Your homepage is the first impression of your website! When you think about going to someone’s website, you’re making a snap decision to decide whether you’re going to stick around or whether you’re going to bounce. The difference between a website that keeps the attention of your potential clients and one that doesn’t really lies in the strategic decisions you make for your homepage. So, what are those must-have components?

Here are the 5 Must-Haves for Your Homepage to keep customers on your website LONGER! 

1. An eye-catching header and headline

An eye-catching header image with a quick and snappy explanation for what you do and this can also be a space that provides a call to action of some sort, “download this freebie” “learn more” “Sign up”. Etc if you’re building an email list or have a free offering. This will be a banner at the top that is a really eye catching image whether it’s a photo of you or a stock photo that will capture someone’s attention.

 

2. A clean and simple navigation menu

Your navigation menu is the directions you’re giving someone to access the information they are looking for. If it’s too complicated or difficult to understand, people are not going to put in the effort to try and understand. They are going to click away. SO, make sure your navigation is straightforward, and easy to understand. 

 

 

3. Copy that answers these 4 Questions: Who, What, Where, How? 

Do you remember the 5 W’s when you were in school? Who, What, Where, When, and Why? Yep. We are going back to elementary school with your homepage. Well we’re changing up the 5 w’s but the sentiment is still there. Your homepage needs to answer the following questions: 

1. Who You Are? 
2. What do you do and who you do it for? 
3. Where are you located (if location is relevant to your services, this should be very clear!)
4. How do I book?

The goal is to provide enough information with your potential about you and your service so that your clients want to learn more or reach out to you to inquire about your services. 

 

4. An email opt- in form.

 If you’re building your email list, you want to make sure you have some way for people to sign up for your list whether that’s through a pop-up or an embedded form. Make sure there’s a way to entice people to get on your email list whether that’s a freebie or some type of incentive to get them to sign up.

 

5. A clear call-to-action

You want to make sure that you’re telling someone to do something on each page of your website. If we don’t tell our users what to do, your risk the chance of them doing nothing. When we add a specific call to action, we’re making it easy on our users because we are telling them what the next step is. Click here to sign up, click here to book a call, click here to buy this thing, etc. This is the most important component to have on your homepage. You want to make sure you make it as easy as possible to book, purchase or inquire about your offerings! 

 

We’ve made it to the end of the list! Our websites can sometimes feel like the never ending project. I’m not saying that you need to overhaul your website all the time. What I am saying is that small, strategic tweaks overtime can have a big impact in the user experience of your website and the likelihood of your website converting visitors into buyers! 

Don’t forget to download our FREE DIY Website Audit! It’s 10 Steps to a More Strategic Website!

 

And if you want to talk to us about our website design packages, click here.

 

View our pricing and informational guide here.

 

XOXO,

Jade