Let’s get one thing straight right off the bat: every single piece of data, every feature or process you put on your business website is important. Every inch of your digital presence is valuable e-real estate and should be used wisely. This is especially true if you run your business entirely online – site, store, SaaS and more.
As important as your site is, there are some elements of your homepage that have a higher value than the rest. Let’s have a look at five areas where this is true and see what makes them rank higher than the other parts of your homepage.
1. The Pitch
Most businesses have a pitch that states who they are and what they have to offer. It is usually posted on the homepage where it can be seen clearly. In fact, it’s probably the first thing you see when you arrive on the site. This is an important piece of information that lets your visitors know what they can expect from you.
But, for more effectiveness, tackle it from another angle. Instead of simply introducing yourself or your products, tell your visitors exactly how you can help them. By letting your visitors know exactly how you will be able to improve their lives, you’ll get rid of all unnecessary information. Your visitors will instantly know whether or not you’re the business they’re looking for.
2. The Mailing List
It’s rare for first-time visitors to become paying customers on their first visit. They’ll need to visit a couple more times and see your site appear in their lives organically a few times before they trust you enough to do business with you.
Speed the process along by encouraging them to join your mailing list. Keep them informed about the goods or services they’re looking for. The more they know, the quicker they’ll pull their wallets out.
3. The Attention-Grabber
While your whole site should be beautiful and easy to navigate, there should be an eye-catching centerpiece. In your living room, it might be that single item or piece of furniture that most showcases your style. On your homepage it should be a media file – an image, graphic, video, or interactive feature – that tells visitors what you’re all about in a unique and distinctive way. Take some time to come up with a winning element that:
- Personifies your brand
- Is fun, friendly and informative
- Explains why they should do business with you
- Enables them to connect with you further
Remember to keep it sweet, warm and concise. Don’t overdo it; if you need to get multiple messages across, try rotating media, clear navigation functions, or a more functional site layout.
4. The Call-to-Action
Don’t just stuff your site with what you think are relevant keywords. Inspire action – a purchase, an email sign-up, a social share, or a return visit. This is where calls-to-action come into play.
You should be subtle, but insistent in goading your visitors on. Let them know what they need to do. Use action phrases, like “Go to…,” “Buy now…,””Save by purchasing…,” and “Order now…” to push them in the right direction.
5. The Social Proof
If you’ve got a lot of positive feedback on social media, on review sites and other places, share it! Everyone loves a winner, so show people how trusted your business is by sharing how many people follow you on social media, display testimonies from previous clients and let the world know how much of your product you sold last year. The more success stories you share, the higher your credibility.
Keep it all visible
Remember: if you’ve got the room, put these features above the fold of your homepage. Your visitors should be able to take it all in without having to scroll down. Prioritize what’s most important for them to know at first glance without overwhelming them.
Add your important features now
If you have any or all of the mentioned features missing from your business website, the time to get to work adding them is now. Even if you have them in place, make sure they are up to par and are really turning your visitors into paying customers.
