Your homepage should be more than just a pretty face. It should be visually appealing, consistent with your branding, and easy to navigate. A well-designed homepage can encourage visitors to take action, such as signing up for a newsletter, browsing your offerings, booking services, or purchasing products. It’s not just about looking good; it’s about engaging your visitors and making it easy for them to find what they need.
1. Capture the Attention
The homepage usually starts with a hero section, which should be captivating and attractive to capture attention and encourage visitors to explore the rest of the site. The hero section can showcase the site’s main features, promote a product or service, or tell a compelling story. Since the hero section is the first thing visitors see, making a good impression is essential. A well-designed hero section can help establish the site’s brand and tone and give visitors a sense of the site’s overall purpose.
Static Hero
Static hero images provide a simple and effective way to create an engaging and informative homepage experience. Select a high-quality hero image that showcases your products or services. Avoid using generic background images unrelated to your website.
Slideshow
A slideshow can effectively showcase multiple products or services on a homepage. This is especially useful for businesses with a wide range of offerings, as it gives visitors a brief overview of all the company offers. Slideshows are visually appealing and quickly capture visitors’ attention. You can create a slideshow using a WordPress plugin like Smartslider or Slider Revolution.
Use a WordPress plugin like Smartslider or Slider Revolution to create a slideshow.
Video
Videos are more likely to capture attention than static images or text. The movement, sound, and visual storytelling of videos can immediately draw visitors in and make them want to learn more. For example, if you’re a travel website, a hero video could showcase stunning destinations, exciting activities, and the overall ambiance of travel. Videos can be more engaging than static content, especially for today’s audience that is accustomed to consuming video content. Engaging visitors can lead to increased time spent on the site, higher conversion rates, and a more positive overall impression of the brand.
You can embed videos from video streaming platforms on your website, such as YouTube or Vimeo. You can also upload your videos to the Media Library or a CDN. Use and produce your videos; don’t copy other people’s videos from the internet unless you have permission from the author to do so.
Forms
Including booking/search forms in your website’s hero homepage can be a strategic move that enhances user engagement, improves navigation, and drives direct bookings or reservations.
2. Below the Hero
Products/Services Categories
Showcasing a variety of product categories gives visitors a quick overview of what your store has to offer. Product categories also provide visitors with an easy way to navigate to the specific product categories they are interested in. This can help them find what they are looking for more quickly and easily, improving the user experience.
Banners
Placing banners below the hero on a website can be an effective way to promote specific products, services, or promotions. You can also place a secondary call to action on the banners.
Featured Products/ Services
How it works
For more complex business models, a how it works section is a must on the homepage, to provide visitors with a clear and concise explanation of how your product, service, or platform operates. This can help users understand the value proposition and benefits of your offering, making it easier for them to decide whether it’s suitable for their needs.
Partners/ Clients
Associating your brand with reputable partners and clients can enhance your credibility and establish trust with potential customers. It demonstrates that your company is working with respected organizations and that your products or services are valued by industry leaders. Showcasing clients and partners can boost your company’s reputation, and increase sales.
Social Proof
Social proof can be used to increase conversions and sales by demonstrating that other people have already bought or used a product or service and have been happy with it. This can help to reduce perceived risk and make potential customers more likely to take action. Showcasing reviews, awards, or case studies can boost consumer trust.
Benefits
Summarizing company benefits on the homepage is a great way to quickly and easily communicate your company’s value proposition to potential customers. It allows visitors to immediately understand what your company has to offer and why they should choose you over your competitors.
News/ Posts
Regularly publishing news articles related to your industry establishes your company as a thought leader and a source of expertise. This increased brand awareness can lead to more customer engagement and a stronger reputation.
