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Your organization’s website is indisputably one of the most important business assets you have, and you have to execute it right. Having a website without the key components is like having a brand new Tesla made with all the wrong parts.
You might even have an eye-catching custom-designed website built on a great platform, but without the right elements, it’s likely not doing you any favors in terms of ROI. If your website is not producing the conversions you’d like to see, it’s time to reevaluate its contents - starting with the homepage. Here are the first 5 things a visitor should see on your business website’s homepage.
Navigation
Your website’s navigation is vital. It serves as a roadmap that allows the user to hop from page to page within your site by linking to additional pages. The content of your navigation will vary depending on your industry and what key information you want people to find. But no matter what’s included, it should be laid out in a clean and user-friendly manner. Some common and typically essential items to include are About Us, Services, Gallery, Blog, and Contact Us.
No two navigation are exactly the same and they should be customized to fit your goals, business, and desired user actions and experiences. Below, you can see an example of a navigation menu for one of our dental clients.
Headline and Subheadline
Every website homepage needs both a headline and subheadline. These two pieces of information tell the user what kind of website they’ve landed on and give a quick indication if they will find the information on your site to be useful and/or relevant. Your headline should be short, bold, and should capture the reader’s attention immediately. Again, the content will vary depending on your industry.
Your subheadline lives right below your headline, uses slightly smaller text, and typically reinforces the statement you made above. Providing complementary information is a great way to utilize this space.
Supporting Visuals
High-quality imagery (or, better yet, video) can make or break the look and feel of your website. Users often resonate with authenticity, so we always recommend using real images as opposed to stock photography. If using real photos isn’t an option, you choose a high-quality stock photo that closely relates to your industry. Pro tip: make sure you license all stock visuals properly!
Links to Social Media
Most of the time, users are visiting your site to find a specific piece of information, whether that’s a phone number, address, or hours of operation. You should place links to social media profiles - where you have all the information they need plus a ton of great, engaging content - in a visible spot on your homepage for this very reason. Users are much more inclined to click the links to your profiles, view and interact with your posts, and even give you a follow or like. We recommend using linked icons like the ones shown below.
A Clear CTA and Contact Options
CTAs, or calls to action, are crucial to making conversions on your website. A CTA prompts the user to perform the desired action, whether it’s filling out a contact form, subscribing to your mailing list, or purchasing a product or service. Choose wisely which CTAs align with the messaging on your homepage because you really only want to include one or two. Make it clear what you want the visitor to do, and don’t give them too many options to prevent confusion.
Lastly, include plenty of contact options. A clickable phone number, Contact Us navigation option, or “Make an Appointment” CTA are all acceptable for your homepage. This is especially important because as we stated earlier, many users come to your website for a specific piece of information, like a phone number. If they aren’t able to find it quickly, they’ll likely move on. Here is a great example of a highly visible contact option located on the homepage.
Website design is tricky, but when in doubt, stick to the basics. Need help designing the perfect conversion-driven website? We can help with that. Contact our team today.