How to create a great home page design for your website
When you are having a new website designed, or creating a home page design for a new customer after taking up a website design business opportunity, the home page is sure to be the one area where you really prioritise the design. But, with so much pressure to get this page right it’s well worth recapping just what makes for an exceptional, high-performing home page. Read on to find out …
1. It’s optimized for mobile
With more people browsing from a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet than a desktop, the very first thing that you need to get right when designing a homepage is that it’s optimised for mobile. If this isn’t the case, it doesn’t matter how great your product or your prices, a huge chunk of your audience will be left disappointed. Keep mobile in mind when writing the home page copy, choosing and uploading images (make sure they are compressed) and developing your navigation structure and buttons.
2. Your brand values and personality are clearly conveyed
Your website homepage is essentially the digital equivalent of a physical shop window so it should be very clear who you are, what your brand values and value proposition is and what your brand personality is. These three points are key ingredients because they’re the elements that speak to your visitors and can make the difference between them staying on site or heading back to the search engine.
3. Clear call to action
Another key component of a great homepage design is a clear call to action. This could be something like ‘shop now’ or ‘discover our new range’ – or something a little more creative. If you can use CTAs like ‘request your free trial’ or ‘start a demo’ do so.
4. The language used speaks to your audience
It’s tempting on a homepage to lapse into corporate speak but, if that’s not what your audience wants or expects, it will kill your design. In almost all cases, your home page design should include concise, succinct and powerful copy, paired with equally engaging images. Don’t use 30 words where 5 will do. Focus on short and snappy and avoid the jargon.
5. A/B Test so you KNOW it’s a great design
A/B testing is an important element of any page design and none more so than the homepage. A/B testing allows you to refine elements of your design to continually improve it, whether that is changing a call to action, swapping an image or refining the text. Consider your home page a dynamic, fluid design rather than something you do once and then leave as regular testing will ensure your home page continues to give visitors what they want and captivates enough of your web traffic to generate a good ROI.
