some brands have products that fly off the shelves while their competition falls flat?

Or why you couldn’t resist clicking on a link you knew was a sleazy sales page?

The answer is simple.

These brands have smart marketers. Marketers who use power words.

Click here to get our FREE one page PDF of 401+ power words to hang on your wall!

These power words trigger an emotional response and pack some serious punch, getting us to click on ads, share blog posts and buy from sales pages.

But how do these power words work?

Watch the video below, then read on to see our full list of power words with specific examples of how to use them.

Why Power Words Amp Up Your Marketing

Power words crank up your marketing effectiveness by:

  • Evoking emotion: People connect to emotion, not words. Studies show that content that elicits emotion (anxiety, amusement) is more likely to be shared than those that aren’t “emotionally charged.” Power words are key to evoking these “high arousal” emotions. Examples include words like “Instantly”, “Mistakes”, and “Hilarious”.[*]
  • Triggering curiosity: Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it makes the marketer’s life easy. Research found curiosity to be one of the most powerful triggers for virality. Since we have a hard time resisting our curiosity, strategic use of power words makes it almost impossible for us not to click, share, and read. Power words that trigger curiosity include words such as “Reveals”, “Proves”, and “Ridiculous”.[*]

Take this BuzzFeed headline:

Buzzfeed using power words on their website

The power words “Cringeworthy” and “Poor” both elicit emotion, and their combination triggers curiosity (“Why are these notes so cringeworthy?”).

If this headline just said “14 Funny Sibling Stories”, you probably wouldn’t be that interested. But 14 cringeworthy horror stories? What entertaining surprises this article must contain!

The best thing about power words is that there are hundreds to choose from. 

Check out the list below.

The Massive 401+ List of Power Words

Want our personal Power Word list for creating epic headlines?

Click here to get the free one-page PDF (extra power words included!) now

Happiness
Indulgence
Prestige
Humor
Gravity

Heartwarming
Guilt
Expensive
Funniest
Gargantuan

Inspiring
Guilt-free
Glamorous
Hilarious
Gigantic

Profound
Indulgent
Luxurious
Laugh
Huge

Zen
Obsessed

Ridiculous
Intense

Alive
Ravenous


Massive

Light
Lazy


Gripping

Healthy



Goddamn





Seriously

Memorability
Novelty
Lust
Simplicity
Beauty

Captivate
Challenge
Begging
Basic
Adorable

Genius
Discover
Crave
Cheat-Sheet
Awe-Inspiring

Memorable
Extraordinary
Decadent
Easy
Beautiful

Undeniable
Hack
Delirious
Effortless
Breathtaking

Unforgettable
Latest
Fantasy
Ingredients
Dazzling

Unpopular
Life-changing
Forbidden
Minimalist
Gorgeous

Impressive
Magic
Irresistible
On-Demand
Stunning

Embarrassing
Miracle
Naked
Painless
Swoon


New
Provocative
Rules
Swoon-worthy


Remarkable
Seductive
Savvy



Revolutionary
Sexy
Simple



Sensational
Sinful
Step-by-Step



Shocking
Tantalizing
Stupid-simple



Spoiler
Satisfy
Tricks



Startling

Tweaks



Suddenly





Surprising





Unexpected





Strange





Weird





Odd





Unusual




Excitement
Impatience
Sadness
Savagery
Completeness
Greed
Bold
Amp
Alarming
Agonizing
Completely
Affordable
Exciting
Blast
Crushing
Apocalypse
Copy
Bargain
Fascinating
Ignite
Dead
Armageddon
Detailed
Barrage
Intriguing
Jumpstart
Deceptive
Battle
Essential
Bonus
Riveting
Kickstart
Devastating
Corrupt
Impenetrable
Budget
Tempting
Launch
Excruciating
Crazy
Meticulous
Cheap
Thrilling
Quick-start
Exposed
Deadly
Overcome
Convert
Transform
Speedy
Heartbreaking
Disgusting
Painstaking
Double

