What Should Be on the Home Page of a Website?
The most important page of the website is the home page. Most visitors will arrive here, and it mostly depends on the quality of this page whether they stay or not. You can read about the reasons why visitors leave a website in this Instagram post.
In the previous blog post, we already wrote about what is above the fold and how it should look. (This is the top of the page that the website visitors see.)
Solutions to Visitors’ Problems
Website visitors are looking for solutions to their problems. That’s why they come to your website from the search engine. The most important thing is to clarify what solutions you can provide to their problems as soon as possible.
If you are able to grab the visitors’ attention here, they will stay on your page and continue reading.
Since the purpose of your website is clearly defined in the brief, the home page should be designed in such a way as to fulfill this purpose.
If you have services/products, you should write about them here on the home page just below the above-the-fold.
The history of your company and your introduction will interest a few visitors. They will leave the website sooner if they read about such things on the top part of the home page rather than find what they are looking for, which can be a service, product, etc.
If the website goal is to fill out a form and contact you, then there should be such a section, even in the above-the-fold area, at the very top of the page.
CTA
Remember to place a call to action (CTA) on the page. (“Call”, “Buy Now”, “Subscribe now”, etc.) There will be a much higher chance that someone will call you if you write, e.g., “call now” than it would be just a phone number somewhere on the page.
Why You/Your Services?
It is crucial to differentiate yourself from your competition and let your visitors know why they should buy from you or use your services.
Are you cheaper? Are you better at something? Are you faster? Are you more professional? Why should they choose you? It is worth asking similar questions and answering them.
Portfolio (if applicable)
If your business is such that you have a portfolio, then at least part of it should be placed on the home page. So the customer can see what he can expect if he orders something from you.
Reviews (Social Proof)
Reviews are a mandatory element on your home page — one of the essential tools for building trust.
Based on the previous section, just because you list why it is worth buying/using a service from you is not necessarily sufficient.
Your future clients need something that guarantees it’s worth using your services. That’s why you need reviews.
Many, many people will decide who to buy from based on reviews.
Think about it; before you order from somewhere, you likely read reviews. I sure do.
It’s also crucial regarding reviews that they must be real. Do not use any fake reviews anywhere. It can harm your business pretty badly; Google can penalize you, etc. Trust me; it’s not worth doing it.
It’s also beneficial to add a picture of the person who wrote the review. It’s more effective if a review contains not just a text but a photo too.
Info About the Company, Introduction
Of course, it is a good idea if there is a section like this where you write about yourself or briefly introduce your company.
I didn’t write about this so far for a reason; because this part shouldn’t be in the above-the-fold section. Please do not introduce yourself or your company at the top of the home page. You can do it lower on the page, where it belongs. Trust me, your website visitors and potential clients are not really interested in who you are. (at least in the beginning)
As I mentioned above, they are looking for solutions to their problems. If it turns out that you or your services can be the right choice, then they will want to know more about you and check your company info and your introduction.
Blog
If your website has a blog, it is worth placing the initial part of your most recent posts towards the bottom of the page. It can help to keep visitors on your site longer.
If you constantly add new blog posts, your home page – at least this part – will change dynamically. Why? Because the home page will contain your most recent posts and continually change as you add new posts to your blog.
Partners
In the case of B2B business, it is worth listing the companies that chose you (include their logos).
Contact info, Contact Form
Make your name, address, and phone number available on the website in more places.
On many websites, visitors still have to dig the whole website for a phone number or an address. It can be frustrating.
Also, don’t forget about the contact form.
Other home page/website Factors
We must also consider the home page design and other factors as well.
A well-built home page is only useful with the right design and if it is technically in good shape.
Websites that use templates can look similar or the same (in the worst case), which can be a huge disadvantage.
We also need to consider the page speed. A slow website or homepage can have negative effects. (You can lose visitors.) In addition, website speed is a Google ranking factor.
We design and develop custom, unique websites that are tailored to your business’s target audience and your needs. Our websites are also search-engine and technically optimized to achieve the best results.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have a question or need a custom website.
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