If you own or manage a website, the one page you need to get right is your homepage. For new visitors, this page will make or break their visit. For regular visitors, it will tell them how well kept and up to date your website is.
Here are 5 simple tips to help get the right balance:
1. Keep it simple
A cluttered or busy homepage will make it difficult for a visitor to get their bearings, or understand what they are looking at. Distracting elements such as animation should be kept to a minimum, if used at all. Text should be minimal and be in short, clear sentences.
2. Grab attention
There should be one main element or group of elements that stands out more than the rest. Your visitors need something to look at first, so they can become interested in your website and company.
3. Engage
Don’t just create a straightforward homepage – think about what your visitors may be looking for, and add something that will make them want to click through into your website. This could be links to your latest blog articles, details of new products, or even interesting facts about you.
4. Keep it fresh
The content on the homepage should be updated regularly – the more often the better, but make sure you can sustain whatever pace you set at first. Consistency is the key to this so that regular visitors can judge when to come back for updates.
5. Promote action
Suggesting what action the visitor takes is important on the homepage. Those who are just browsing, or who aren’t initially persuaded to go further into the website, may need to be told the next step, or what their options are.
Do you have any other suggestions for homepages? Share them below in the comments.
