“There’s an old saying – There’s No Place Like Home. Well, I went in the house next door, and it was very similar.” Geoffrey Parfitt.
That’s the last thing you want visitors to say about your website’s home page. It is the one place where first impressions really matter. It should be homely, inviting and professional-looking, but most importantly, it should answer some key questions about your company.
Unlike Your Home’s Entry Hall Floor, Your Home Page Should Be Sticky
When guests come to your home, you make sure it is inviting by keeping the floors clean, while the fresh baked smell leads them to the kitchen. It’s not like that with a website.
A sticky homepage encourages visitors to stay a while and you get them to take action by providing valuable information right there.
In today’s post, we’re going to give you some ideas on how to create a sticky home page.
1. Professional Design & Logo
Whether you do it yourself or whether you hire a professional designer, be sure that your design looks professional. When you work with a professional web design company, they can create a customized logo design that strengthens brand identity while, at the same time, boosting customer confidence.
Ask them to produce your logo in various image formats, so that you can use it in various marketing materials.
2. Elevator Pitch
What do you do? A quality elevator pitch that you can use on your website, should explain what you do in 30 seconds. Investing in hiring a professional copywriter to help you create a quality elevator pitch and website content, will be well worth it. If visitors can’t figure out what you do, they will click away from your website. If it can’t go on your home page, be sure to put it on your About page.
3. Keep Clicks and Scrolling to a Minimum
Take your cue from print design. Newspapers always publish their important headlines above the fold, and you should do the same with your website’s most pertinent facts. Visitors don’t want to scroll through endless blocks of text. Think instant gratification.
4. Consider Compatibility
Since your home page is the most important part of your website, be sure to test your home page design on various browsers, including Mozilla, Netscape and Internet Explorer. A simple design will ensure that you capture the largest audience possible.
5. Do Regular Spring Cleaning
At the start of spring, I ran a spring-clean special and many people were shocked to learn the benefits of regular updates. Most website owners have a careless attitude towards regular updates. If you alter your site regularly, even if it’s just through weekly blog posts, you will entice your visitors, as well as search engines to come back regularly.
6. Be Recognizable
Done in moderation, displaying testimonials, rewards and other forms of recognition received from clients and peers can convince visitors of the legitimacy of your business. Your home page is a great place for that.
Home Page Take-Away
A lot depends on your home page, so it is crucial to get it right. Remember the suggestions above when you create your website or when you hire a professional web design company.
Do you have more tips for a sticky home page? Leave them below in comments.