If you’re looking to have a website built for your company, or for a redesign if you’re in the middle of a rebrand, it’s always wise to start with your homepage in mind.
After all, your homepage acts as a front door to your site, and is generally tasked with attracting much of your website’s traffic. However, it remains the case that many businesses fail to properly optimize it.
Your homepage actually wears numerous hats. So rather than viewing it as a landing page with one action to design around, it should be targeted towards your various audiences. For that, you’ll need to integrate a number of different elements designed to attract traffic, educate prospects, and encourage conversions.
So if you’re looking for a B2B web design service in order to improve how your website is performing, they should take on board the following elements that should be on every website homepage.
Headline
Your site visitors need to know what you and your business have to offer them within just a few seconds. The best way to achieve this is through a headline. It might only be a few short words, but it ranks among your website’s most important pieces of copy.
Subheading
This should provide additional information to the heading, providing a short description of your offering. One effective way of doing this is to address a common pain point that you are providing a remedy for.
Calls to action (CTA)
Your homepage’s goal is to take them on a journey into your sales funnel. Insert two or three CTAs above the fold that take your visitors to various stages of your funnel, and insert them where your visitors can easily find them.
Supporting image or video
Many people these days are visual. So ensure that you include an image or video that clearly shows what you are offering. Use images to capture emotion and that result in action. Just be sure to avoid cheesy stock photos.
Benefits
It’s important to explain what you are offering, but also the reason why you are offering these particular product/s or services. Prospects are looking for more information on the benefits of your offering because that’s what will convince them to stay on your page.
Social proof
Social proof indicates trust. You could have the best offering in your industry, and you should feel free to state that- but people may remain skeptical until they hear it from others. That’s where social proof comes in,
Include a few quotes, and if applicable, link to any case studies that support the quality of your products and services. If you provide a name and photo next to each quote or case study, it gives extra credibility.
Navigation
The content and design of the navigation on your homepage could mean the difference between a bounce and a conversion. To decrease bounce rate, make it easy for your customers to do exactly what you want them to do starting from your homepage. Make the top navigation menu visible and create a hierarchical structure for your links.
Content offer
To make your homepage an even more powerful lead generator, include a content offer like a guide, ebook, or white paper. People who may not be in a position to buy might choose to download your free content offer that provides them with more information on a subject that they’ve already expressed interest in by visiting your site.
More CTAa
Include more CTAs to provide further opportunities to convert your prospects who aren’t ready to buy your primary offer. It’s essentially a contingency approach.
These CTAs should be below the fold so that your prospects have options when scrolling down your page.
Features
Along with benefits, you’ll also want to note down some of the key features. These provide further information about your offering. You’ll want to keep the wording in your features easy to consume and light in tone.
Resources
Again, you’ll need to bear in mind that the majority of your prospects won’t yet be in “buy” mode. So for those just seeking information at this stage, provide a link to resources on your site where they can look through relevant information. As well as increasing the time they spend on your site, it will build credibility as a leader in your industry.
Success indicators
Along with success stories from customers, both recognition and awards can further help to create a positive impression. Use your homepage to make your visitors aware of your accomplishments. As is the case with social proof, further success indicators will provide you with further credibility to those who are unaware of you and your offering.
