Ten Essentials Ingredients Your Homepage Needs To Whet your Visitor’s Appetite
Alright, the title of this posts says it all - today we’re looking at how to create a website homepage for your online business.
I’ve said this before but it’s worth repeating, your website is your online home so think about how you want your dream customers to feel when they arrive on your website.
So, when you create a website what’s the purpose of your homepage?
Your homepage is usually the first introduction to your brand.
You’ll want it to be a true representation of who you are, what you do and who you serve. It should be easy to navigate so your visitors can find the pages they’re looking for.
The combination of quality content, effective copy and attractive and effective homepage design play an important role in the overall performance of the homepage.
In most cases, your homepage will be one of the most visited pages on your website.
After you’ve positioned your logo and tagline, what next?
Together we’re going to look at the 10 Homepage Essentials Your Business Needs.
OK, are you ready? Here goes:
A Pretty Porch and Tidy Hallway
The Hostess With The Mostess
Welcome Your Guests
Compliments To The Chef (Round 1)
What Makes Your Parties The Best In Town
Everyone loves a good story at a party
Compliments To The Chef (Round 2)
Tasty Appetisers
Be A Generous Host
The Bottom Drawer
I like to use this Dinner Party analogy when thinking about website homepage ideas.
Like hosting a dinner party, we want to leave a great first impression, we want our guests to feel welcome, enjoy themselves (a.k.a. Find what they’re looking for) and have fond memories when they leave.
So, let’s look at each one in a little more detail.
1. A Pretty Porch and Tidy Hallway
Make sure your navigation bar is stripped back, only featuring the most important pages you want your visitors to pay attention to.
Make sure it’s easy to read and use.
As for first impressions, you’ll want to make sure that if your visitor just scrolls down your Homepage that it’s attractive and pleasant to the eye.
2. The Hostess With The Mostess
You are the star of the show. This is where you can shine.
Introduce yourself. Let your visitor see and hear (if you have videos) you so they get a feeling if you’re their cup of tea.
You can showcase your personality with pictures and videos to capture your visitor’s attention.
3. Welcome Your Guests
Think of how you feel at a dinner party… You know what it feels like when the host is stressed, distracted and not able to enjoy herself versus when she greets you at the door, with arms wide open, takes your coat, asks how you’ve been, compliments your new hair cut, fixes you a drink and takes a moment to catch up with you one-on-one. You feel special, right?
Well, it works the same way on your homepage.
Use language that speaks directly to your dream customer. Make them feel special.
4. Compliments To The Chef 1
It’s testimonial time. The first of two (or more if you wish) that I think you should have on your website homepage.
Remember, be specific. No fluffy stuff!
Think about the objections or challenges your dream customers are dealing with and use testimonials that show how you, your products or services have helped.
5. What Makes Your Parties The Best In Town
Here’s where you describe what you do and how you do it. What makes you or your process unique.
Highlight why you’re passionate about helping your customers
Give a little inside glimpse of what it’s like to work with you or use your services. Keep it brief, to the point and interesting.
6. Everyone loves a good story at a party
This is where a mini-bio comes in. Tell your visitors a little bit about you to pique their interest, make them warm to you and intrigued to learn more and read your full story on your About Page
7. Compliments To The Chef 2
Time for another testimonial. Again, think of another issue that your customers are experiencing or debunk a myth or limited belief they might be holding on to that you help people get passed.
Testimonials aren’t to stroke your ego they are to generate more leads!
8. Tasty Appetisers
Here’s where you showcase your products and services. If you offer a number of different options for clients or cater to more than one type of customer then here’s where you create distinct pathways for each one to enter.
It’s important you clearly state how your visitor can work with you or buy from you.
9. Be A Generous Host
Who doesn’t like a little treat at the end of the party, whether is a doggy-back of the lamb casserole or slice of chocolate gateau everyone loves a gift. So, this is where you’ll proudly tell them about your lead magnet so they can experience some quick wins whether they buy at that time or not.
A gift shows you care.
10. The Bottom Drawer
This is essentially your Footer and where you can house links to the other pages on your website that your guests might be interested in seeing but aren’t porch worthy a.k.a don’t need to take up rental space in the navigation bar.
Alright, you creative entrepreneur, there you have it, The 10 Homepage Essentials Your Website Needs to Capture Your Visitors Attention and Help Convert Them Into Customers.
Now, I’d love to hear from you.
Drop me a line in the comments and let me know, did you like this post? And, if your dinner party was missing any of these ten ingredients?
Love Nat x
Oh, and if you’re into it, like with a party in full swing, the more people the merrier, right? So, please share this post with a fellow online creator looking to create their website - they’ll love you more and you can both toast to your website success when you launch your businesses.
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