Are you working on creating your first website or revamping your current one? If so, you might not be totally sure what content you should include on your homepage. While you certainly have many options for what you can include, there are a few must-have items I think you should always include.
Here is the must-have content I recommend for every website’s homepage.
Main headline and call to action
Have you ever visited a website and, at a glance, you can’t quite pinpoint what it is the company actually does? Maybe the site’s introduction is filled with marketing jargon you can’t make sense of, or maybe they’ve skipped a headline altogether in favor of some scrolling images. These are both huge misses. A main headline should grab your visitors’ attention and help to quickly and concisely explain just what it is your company does and can solve for your prospects.
On your homepage, you’ll want to pair your main headline with a call to action, giving your visitors something they can immediately take action on. The last thing you want to do is leave it in your visitors hands to figure out where to go next. If they main conversion on your website is to fill out a lead form, then you’ll want your call to action to direct them to fill out their information. If it’s to get them over to a services page, then your call to action should do just that. Your goal should be to make taking action as easy as possible for your prospective customers.
Imagery that conveys your message
Images can have a profound affect on your website’s visitors—both good and bad depending on the images you choose. When it’s possible, I highly recommend aiming for original photos. However, I do realize that’s not always in the cards. When choosing stock photos, make sure your choices reflect your business and what it is you do: if you’re a writer, find a closeup of someone typing; if you’re an artist, find a photo of art supplies. I recommend avoiding abstract images, as these can lack clues to what your business or service is all about.
Quick description of your benefits
What makes your business different? Why should prospective customers choose you? Aim to give a quick overview of your product or services’ benefits right on your homepage, compelling visitors to click to learn more and ultimately leading them to a services page or to get in touch. I’d recommend a more visual approach in this section: bullet points, graphics, etc. versus a big, long paragraph. Make sure this section is easy to skim!
Secondary calls to action
I always ask my clients “what are the three actions you want your visitors to take on your website?” This helps determine what the secondary calls to action should be on their homepage. To implement on your own site, ask yourself what the three main pages are where visitors can learn the most about your business: maybe this is your services, about, and blog pages. Set up quick blurbs along with links out to these sections. This makes it simple for your visitors to know where they should go next.
Testimonials
Testimonials are a great addition to your homepage: if you’ve received glowing recommendations from past clients, I recommend saving some space for these near the bottom of your site’s homepage to highlight these. This social proof can help nudge visitors who might be on the fence into calling you to learn more, or at least perusing your website a little further.
Contact information or contact form
I always, always, always recommend to make it as easy as possible for visitors on your website to get in touch with you. Don’t make them have to go searching for your contact information! You can, of course, still have a separate contact page, but your primary method of contact (phone number, email, etc.) should be prevalent on your site’s homepage—and you can even consider having a quick contact form near the bottom to make it even easier.