The availability of countless themes and templates (some of which are free) makes creating a homepage simpler and quicker. While it may seem easy, creating a homepage, specifically an effective one, requires conceptualisation and planning. This is why, for those who truly understand what this project entails, they opt to hire a reputable company offering website design services.

Why Is Your Homepage’s Layout Important?

Consider your homepage as your initial point of contact with a potential customer. After tirelessly marketing your company, you finally become successful in getting people to visit your site. Yet, the work doesn’t stop here. You want them to stay and explore the page. You want to convert these visitors into customers. In your physical shop, all these can easily be accomplished with the help of a sales representative. When it comes to your website, it’s your homepage that should make these things happen.

Contents Of An Effective Homepage

One of the most important things your homepage must have is a powerful and informative headline. It’s a statement that immediately informs your visitors about what your company does. As labelled, it’s a headline; hence, it should just be a sentence or two. Also come up with a sub-headline that’s going to tell your visitors what you can do for them. Just like your headline, the sub-headline should be concise and well-crafted for potential customers to immediately know that you are the right company for them.

Your logo must also be visible on your homepage. Don’t rush its creation; ensure that your logo is properly conceptualised. It should be able to convey your company’s identity and ethos.

As it serves as your visitor’s guide to your website, the navigation bar must also be on your homepage, preferably on a spot that’s easily seen. Do not overdo the navigation bar by placing too many links to pages. Select only those which are truly useful for your visitors, with the most important information arranged from left to right.

Ensure that you have a call to action (CTA), too. Remember, your end goal is not just to have visitors; it is to convert these visitors into customers. Sometimes, site visitors are willing to give your company a chance but do not know what their next course of action should be. Hence, you have to give them a nudge or direct them to what you want to happen, be it calling your store, subscribing to your social media pages or purchasing your product.

Your headline (and subhead line), logo, navigation bar and call to action fall under what’s called primary content. These are the essential things which MUST appear on your homepage. These are the details you need to communicate to your visitors.

There are also pieces of information referred to as secondary content. This pertains to content that’s not as essential as those mentioned above but may still be useful in converting visitors to customers. Examples of these are client testimonials, benefits list and features list.

Testimonials or reviews from clients can help build your reputation and make you more trustworthy to your site visitors. Information like media reports about your business and affiliations with reputable institutions can also improve your credibility.

A compelling statement about how getting your service or buying your product could benefit customers is another secondary content you can put on your homepage. On this list, focus on making them see that choosing your company can positively impact their life. Appeal to their emotions!

The features list is where you talk about what you offer – what customers exactly get when they do business with you. If you are selling a product, this means stating what your product has – what sets it apart from the others. Again, don’t drown your customers with tons of information. Only present features which would be interesting for your visitors.

What Makes An Effective Homepage Layout?

It must be easy to navigate. Just like a physical store, your homepage must have a layout that’s going to give your visitors a good and fruitful experience. If it is in disarray, it can discourage potential customers from exploring your site. So, don’t let them aimlessly wander on your page, guide them! How? Arrange your content according to how you’d want your potential customers to explore your site.

Also, lay out your content in a manner wherein important details are readily visible or accessible to website visitors. Keep in mind, online users can be very impatient. If they don’t find what they need immediately, they leave the page and switch to another. Therefore, ensure that visitors can easily locate essential information like your primary content. Place your logo, headline, navigation bar and CTA above-the-fold, the part of the page that visitors initially see when the page loads. For your secondary content, put them below-the-fold, the part of the page which can be viewed after scrolling down.

To learn more about how to have an effective homepage layout and design, call us at 019609023 or visit our website today!