Your homepage is arguably one of the most important parts of your website. It’s the first impression people get, and sometimes it’s the only place your visitors are really going to look. Yes, your homepage should be well-designed and feature eye-catching visuals, but the core component should be the content you put there.
However, you shouldn’t just throw out any content just to fill up your homepage. You need to be strategic in your design and make sure that the right information is the first thing people see. In short, it should be welcoming to all of your target audiences, informative, and lead-driven.
When it comes to what content should go to your homepage, here are some of the main elements you should consider.
Branding and Logos
This is a given when it comes to your website. Every page of your website should include your branding and logo to maintain a consistent brand identity. Your homepage is an important part of that brand identity. All of your content should follow the same theme as well. Make sure your logo is clickable and directs back to the homepage so people can get back there from every page of your site.
Headings and Subheadings
Most people think about headings and subheadings in terms of SEO value, which is an important part of your website design, but your headings and subheadings also make your homepage more digestible and readable for your audience. The majority of your audience isn’t actually going to read every detail of your page, and they’re more likely to skim your content. Headings tell people what content they’re looking at and where to find the information they came to your page for in the first place.
Quality Visuals
Of course, visuals are also a key component to your website’s overall aesthetic. You need to include images on your homepage, but you shouldn’t rely on generic, cheesy stock photos. This is a tempting route to take because it’s cheaper and easier, but it could end up hurting your image. Your photos should capture your visitors’ attention and emotion while showcasing the quality of your brand with real pictures of your brand’s people, products, and services.
CTAs
Different people from different facets of your buyer personas are going to end up together in one place on your homepage, and they’re all going to be at different stages in the marketing funnel. For example, one person might be ready to make a purchase, while another might be interested in learning more about the services or products you sell. Those two visitors are going to click completely different pages, but you want to make sure they both find what they’re looking for, from the page they landed on. Make sure you have multiple CTAs linking to different pages on your site that help guide each of those visitors in the right direction.
Your Story
Include a small bit of content letting your visitors know who you are and telling them your own unique story. People are more comfortable with a brand when they see that there are people behind it. Don’t overwhelm them and write out every single detail about you – leave that for your about page. Just give them enough to understand what you’re all about and why they should trust you as an industry leader.
Social Media
72% of Internet users say that a brand’s social media presence will influence their purchasing decision. Integrating your social media pages on your homepage will help people see your content and showcase who you are, while encouraging them to follow you on those platforms. This also helps you appear more authentic to users who are active on social media.
Resources
Provide resources for your audience that will offer them value and help them learn more about your areas of expertise. This could be links to your blog, to a downloadable piece of content you offer for free, or even a resource center where you regularly post new information. Essentially, you want people to see that you are providing them value as soon as they land on your website, and this will also encourage them to stay on your site longer to read through your content.
Testimonials
Adding testimonials to your homepage can do a number of things for your brand. Firstly, it helps to increase your authenticity. When people see that others have used and trusted you, they’re more likely to think of you as a business they can trust, too. Secondly, this is how you turn your customers into brand ambassadors to leverage word-of-mouth marketing. More people trust referrals from real customers, friends, or family than they do marketing messages.
Contact Information
Sometimes the only reason people are on your website in the first place is to look up your contact information, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them to get what they’re looking for. In fact, 64% of people say they want to see contact information on a company’s home page, while 44% of people will actually leave a website entirely if they don’t see contact information. A great place to include your contact information is in your footer, so you can make sure it’s easily accessible and visible on every page.