Your homepage is the virtual front door to your business. Like a brick-and-mortar store, you want customers to feel welcomed and encouraged to come in. The design of your website should reflect the personality of your business, and certain features on your homepage can help keep your potential customers engaged.
Here are five ways to make your homepage awesome!
1. Easy to navigate – Clear headings, specific tabs, and concise copy keep your homepage looking uncluttered and organized. Whether your customer is there to buy an item, schedule an appointment or ask a question (hint: FAQ pages save everyone a lot of time), make sure your homepage is easy to navigate.
2. Call to Action button – A call to action button specifies that HERE is the quickest way to buy, contact or subscribe. Don’t hide the action button. It should first appear in the top half of your homepage and the design color to coordinate with your branding colors.
3. Video – Want to get their attention? Everyone from TikTok to Pinterest (and now Instagram) knows that customers like videos. Introduce yourself and show your customers who you are and what your company is about in a 20 – 30 second promo video embedded on your homepage. Your video should talk to your customer’s personae, describe their specific problem, and reveal how your product or service can help them.
Another way to attract attention is to use a short background video in your header. A video that displays movement, for instance, a steaming cup of coffee, will get your audience to stop, and pique their curiosity.
4. Specials or Events – If your customer came to your website from a promotional ad, you should include a landing page. Landing pages are different than your homepage in that they are a direct link to your promotional item or event. The purpose of the landing page is simple: to get a customer to buy your product or sign up for your service. That’s its only job. All your marketing, social media, or other advertising, should point to this page. Note: You can purchase a domain name specifically for your landing page, usually at a discounted price. Don’t forget, if your customer decides to visit your website for more information, make sure it is inviting, informative, and concise.
5. Logo and Company Name – Never let them forget who you are and what you do. Your logo and company name should be apparent throughout your website. Make sure your color palette, fonts, and appeal are consistent and used throughout the site. It’s important to include your branding on everything your audience sees.
Everyone is in a hurry. Statistics show that on average, a viewer will move on in 8 seconds if you can’t capture their attention. Therefore, you have to engage your customer before they decide to leave your site.
Lastly, remember to test your awesome website on your phone. Over half of the people looking at websites are on a hand-held device. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, readable and your call to action button is easy to find.
If you would like more information on websites, landing pages, or branding, please contact me here.