Supercharge
Sadly
Fight
Practical
Drive

Turbocharge
Shaming
Frenzy
Recreate
Forever

Smuggle
Suffer
Hate
Replicate
Free


Avoid
Insane
Relentless
Immediately


Demoralizing
Lunatic
Ultimate
Increase


Problem
Menacing
Master
Instantly



Painful
Perfect
Money



Poison
Super
Never



Rowdy
Create
Now



Sabotaging
Step-by-Step
Off-limits



Savage
Best
Overnight



Sins
Truly
Profit



Struggle
Packed
Promote



Treacherous
Extremely
Sale



Uncontrollable
Deep
Today



Vicious
Better
Triple



Violent

Unlimited



Weak

Envy



Wild

Master



Dying

Lucrative



Horrifying

Steal



Attack





Traumatized





Insult





Horribly





Hell


Authority
Exclusivity
Pride
Safety
Mind-Blowing

Absolute
Admit
Absurd
Accuse
Alluring

All-Inclusive
Breaking
Achieve
Assault
Amazing

Authentic
Confess
Awkward
Beware
Astonishing

Authoritative
Confession
Blunder
Broke
Astounding

Authority
Divulge
Clueless
Catastrophe
Awesome

Backed
Elite
Cringeworthy
Caution
Badass

Bona fide
Emerging
Dumb
Cheat
Bomb

Complete
First
Fail
Dangerous
Brilliant

Comprehensive
Hidden
Fail-Proof
Diagnosed
Catapult

Conclusive
Insider
Failure
Dirty
Charming

Definitive
Little-known
Faux Pas
Emergency
Defying

Document
New
Fool
Ethical
Delicious

Expert
Popular
Foolish
Exactly
Delightful

Final
Priceless
Idiot
Fierce
Dreamy

Formula
Rare
Lame
Hoax
Epic

Genuine
Release
Last
Horror
Explosive

Guaranteed
Reveal
Mediocre
Jeopardy
Exquisite

Honest
Secret
Mistake
Lifetime
Greatness

Ironclad
Sly
Obvious
Protect
Heavenly

Legitimate
Sneak-Peek
Pitiful
Provoke
Incredible

Literally
Sneaky
Reject
Punch
Jaw-dropping

Official
Special
Rookie
Recession-Proof
Kickass

Powerful
Stealthy
Ruin
Sacred
Legendary

Proven
Trend
Senseless
Safe
Mesmerizing

Psychological
Truth
Shameful
Scam
Mouth-watering

Reliable
Unadulterated
Silly
Scared
Nail

Report
Unconventional
Stupid
Shaking
Spellbinding

Research
Uncovered
Success
Signs
Sublime

Results
Undercover
Threaten
Survive
Triumph

Solution
Underused
Triggers
Terrifying
Unbelievable

Strategy
Unique
Unknowingly
Unstoppable
Unleashed

Studies
Unseen
Useless
Belong
Polarizing

Surefire
Untapped
Waste
Promise
Dominate

Validate
Worst

Stop


Masterclass





Feeling dizzy? I hope it’s from excitement because now you’re armed with all the power words you need to turbo-charge your marketing, and have a few hundred in your arsenal.

Download all 401+ on a handy one page PDF here

Now you just need to use them. Here’s where you can use power words on your site:

Power Words in Headlines

Whether you’re crafting the perfect headline for your sales page or writing a viral-worthy article, power words can take a headline from mediocre to irresistible.

The magazine industry is notorious for their use of power words in headlines. Magazines like Elle, OK! Magazine, InTouch, GQ, and Seventeen use power words religiously to entice consumers to pick up their products.

Cosmo has some of the most click-worthy headlines out there:

Cosmopolitan using power words on their website

Cosmopolitan using power words on their website

Without power words, these headlines would be boring. Removing the power words (bolded below) makes the headlines above instantly less enticing:

  • Watch This Baby Do Push-Ups and Instantly Feel Like the Laziest Person Alive
  • Ariana Grande Debuted a Shocking Silvery New Hair Color

Us Weekly uses power words in almost every single headline they publish:

US weekly using power words on their website

The words “Reveals”, “Sports” and “Show Off” pique curiosity and trigger an emotional response that acts as a magnet for clicks.

