A homepage is your introduction to online visitors on the World Wide Web. It may be the first place your clients will visit when they discover your business, and it is important that you make a good first impression.
You want to provide them with a warm, genuine welcome! When it is done correctly, your homepage can generate everything from real leads to product sales.
What Should I Include on My Website's Homepage?
Your homepage needs to be designed in a professional manner that is easy to navigate. Like a funnel, it should direct them toward the services and products you are offering. You have less than 10 seconds to get their attention and convince them to continue looking through your website.
A solid homepage should include the following elements:
- A bold and unique header at the top. This should include your logo, company slogan, and your contact information. This is where your clients will discover your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and decide whether they want to stick around or not.
- The homepage has to be visually appealing. You want your clients to look at your homepage and go, "Wow!" right off the bat. Colors, graphics, and font choice will all determine whether your prospective clients see your business as attractive and suitable for their needs.
- The language should be simple to understand. Not only will this help your clients quickly find what they are looking for, but common language is important for SEO purposes.
- The text should be SEO’d so people can find you whenever they go into Google or another search engine looking for your services. This is absolutely crucial, otherwise, your business won't show up in the first page or two of a search engine's results.
- The homepage needs to be connected and your website needs to be active. Your business should be tied to social media platforms such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. These various platforms help connect your website to your social media presence. In turn, this connects you directly to your existing and prospective clients and makes it easier for them to find you.
- Think of all the questions your clients are going to ask you about or think over. They will want to know your company history, your background, and everything that makes you a solid company to do business with. Answer their questions before they have an opportunity to ask them.
- The homepage should have calls to action. If you have done your job correctly and funneled your page visitors down the rabbit hole, then this is where you either sell them your products or ask them to sign up for your services.
- And don't forget to make your site mobile-friendly!
Anything Else I Should Keep In Mind?
As a general rule of thumb, it is always a good idea to take a look at your competition before you begin designing a homepage. Different industries have different norms, and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Go surfing on the internet and see what your competitors are doing. Look at how they have their homepages set up. Adopt the pieces and layouts you like and feel your clients would respond to. Once you have done that simply discard the rest.
Have questions about designing your website's homepage? Request a free brainstorming session with ROI Online!
