What should the homepage of my website include?

The question “What should the homepage of my website include?” is asked by every new client, here at Lil Creative Studio, when we begin their web project. Whilst every business is bespoke, there are common elements that should be included on every homepage.

 

Your home page is, most often than not, the first contact a potential new customer has with your business. The first thing they see, the first thing they read, the first step in the process of getting to know you further.

 

So, what should it include?

Branding

Your website should showcase your brand. It is the one place where you have full control over the design and gives you an opportunity to really show who you are. Your homepage may be the first place a potential customer sees your brand OR they may recognise it after hitting your site. Cementing you as a trusted business. One of the first things users should see is your logo, which needs to be clear and large enough to recognise.

Navigation

Your website navigation plays an integral part in the user experience of your site. In other words, if someone can’t navigate your site and quickly find what they are looking for they will simply leave. Thinking carefully about the words you use in your navigation is important, don’t overload it, stay concise and make it easy for visitors.

Clear mission statement

You want people to know who you are and what you do. You want them to be able to find this out quickly in as few words as possible. Finding this out without having to scroll is even better. 2-3 sentences are usually powerful enough for this section of your site, and don’t forget that your site can continue to develop once it’s live, and you can play about with different content.

Photography

Images are just as powerful as written content these days and your brand can also be communicated through great photography. This makes your website more enjoyable to explore and will encourage visitors to stay on your site and learn more about you.

Call to action

One of the most important things to consider on your homepage is your call to action. What do you want your visitor to do on your website? What is your goal? Thinking about this carefully and creating a tempting call to action will allow for more conversions. You should also consider keeping your CTA fluid, change it often, build this into your overall marketing plan. Use your website as another marketing channel.

Your brand values

Brand values are important, especially these days, and should be communicated on your home page so that visitors can see what you value as a business. Don’t forget to link these to a page where visitors can find more information about your values.

Newsletter sign up

Having the opportunity to capture a visitors details is invaluable to your marketing plan and it also provides visitors with more value from YOU. You get to market your services directly and they get value added content from you that will hopefully lead to conversions.

Testimonial

A testimonial or customer quote right there on your homepage allows potential customers to see what you have done for other customers. As a new customer we put trust in reviews, feedback and testimonials from others, so these play an important part in the makeup of your home page and shouldn’t be overlooked.

 

Think of your website home page like an advert, directory and showcase for your business all rolled into one. Your homepage is the first step in a journey for your visitor, it should flow and represent your brand and business. Think about its usability, think about what you would want to see as a potential customer.

 

Hopefully you should know have more of an idea about ‘what should the homepage of my website include?’ to see examples of some really great websites? Check out the Lil Creative Studio portfolio right here, and follow along via social media on Instagram or connect with me on LinkedIn.

#designtip – although launching a new website will be a big tick off your endless list try not to think of it as ‘done’. In the ever changing landscape of the digital world your website should develop and change frequently. Not only does this create new interest for returning visitors but it also helps to furnish search engines with new content helping your SEO

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Photo by Hal Gatewood on Unsplash

Tags:
Branding Copywriting Marketing Website Design

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