| This is the most important page of your website. For | | | | Call to actions instruct the user to do something that |
| some businesses, the website home page is the | | | | will get them one step closer to engaging your |
| most important public facing element in their entire | | | | services or buying your products, for example "Click |
| business. Your web design has around ten seconds to | | | | here to contact us today", or "Refer a friend and |
| capture the imagination and interest of your visitors, | | | | earn rewards. Click here." |
| so you need to be sure that you are not leaving | | | | 6. Include a special offer, discount, or other |
| anything to chance. | | | | promotion |
| As a rule, your home page web design needs to be | | | | There's nothing like a bargain or something free to |
| visually interesting and punchy. Your main message | | | | entice your users to provide you with valuable |
| and a call to action should be visible immediately and | | | | contact information that can help convert your |
| very easy to read. An effective visual design can | | | | visitors into customers. Consider offering something |
| help to greatly improve your site's usability and retain | | | | free, special offers, or a value added service to |
| you more customers. | | | | encourage more business. Don't make the mistake of |
| Does YOUR web site home page have the potential | | | | asking for too much information in your form, or you |
| to bring you more business, or does it turn potential | | | | may scare potential clients away. |
| customers away? Below is a list of ten ways you | | | | 7. Speak specifically to your target audience |
| can improve the web design and presentation of | | | | Clearly define your target audience and determine if |
| your website's home page. | | | | you are addressing this market sector effectively. |
| 1. Remove unnecessary web design elements | | | | For example, if you main audience are older people, |
| Assess your home page web design and remove any | | | | don't use a small font. If you main audience are |
| elements that don't have a clear purpose. Be ruthless. | | | | pregnant women, your content and imagery needs |
| If you are not sure, revisit your key business | | | | to be sympathetic to this market. |
| objectives and determine if any specific element | | | | 8. Make your navigation usable and consistent |
| helps or hinders in achieving your objectives. | | | | The two main usability rules for navigation are that it |
| 2. Address your key business objectives | | | | needs to be consistent through out a site, and it |
| Review your business objectives and determine if | | | | needs to look like navigation. Most users expect to |
| the web design and information of your home page | | | | find the main navigation either horizontally across the |
| reflects the purpose of the site. For example, if your | | | | top area of the page, or vertically down the far right |
| key business objective is to generate targeted leads | | | | or left sides of the page, where it needs to remain |
| that are followed up by your sales team, ensure that | | | | throughout the site. Label your navigation items so |
| you have a well positioned link on the home page | | | | they make sense to the user. |
| that goes directly to an online form to capture | | | | 9. Craft the text content to be precise and to the |
| potential clients details. | | | | point |
| 3. Clearly state who your are and what you offer | | | | As a rule, web text is usually scanned, and is best |
| The home page message should state clearly and | | | | broken up by bullet points and headings and sub |
| elegantly, yet boldly, who you are and what you do, | | | | headings. It is also important to have "space" around |
| or what services you have to offer. Try to | | | | your content to assist your user to clearly identify |
| incorporate your key messages in the headlines of | | | | and easily read your messages. The content on your |
| your home page content, rather than in the smaller | | | | website needs to be easy to find, easy to read, and |
| body text. Use bold and italics to emphasize key | | | | relevant. |
| words. You can also use colour with your headlines or | | | | 10. Use meaningful and professional imagery |
| as a background colour behind elements to help your | | | | Imagery is a very powerful tool that can be used to |
| key messages stand out. | | | | entice and seduce your potential customers to want |
| 4. What are your points of difference? | | | | more information. The wrong kind of imagery can |
| What can you tell your visitor about your products | | | | turn people away, but the right imagery can win you |
| and services that make you stand out from your | | | | a new client. People will relate to images of people |
| competition? If your differences are compelling | | | | first, and the mood of the image can draw users in. |
| enough, your chances of converting a new customer | | | | Use images on your site to help tell your story |
| become greater. | | | | effectively. |
| 5. Invite your visitors to take action | | | | |