Your website homepage is the first thing visitors will see when they come to your site. It’s your chance to make a great first impression and encourage your visitors to take action. So what goes into a successful website homepage? Here are the top 5 things your website homepage needs.
1 – Eye-Catching Design
Capture people’s attention with a professional, eye-catching design. Use bold typography, beautiful imagery, and cohesive colors that weave throughout your website to make a lasting impression. The most impactful headings, copy, and imagery should be “above the fold” (i.e. the top of the webpage that visitors can see without scrolling).
“Above the fold” is a concept that originated with newspaper printing. When newspapers were printed and folded, the headlines above the fold line were immediately visible to people. Therefore, the most important content was strategically placed above the fold line to encourage people to pick up the newspaper to read it.
This same concept can apply to your website. Be strategic about what content you place “above the fold” to increase audience engagement.
Not sure where to start in the design process? Check out this article on 4 Easy Ways to Help Determine Your Style.
2 – Clear Purpose
Make it immediately clear to people what you do/offer. Are you a business coach? Craft your headings and website copy in a way that clearly describes the type of services you offer and how you can help solve your target audience’s challenges and pain points. Are you an author? Let people know what genre you write and give them a intriguing look at your book’s content to entice them to want to read it.
The key is to clearly define your purpose quickly and succinctly, ideally “above the fold” (as discussed in the previous point). People have short attention spans, so by streamlining your content and making what you do crystal clear, you increase your chances of making valuable connections with your audience.
3 – Easy Contact Method
Make it easy for people to get in touch with you. Consider placing email and social media icons in your website header. Place buttons that direct people to a designated contact page. Add links to contact you in your website footer. The last thing you want is for people to be interested in what you have to offer, but struggle to find a clear and easy way to contact you. Making it easy for your audience to get in touch with you by strategically placing multiple contact methods on your homepage helps ensure connections are made.
4 – Clear Call-to-Action
Encourage your audience to take some form of action while visiting your website. If you’re an author, encourage people to sign up for a monthly newsletter. If you’re an accountant, let people know they can schedule a free consultation with you.
Your goal is to turn your website visitors into lasting connections. Newsletters, free consultations, etc. are great ways to do just that.
5 – Samples & Testimonials
Establish credibility by sharing samples of your work and client testimonials on your website homepage. If you’re an illustrator, for instance, highlight three to four of your best pieces on your homepage and include a link to the web page that showcases your full portfolio. If you’re a copywriter, share three to four testimonials from clients who gave you glowing reviews.
Many people won’t navigate past your homepage, so show them a small sample of your work up front to encourage them to continue exploring your website.
Wrap-Up
A homepage is one of the most important pages of a website. This is where you’ll want to make a strong first impression, define a clear purpose, provide easy ways to contact you, define a clear call-to-action, and build your credibility by sharing samples and testimonials. If you can create a strong homepage, you increase your chances of making connections and fostering engagement – and that’s something every website owner hopes to achieve!
Some website owners may want to enlist a skilled web designer for their expertise in colors, fonts, and visual design. Whether you choose to do it yourself or hire a designer, have fun bringing your vision to life, and make your website a reflection of you and your work. First impressions matter!