What Should I Put on My Homepage?
When building your website, the question often arises … What should I put on my homepage? Below we give you our tips for what you should have on your homepage. After all, it's the most important page on your website - first impressions are everything.
Our tips below will cover most service-based businesses, obviously each business is different so there may be more things needed on your homepage. So, whether you offer graphic design, plumbing or health and safety services, the below will help you.
What does it say on your tin?
As long as a website visitor lands on your website, they need to know exactly what you do, essentially what does it say on your time? You need a clear and simple message in your hero section. The hero section of your page takes pride at the top of your website, so typically underneath your menu and the first thing website visitors will see.
You need a clear and simple Hero section that communicates what you do and how it benefits your customers. We always advise having a main heading, supporting text and an image to help the website visitor instantly understand what you do. Try and avoid industry jargon as that will confuse some people and potentially lose sales. For example, we use “Easily build your own website” and then we show examples of websites …. We do exactly what we say on the tin.
List your services
Listing your services should come next as you have told the website visitor exactly what you do, it’s now time to lead them to where they want to go.
For example, if you offer 3 main services, have those 3 services along with an enticing description and if possible, an image to show that service. This makes it really easy for the website visitors to see which service they are after. Remember to have a button or link for each one so that you can send them to the page for that service (yes, you need a page for each service but we won’t go over that today).
Testimonials / Case Studies
In this day and age, we need social proof as it helps our buying decisions. Client testimonials or case studies are a great way to show websites visitors that others just like them have benefitted from your service.
Try and include the person’s image or company logo as this will show its real. Even better, if you can get a video testimonial or case study, this works wonders as website visitors are more likely to believe a video testimonial featuring real people. We would upload the video to YouTube and then place onto your website as it can also be found on YouTube if people are searching online.
For example, you could put “Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our happy clients”. It shows how real the benefits are and connects your service/company with the website visitor.
Examples of your work
Studies as mentioned above will be your portfolio as it’s not a physical end product that you can see such as website or marketing brochure.
Showing examples of your work helps the website visitor see your work and add more proof of the service you offer. Showing what you have done for others also shows that you have experience and are not only just starting out.
We recommend showing some examples on the homepage and then linking to your portfolio section where you can have galleries showing off your work and explain how you have helped that client.
Blog and news
If you don’t blog or add company news then this section is irrelevant and just straight down to Call To Action. With that said, you should always be trying to blog or add news to your website as its helps drive traffic and helps with SEO. You cant find out more about blogs here.
If you blog often, and I mean often, then have your latest blogs on the homepage, if you only blog every few months then I would not have this as it seems like you are not active. The blog is there to show the visitors that you know what you are talking about and helps them see you as an expert in your field. If you are an events or training company then I would have a list of your upcoming events to help assist with the blog content strategy.
Call To Action
A CTA (call to action) – as mentioned in a lot of our blogs and videos, is about telling website visitors what you want them to do next.
- Do you want them to call and book an appointment?
- Do you want them to book in a 30-minute call?
- Do you want them to fill in a brief?
- Do you want them to enter their information for a free review?
Make it as easy as possible for them to do it. So, tell them what you want them to do and how they can do it. For example, call, email, fill in a form or book directly into a calendar.
Contact information
As mentioned above in the CTA, give your website visitor your contact information so that they can easily contact you.
Your contact information should be either on every page or each page having a link to your contact page for the website visitors to get in touch. Don’t make it hard for them to find. With that said, always have your contact page link in your main menu, and not as a drop-down in the main menu or hidden in your footer.
Need help with your homepage?
We are always on hand to help and assist our customers. If you need help with the design or content for your website, then please get in touch and we can look at options: Call 01772 393080 or email info@pagio.co.uk.
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