When it comes to your website, your homepage is your shop window beckoning customers to come and take a look around. A great homepage should be inviting, responsive and communicate a company's ethos and purpose in a captivating way. Its design should also invite a user to take action – whether that's signing up to a subscription, entering details into a contact form, starting a chat or adding items to a shopping cart.
Your homepage is often your only chance to impress and engage a user. It's their entry point to your brand's world. While some may not land on your site specifically via the homepage, many will likely navigate to it if they get lost or simply want to find out more. Making your homepage design and content a must-visit is therefore very important for each and every business. Here are five easy ways you can improve your homepage design to boost engagement and traffic.
1. Guide the user to (and through) your site
A good website guides a user through each page seamlessly. Users often head back to the homepage to orient themselves if they get lost. Make sure implicit links (via logos) and explicit links (by labelled links) ensure easy access to your homepage at all times. Your homepage should also allow users to be able to easily recognise where they are and their starting point. Whether they are coming to your site from a different page and navigating back, or coming to the home page directly, they should instantly know that they've landed on the main home page so that they can recall and recognise it.
URL choice is also a good way to direct people to your homepage. Use predictable, simple URLs such as CompanyX.com and CompanyX.co.uk are easy to type in on their own from user memory, without having to rely on search engines.
You also don't want pop-up windows to distract the user or make them think they're in the wrong place. Pop-up modals are one of the most hated elements in web design, and they can often hold visitors back from even getting to your content. The more obstacles you place in a user's way, the more risk you have of them leaving your site altogether. Pop-up modals are closely associated with online ads, and are often closed down immediately. Rather than adding extra complexity and the potential for annoyance, avoid pop-ups and splash screens wherever possible and try to make your site content do the 'selling' instead.
2. Tell users who you are and what you do
Your homepage is a bit like an elevator pitch and your big chance to make a first impression. Why should someone give you their money? What makes you different from other companies in your sector? How do you solve customers' problems? If you can't answer these questions within your homepage design and messaging, potential customers might abandon it. When a user lands on your site, they want to know what your company is about and how this is relevant to them. Forget vague phrasing or confusing jargon. Empty phrases like 'inspiring the next generation' won't give users the key information they need. Offer clarity and value right from the get-go. In doing this, you won't leave users guessing, scrolling or bouncing.
In your homepage design, keep your company name and logo in the top left corner (many users follow this mental model). You may also want to put a concise message about what it is that you offer. Remember that no-one is going to read your page in exact detail. They're most likely to scan, so make sure that vital information is clearly accessible, with clear subheadings and spacing. Avoid large swathes of copy that clutter the page and put people off reading.
Your imagery should also clearly communicate your company's brand and ethos. Choose images that carefully demonstrate what your brand is about – don't just choose them for mere decoration. Remember that imagery should work as hard as the words on each page.
3. Link through to relevant examples and case studies
Just as a customer browses, picks up and examines products in a physical store, your homepage should also link to examples, case studies, clear imagery, videos and so on. Doing this helps customers quickly figure out if the site has what they're looking for. For instance, you might offer 3D tours of rooms and facilities if you run a hotel, or case studies and detailed images of before/after projects if you run a bathroom fitting company.
You can also use social media testimonials, customer reviews and feedback to show that your services are legitimate and that former customers were happy. This especially helps newbies to your site, who may be questioning whether or not to make a first initial enquiry. Seeing this kind of evidence could convince them to take action.
4. Simplify your layout
If everything on your homepage is competing for space and vying for the user's attention, your visitors won't know where to look or click first. This could cause confusion and they may leave. Well designed homepages guide the user through each section, with clear typography, colour palette choice, columns and calls to action.
When considering your layout and design for your homepage, think about the main thing you want people to find. Are there any distractions that could prevent them from finding it? From there, simplify and cut out anything that doesn't support your business goals. Be consistent in font sizing, headings and brand colours and use white space carefully. Make sure you draw attention to and emphasise the visuals and on-page elements that you want to stand out. Keep calls to action clear, simple and compelling. This will drive your conversions. Don't hide CTAs in menus or scatter multiple versions across a page – be clear in where you want the user to head next.
5. Improve your page speed
Speed is a crucial factor in a user's website experience. If a page takes longer than just a couple of seconds, the chance of a user bouncing off increases by 32%. Homepages must therefore balance quick loading times with immersive content. They should also be instantly accessible and responsive on any device.
Make sure your homepage is built for speed by compressing any imagery before uploading, using proper heading tags for SEO, testing your site across multiple devices and avoiding plug-ins found in builders like WordPress. Avoid any fancy animations, effects or oversized videos that could slow the site down.
