Studies show that websites with 51 to 100 pages generate about 48% more traffic than websites with 50 pages or fewer. In other words, so-called “thin” websites will have trouble generating much traffic. However, few pages on a website are as important as the home page. As the first thing a viewer sees, the home page is essential to making a good impression — and any good website design company knows that a strong first impression is paramount to the success of a website.
Your home page may look good, but does it say everything it needs to say? Is it answering all the important questions? Visitors come to your website for a specific purpose. That may be to learn more about your company or to make a transaction. Your home page needs to be their guide to reaching that specific goal.
Four Questions Your Home Page Must Answer
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- Who are you?
This should be the easiest question to address. In fact, the answer should pop out at the visitor from the moment they lay eyes on your home page. Your business’s logo should be the very first thing they see, and your colors, font, images, and text should be totally in line with your brand identity. Your business should be easily identifiable on your home page.
- Who are you?
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- What is your purpose?
Visitors should have a clear sense of what service or product you provide simply by glancing at your home page. Add images that are relevant to your field if not directly representative of your business, and include text that concisely reveals your purpose.
- What is your purpose?
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- What can I find here?
As mentioned above, an Internet user landed on your website for a reason. Make sure they know exactly what kind of information can be learned or actions can be taken as they explore your site. They key here is to have a clear and appropriately labeled navigation bar or menu.
- What can I find here?
- What should I do next?
Every smart and experienced website design company knows that a good homepage requires a strong call to action, or CTA. CTAs come in many forms, depending on the type of business. Your CTA may be a button that says “Subscribe now”, a modal pop-up form, or simply an icon that encourages viewers to “See more”. A properly designed call to action helps both the visitor and the website owner achieve their goals.
If your home page does not address or clearly answer these four questions, then your visitors may not be able to take advantage of everything your company has to offer. If they don’t know what you do or what you offer just by scanning the home page and browsing through the navigation menu, then you’re doing something wrong. To make the most of your online presence, hire a website design company to take care of all your custom web development needs — from the home page to the back end.
