Expert Roundup : advice on creating an effective homepage
The moment someone arrives on your website, they have landed on the oh-so-important homepage. This is where visitors learn about you (and your business) and are introduced to your offerings (products, services, blog, etc.) for the first time.
A homepage is so much more than just a landing page with a bit of content thrown together.
When designed correctly, a homepage is a very effective page that guides visitors around a website and highlights key content in a simple, well-organized setup.
Sounds easy, right? If that's the case, however, why do people struggle so much to create a homepage that works FOR their website and business?
A lot of consideration goes into a well-designed homepage but if this is your first time around (or if you haven't updated your website's homepage in a while), you might be wondering how to go about it in the best way possible.
Keep your cool, my friend, because three experts (who are all killing it in the digital space) have shared their advice on how to create an effective homepage for your website.
Their pointers are insightful (naturally) but they're also specific enough that you can take their suggestions and apply them to your own website.
Related
- Expert Roundup : Advice on writing your website's About page
- Expert Roundup : Tips for creating graphics that support your website
- Expert Roundup : Using social media to support your website
To make things even more helpful and actionable, I've created a FREE workbook outlining how to design an effective homepage for your website. This guide will compliment the insights in this article but take it a step further and help you apply what you've learned in just a few minutes. You can get that guide by clicking the form below, and it will be delivered to your inbox right away.
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Advice from the experts
Without further ado, here's what the experts have to say about creating an effect homepage for your website:
"Your homepage is the focus of your site. Many people ask whether it should be a static homepage or the blog, and the answer to that depends on what your focus is. If you have services or products that you want to showcase and highlight, then a static homepage is probably the best bet.
It's important that people immediately understand what your site is all about and what they can get out of it.
But if the biggest feature of your site is your blog and you don't have anything else to advertise at this time, don't hide it behind a static homepage. I see a lot of bloggers who don't offer products/services put up a static homepage and in those cases, they don't offer much extra value. They just increase the number of clicks it takes to get to the core part of your site.
Don't make it harder for people to find your fantastic content! Homepages should provide clarity - not obstacles."
Ashley Gibson, developer and founder, Nose Graze
"This may seem obvious, but when you visitor lands on your homepage they need to know exactly what it is that you do and how it can help them within seconds. Everyone online is searching for something, so let them know you have what they’re looking for.
Understand what specific action you want your visitor to take next and then make it painfully obvious how to do it. Want them on your mailing list? Put that signup form front and center and celebrate your awesome lead magnet. Ready to make some sales in your shop? Show off your latest products and provide big bold buttons to take them there. Have some killer new blog posts? Place them front and center with eye catching (but tasteful of course!) header images.
Lastly - please please please ask a designer to look at your site once in a while! If design is not your thing (it’s cool, I’m sure you rock at other things), don’t hesitate to ask a professional for help. Strong design is one of the easiest ways to build trust and credibility and should not be overlooked."
Brittni Rogers, designer and co-founder, Station Seven
"Right off the bat, your homepage must articulate not only what you do but what you OFFER. Visitors should be able to figure out within seconds how you can help them. The homepage should invite people to find out more within your site. This means that you don't need to put all your offerings on the homepage - instead it's best to direct visitors to the correct page.
Stick to a homepage design that looks professional and clean since those builds automatic trust. Nowadays, people are interested in knowing the person BEHIND the website so include pictures on the homepage (could be the main banner or an About section).
Finally, make sure your site works well on mobile. Mobile traffic is UP these days so you definitely want to accommodate those visitors!"
Mel Karlik, founder, A Prettier Web
Final Thoughts
The experts have spoken and the biggest takeaway is to make it as easy as possible for visitors to find what they're looking for on your website. For many of them, this will be their first interaction with your website, brand and business, so your goal should be to simplify and highlight what you're all about.
Creating an effective homepage for your website is about so much more than just throwing together a few paragraphs of content and uploading attractive images. Homepages should be intentionally designed so that you can direct users around your website in a streamlined way.
Yes, you might need to tweak your homepage a few times or get a fresh pair of eyes on it every now and then but this is NOT something that should be overlooked. Remember that when your homepage is well designed, visitors to your website will be able to quickly learn about who you and, what you offer, and how to find what they're looking for.
Whether you're a DIY web designer/developer or a seasoned pro, YOU can design an effective homepage so long as you keep these pointers in mind. Now that you know how to think critically about what to include and how to set up your homepage, you're already a step ahead.
Don't forget that I've also created a FREE guide outlining how to effectively design a homepage for your website which you can get by clicking the button below - it'll be emailed straight to your inbox! Whether you're starting from scratch or want to give your homepage an overhaul, this guide will help you out.
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If this article has shown you how important a good homepage is but you don't have the time or resources to do it yourself, get in touch today and we can work together!
Now it's your turn to tell me how you've set up your website's homepage? Have you highlighted your products, services, recent blog posts, etc? What types of images or video content have you included? What is the number one thing you want people to do when they visit your homepage and how have you structured the page around that? I'd love to know so leave me a note in the comments!
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