So you’re looking to build a new website for your business or organization, and you’re doing your research on what it needs—and what it doesn’t? Well, there are plenty of things your website needs in order to be successful, and plenty more it doesn’t need in order to get your point across, whether your hoping for a sale, email address, or download.
The trick is to focus on the overall purpose of your site—what are you trying to accomplish? Once you have the answer, you’re well on your way to a kickass site in both form and function.
But you’ve got to start somewhere, and that somewhere is your homepage. The homepage is, as you may have guessed, the most popular page on almost every site. It helps to think of it like a waiting room, a place that guides you in the direction you wish to go.
But if you’re in a waiting room with magazines dating from ’94, loose ceiling tiles, and a funky smell that won’t leave your clothes for weeks… well, you aren’t likely to move forward, and even less likely to come back. Remember, first impressions count.
Focus On the User
Don’t think of your audience as a hodgepodge of people (whether they are or aren’t). Focus on the kind of user you want to target, and write and design your site around that. Think about why they came, and what they hope to get out of your site. That way, you can tie what you do and how you do it back to the user.
Simplify the Navigation
If a visitor is looking at your navigation and they can’t figure out where it will lead them before they click, you’re doing it wrong! The key here is simplicity. There’s no need to be cute, or funny, or whatever it is you think you’re doing. Keep it clear, and your visitors will return the favor by crawling your site.
Calls-to-Action That Work
That doesn’t mean stapling “Read More” at the bottom of your latest update. Every website is different, but they all share the same goal: they want the visitor to do something. In effect, your homepage is there to lead the visitors in the correct direction, and CTA’s—good CTA’s—can do that. Start with top-of-the-funnel and work your way down.
Build The Trust
Internet users are cynical and companies today are tasked with maintaining some level of transparency, so you want to feature sections on your website that do just that. That means everything, from employee bios and pictures, to testimonials and partners. You want to establish yourself as need to know, and now.
Filter In Content
If you’re looking for a way to engage website visitors right off the bat, lead them to your content. That means blogs, videos, articles, downloads, etc. Give them an opportunity to learn more about you as a business, and as people. It can help answer questions they may have, or get them interested without having to say a word.
Keep It Pretty
How a website looks isn’t the end-all be-all of success, but it certainly helps. Like I said, presentation matters during the first impression and you want your visitors to arrive at a site that gets them excited. This can mean different things depending on your business, but making it readable, utilizing images, and keeping it organized can mean all the difference.
