A website's homepage is often the first thing people see and it's important to make a good impression. A homepage that is well-designed and user-friendly can help your small business attract new customers and increase sales. There are five components of a winning homepage: a clear USP (unique selling proposition) or headline, striking imagery or video/s, easy navigation, relevant content, and a call to action. Every element on your homepage should be purposeful and contribute to your overall goal. By following these tips, you can create a homepage that will help your business succeed online.

Draw Attention to Your USP

One of the best ways to penetrate your audience is to have strong headlines that hone in on your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) on your homepage. This will help to grab attention and let visitors know exactly what you have to offer - and quickly.

Your audience should instantly grasp 1) your product or service solution and 2) why it’s superior to your competitors. All of this should be clear within the ‘first-fold’ of your homepage; that is, no scrolling is required to understand your core business and what makes you great.

Leverage Imagery and Video to Create Interest

According to Research Gate “94% of first impressions on websites are based entirely on how it looks.” And this is strongly influenced by the quality of imagery.

First, make sure to use high-quality images. Your online audience are visual creatures, so using images is a great way to grab attention. But beware of using too many images, as this can clutter up your page and make it difficult to navigate.

Another important element to include on your homepage is video. A well-placed video can be extremely engaging, and it can give visitors a quick overview of what your business is all about. Just make sure that your video is concise and to the point.

Keep it Simple with an Easy to Navigate Menu

When it comes to website navigation, simplicity is key. A confusing, cluttered menu is one of the quickest ways to lose potential customers. So how can you create an easy to navigate menu?

Make sure your website menu is clearly visible and easy to understand. Group together similar items, and use clear, concise labels. Finally, don’t forget to add a search bar! This will allow customers to find what they are looking for quickly and easily.

By following these tips, you can ensure your website homepage is both visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Compelling Content to Engage Your Audience

As your homepage is like the “front door” to your business, the content needs to reflect your culture and ultimately provide insights into your business personality. Create sub-headings to reinforce your brand position and USP. Keep sentences short and sharp. Create genuine content that speaks directly to your audience. This is your opportunity to shine, and share your knowledge and passion for your product/s or service/s.

Besides the content that is created on your side, take advantage of social proof to accelerate conversions. Include testimonials and case studies on your homepage to testify to your credibility and authority. Better yet, secure testimonial videos from clients! Social proof has become one of the easiest and best ways to increase conversions, and you’re leaning on your current brand advocates to create more sales. It’s a win-win situation.

Call to Action (CTA)

One of the biggest mistakes that we see when starting with a new client, is a lack of direction for their online users who are trying to enquire. Whilst this is often prominent across websites in general, it also becomes most obvious on the homepage where users are trying to contact businesses quickly.

Make sure that your phone number and email are featured in your website banner (at the top) and also include a ‘Contact’ page in your menu. Further to this, your homepage can feature multiple CTAs within the page itself. Why not draw attention to a specific element of your product/service solution through a carefully curated banner with a ‘Find out more’ button linking to a booking form or sales page?

By following these tips, you can create a winning homepage that will captivate visitors and drive conversions. It's also important to keep the rest of your website clear and concise, with your USP reinforced though headlines and content, easy to navigate menus, strong CTAs, and razor-sharp imagery and videos. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your websites homepage makes a great first impression and helps you to stand out from the competition.

Need help getting started? Reach out today to find out how PAK Digital can help your business.