Use power words in your headlines to make them so irresistible readers can’t help but click.

Power Words in Sub-headlines

People don’t read your content. Research shows that they didn’t in 1997, and they certainly don’t now.[*]

Instead of reading, they scan. Unless you can catch their attention.

How? By including power words.

Power words in your subheads capture attention and draw the reader into actually reading the content rather than just scanning over it.

My recent article about persuasive words had a 65% read rate (the average is 15-20%):  

Example of sumo using power words on article headlines

I used power words in my subheads to keep people moving down the page: 

Example of sumo using power words

Use power words in your subheads to keep the reader’s attention on the page and ensure they’re actually reading what you’ve written.[*]

Power Words in Product Names

You have two choices when you’re naming your products:

  1. Be boring: Use words in your product name that simply describe the product (i.e. blue nail polish) but are otherwise boring.
  2. Use names that pack a punch: Give your product a descriptive name, but kick it up a notch with power words.

Almost all product names fit into these two categories.

A company that leverages power words wonderfully in their product names is the nail care company OPI.

OPI could have just named their product after its function: “nail strengthener.” Instead, they used a power word (“Nail Envy”) to make the product more appealing.

OPI using a power word to make their product more appealing

OPI also uses power words in the descriptions for their products.

OPI using power words on their website

Their lacquer color could have just been “dark red”. But instead, they used a power word (relentless) to invoke emotion.

Another example of power words mastery in the online space is that of David Siteman Garland, who created a course on how to create online courses.

He could have just named his course “Create Online Courses”, but he spiced things up with a power word:

Example of power words being used on a conversion course landing page

The word “Awesome” makes the product memorable and stand out in a crowded space.

Power Words in Popups

Power words are currently underused in the beloved email list building tool, the popup.

If you have List Builder, include power words in your descriptions and offers on the popup.

Check out how Onnit uses the power word “Ultimate” for their grocery guide freebie on their list builder pop-up: 

Content upgrade call to action with a power word in the title

Another example is Rick Mulready:

Rick Mulready using power words on his sumo popup

He uses power words like “Mistakes”, “Avoid” and “Free” in his popup to convert visitors from casual readers to subscribers.

You can get a free Sumo account to create popups like this.

Power Words on Landing Pages

Landing pages are an effective way of blocking out all of the extra noise on your website and ensuring that the visitor is just focusing on one specific call to action.

Using power words on your landing page can get your conversion rates from “not now” to “gimme!”

Amy Porterfield is a landing page genius, and she strategically uses power words all over her landing pages:

Amy Porterfield using power words on their webinar popup

“Free”, “Live”,“Master”, “5-Figure”, “Profitable” and “Strategy” are all power words, and they work together to make Amy’s landing page far more convincing than the power word-empty alternative:

Class: How to Create and Deliver Your Webinar (Even If You Don’t Have a List!)

Join me as I walk you through what it takes to create a webinar.

Did that make you fall asleep? Well, wake up, more power word goodness ahead.

Power Words on Buttons

If you think you’re running out of places to include power words, think again. We haven’t even talked about using power words in button text.

We use power words in our button text on the Sumo homepage by inviting visitors to try Sumo for free:

Screenshot showing Sumo homepage

Without the word “Free” that button would go needlessly unpressed way too often.

We’re not the only ones who do this. Bulletproof does as well on their shop button: 

Bulletproof using power words on their website

The power word in this case is “Now” which works double duty by providing a sense of urgency.

Power Words in Testimonials

Remember how we told you testimonials are the granddaddy of social proof? 

One company tested using testimonials on their sales page and it increased conversions by 34%. They add invaluable credibility to your brand.

