Have you ever come across a web page that immediately turned you off? Whether it was hard to navigate, unappealing, or had you clicking in circles to find what you were looking for, we’ve all experienced that feeling at one point or another. Now imagine that’s your homepage.
Do you want your clients + customers to experience that?
Not only can that hinder your brand awareness and reputation, but can hurt sales. But what exactly goes into the ideal homepage? We’ve broken it down into 6 key elements to help you get your website on point to keep your audience coming back!
1. Headline + Hero Image
The first thing your audience sees when they come across your website is your headline and hero image. What are those? The headline is that tagline or attention-grabbing text that introduces the audience to what you’re all about. The hero image is the first thing they see in association with your brand. It’s important to make sure that these two elements are in sync with what you and your business represent. After all, it only takes three seconds for someone to have an impression on what you have to offer.
2. Simple Navigation
One of the most frustrating thing you can do to your audience is make them spend too much time clicking away, trying to find what they’re looking for. Setting up a simplified, easy-to-understand navigation for your website will make your audience’s lives that much easier when they visit your site. Less is definitely more when it comes to outlining the navigation on your site. Instead of making tab after tab, try condensing the content and keep things simple. Added to that, try using descriptive and succinct words. For instance, if you’re a business coach, instead of using “services,” try using “coaching” or something similar.
3. Calls to Action
While you definitely don’t want to overwhelm and spam your audience, you do want to have at least one call to action on your homepage. For us, a good announcement bar is great for a low-pressure call-to-action, while a delayed popup is great for an added benefit/attention-grabbing version. Depending on your industry, you may want to add more than one opt-in to your homepage, potentially for two different lists or opportunities. For many, these are used to garner emails for a list, to have someone subscribe to a blog, or for a complimentary consultation. Take time to decide what you want to offer your audience and make sure it’s on point with your brand + business.
4. Resources
In order to best serve your prospective audience, consider adding resources to your site. Without them, it may make your site seem pushy or salesy. What we mean by resources can be as simple as adding featured blog posts to your homepage. Engaging content has the added benefit of sharing more of your expertise, what you have to offer, and keeps your audience on your page longer. Aside from blog posts, other great resources to add to your page include course offerings, your portfolio, benefits of working with you, and similar pieces.
5. Social Proof
Today’s digital world is ruled by social media and a collective presence. Having social proof of your business on your website will build trust with your audience, which will lead to more opportunities for sales down the line. But what do we mean by social proof? Testimonials are the perfect way to showcase what you’re all about. Every kind word from a past client does wonders to sway and solidify your audience’s wish to work with you or purchase from you. If you have testimonials already on your page, try adding any awards, accolades, or certifications you’ve received, press mentions, business statistics, as well as social media feeds.
6. Contact Information
The NUMBER ONE thing you absolutely must have on your website is a way for your audience to contact you. If you don’t want to give away your contact information, having a contact form is the next best thing. This way, your audience can still get in touch with you, but you can feel comforted with the added layer of security (since nobody wants spammy phone calls at 3 in the morning). Contact information is most commonly found in the footer, but oftentimes, a website will have a contact tab in their site navigation. Whatever way you decide to go about adding your information, just make sure it’s there!
Thinking of updating your website to include these key points, but don’t know where to start? We’d love to help answer any questions you may have or get your site up and running! Contact us today!