Make your testimonials work overtime for your business by featuring the ones including power words.

Marie Forleo does this on her testimonials page:

Marie Forleo using power words on her testimonials page

The words “Unique” and “Perfectly” take this testimonial light-years ahead of one simply containing the words “Great” or “Well”.

Unfortunately, it’s a bit tacky to ask your clients to use power words in their testimonials. 

Do the next best thing by featuring testimonials that include power words more prominently on your page.

Power Words in Email Subject Lines

You work your ass off to grow your email list. You hustle to create content they’ll love, yet still only 20-35% of your subscribers open your emails.

And you begin to wonder…

Is your email list disengaged? Is it the content you’re putting out there? Is something wrong with their spam filters?

Maybe...

But it’s probably your subject lines.

To turn up the heat on your email subject lines and attract more opens, clicks, and engagement, use power words in the subject line.

Pat Flynn uses this method in his email autoresponder series: 

Pat Flynn using power words on their email

See the power words “Super” and “Secret”? Feeling intrigued, aren’t you?

Jaime Masters from Eventual Millionaire does this too ("Create", "Lucrative"):

Jaime Tardy using power words on their email subject line

Use power words in your subject lines to entice your subscribers to open your emails. You worked hard to write them, so they might as well be read by as many people as possible.

Power Words In Your Business or Domain Name

For all of you who have been considering starting a business online, one great place to use power words is in your business’s name.

Using a power word that describes what you do or who you do it for can make your marketing far more effective. For example, Elite Daily uses the power word “Elite” in the name of their business, which brings to mind exclusivity or high-quality.

Screenshot of Elite Daily

Melissa Ramos puts power words to work in her business name, Sexy Food Therapy:

"Sexy Food Therapy" has a power word in their brand name

Derek Halpern, founder of the popular online training resource Social Triggers included a power word (“Triggers”) in his business’ name as well. Makes sense, since Derek teaches the psychology behind marketing, after all:

Social Triggers has a power word in their brand name

For your next rebrand or business (for all you serial entrepreneurs), incorporate a power word into your business’s name to ensure that you trigger (see what I did there?) an emotional response the second your customers stumble across your brand.

Power Words on Calls to Action

One of the most important places to use power words in your marketing is in any call to action.

For example, we use “Masterclass”, “Free”, “Best”, and “Step-by-Step”.
 

Sumo using the "free" power word

On AppSumo, they use one power word (“Kick-Ass”) on their Welcome Mat popup:

Screenshot showing Appsumo Welcome Mat

On Snowy Joey, they use the power words “Profitable”, “Fun”, and “Free” for their free video course:

Screenshot showing SnowJoey homepage

James Clear uses power words in his menu as a call to action (“Free Newsletter”):

Screenshot showing James Clear website menu

Start Incorporating Power Words In Your Marketing NOW

I just gave you hundreds of power words and showed you ten places to use them to make your marketing work on overtime for your business

Don’t just skip past this article and move on with your day. Take action and start including power words in your marketing today.

Choose one option from the examples in this post and apply the power words now. 

The easiest way to start? Incorporate power words into the calls to action and headlines in your List Builder tool, like this:

Screenshot showing CRIk Nutrition popup

Set up a simple popup to trigger 5 seconds after someone visits your site. Make a “FREE” offer for visitors to get your most popular article, video, or something else that’s quick and easy for you to start growing your email list with power words. 

You can then track your performance inside Sumo, like this:

Screenshot showing Sumo form dashboard

Get this set up on your site now. This link will give you a free Sumo account to do it.

Then, sit back and watch as your email signups take off.

If you want our personal Power Words list to print out and quickly reference on your desk for when you’re writing content headlines, landing pages, and email capture forms...

Click here to get the free PDF (extra power words included!) now.

P.S. Want to learn the 10 growth hacks we’ve used to grow our email list to over 100,000 subscribers with power words + Sumo? Click here for our most actionable growth hacking ideas to grow your email list and traffic.