Your homepage combines a storefront and a billboard when advertising your business. Not only is your homepage the first thing many customers see when interacting with your business, but a good homepage can also make or break your business’s reputation. Your homepage can make a world of difference when converting traffic into sales, and a well-designed homepage is a thing of beauty.

Let’s look at the most crucial elements of a winning homepage.

Above and Below the Fold

Before we discuss how to structure your homepage, first, we should define some terms. Above and below the fold refers to how your homepage is structured. Interestingly enough, these terms come from newspaper printing. While getting on the front page of a paper is a goal in itself, the concept of “above” versus “below” the fold has to do with what the most eye-catching part of a page is. Anything “above the fold” is what a customer would see first when a paper was sitting on a stand. 

Similarly, “above the fold” in webpage design is what your customer sees as soon as they enter your webpage, without scrolling or clicking. By that logic, anything “below the fold” requires a customer to scroll on your page or click through to other areas of the site or homepage. If you have optional pop-ups that require your customer to interact with them, these can also be counted as “below the fold.” 

Directing Traffic

Now that you have a general idea of layout terminology let’s get into the goal of your homepage. Creating a homepage is like building a map for future customers. While your homepage needs readily available information, it also dictates where your clients will end up. 

Though aesthetics are essential for website design, especially on the homepage, your first step should be figuring out where your webpage traffic will go. For example, if you are a service-based business, you ideally want to direct traffic to a contact form. If you sell products, you want to make the transition from the homepage to a product to checkout as efficient as possible.

Once you know where you want your clients to end up, it’s essential to structure your website accordingly. Check out your competition’s websites if you need help getting your customers from point A to point B. It helps put yourself in a customer’s mindset to design your homepage better. Are you annoyed by pop-ups? Are you getting lost in a flood of slideshows and advertisements when looking for contact info? Does a homepage communicate what the business is about, or is it vague? Keep this information on hand when approaching your homepage, as it can be a critical insight into what customers are looking for from your website. 

Crucial Parts of a Homepage

Now that you have a better idea of your homepage’s end goal, let’s look at the essential parts of a homepage. Think of each piece of this list as building a layer cake: each part of the homepage design supports and adds to the other parts of the webpage. So while you can cover a wealth of mistakes with “frosting” (web page design), if the structural aspects of your “cake” aren’t working, the whole thing falls apart. 

Setting aside the cake metaphor for a moment, a good foundation will do more for your website than hours of design and flashy graphics, so make sure you have these essential elements before launching your homepage. 

Logo

Your business should have a logo long before you set up your website. A logo should be one of the first things you design when starting your business. If you don’t have a logo, stop reading this article and make one. 

Okay, we’re only partially kidding there, but a logo is one of the most recognizable aspects of your business and acts as a brand identifier for your business. Making sure your logo is recognizable and well-placed on your homepage ensures your customers know where they are when they land on your website. 

Before placing your logo everywhere on your page, remember a few things. First, less is more when it comes to your logo. Sure, you may be tempted to stamp your logo on every inch of your site, but keep in mind the above- and below-the-fold concept. 

Your customers should be able to find your logo, but a large logo takes away from other crucial items on your front page. Avoid overly creative logo placements, animated logos, or giant billboards of your logo, as these draw too much attention away from the other elements of your homepage. In general, keep a small version of your logo in the main navigation and in the footer.

Simple Navigation

Everyone has visited at least one website where the navigation made them run for the hills. While getting creative with your navigation can be tempting, remember that user intent is critical. If your navigation is confusing, bulky, or frustrating, your customers are less likely to use your site. 

Standard navigation on a beautiful website is more inviting and compelling than wildly creative navigation that no one can use. Returning to our lovely cake metaphor, overwhelming navigation is like creating a beautiful cake and expecting your guests to eat it with their hands. Sure, you may have a few dedicated customers who suffer through your navigation, but you’re going to turn away new customers before they even try your business. 

Contact Button in Navigation

This applies more to businesses that offer a service rather than e-commerce sites. To quote Hamlet, “brevity is the soul of wit.” Having your contact button front and center can streamline that visitor traffic straight to your inbox. While you should also have contact information in the footer of your page (we get into footers further down), an easily accessible contact button in the header of your site grabs those impatient clients and gives your homepage an intuitive feel. 

Captivating, Concise Headline

Think of your homepage like a newspaper: you want a headline that grabs the reader without bogging them down. A captivating, concise headline tells your customers exactly what to expect from your business. You may be tempted to go over the top for your headline, but remember that being concise is crucial. 

Many online customers have limited patience, and a bulky headline can distract from your services. An excellent example of a concise headline is ours: Full-Service Marketing Agency for Small to Mid-Sized Businesses. Sure, we’re more than a little biased, but this headline has everything you need for a headline. So let’s break it down.

First, introduce what you have to offer, in our case, a full-service marketing agency. Next, target your customers, in our case, small to mid-sized businesses. If you are selling a product rather than targeting customers, replace that last section with your selling point, like “custom organic furniture” or “hand-picked cosmetics.” 

Finally, a headline should be short, sweet, and to the point. You may be tempted to toss adverbs and modifiers throughout your headline, but only if you have a specific phrase tied to your brand identity, avoid overwhelming your headline. 

Call to Action (CTA)

For the most part, every page of your site needs a call to action (CTA). A CTA points customers toward your contact information, tells them what services or goods you offer, and helps up your brand identity. CTA should include your contact information or a link to your contact form if you provide services. For e-commerce businesses, CTA’s could be promoting a shopping experience. Think of a CTA like a free traffic signal; a page without a CTA is a missed chance to direct your visitors to your goods or services. 

Real Photos

A large part of online advertising is visual; the same goes for your homepage. While you may be tempted to include a ton of stock photos, keep in mind this can be alienating for your customers. A few stock photos here and there are fine; after all, you may be unable to provide custom photography for every inch of your site. Still, pictures of your business, your team, and your products, especially on your site’s front page, can add trustworthiness to your business. 

Now, unless you are selling a photography service, you should limit the number of pictures on your homepage. Finding a balance between visual items and valid text is crucial to creating an engaging, usable homepage that directs customers toward your services. For example, consider a rotating photo header, or offer a link to a portfolio if you want to show off even more photos. 

Footer with Navigation and Contact Information

As content researchers and marketing professionals, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of a footer on your website. No matter what your homepage looks like, the footer is a constant navigation aid across most of the internet. Even if your homepage is exciting, a resident of the internet knows they can grab your information from your footer, so live up to these expectations. 

Your footer should include navigation options, contact information, social media accounts, and any legal information you want your customers aware of. Remember, a discreet but helpful footer is an excellent asset to any homepage or website. Keep your footer small, but make sure it’s functional. 

Here at Planted Marketing, our team of creative professionals works to build your business’s online presence, customize your marketing strategy, and boost your mid to small business to new heights. Ready to create your virtual storefront? Send us a message!

Planted Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency specializing in small businesses strategy and foundation building. We’ve designed and built websites for a variety of clients. Each build takes into consideration SEO and user experience to ensure your website is found online and converts. Want to learn more about creating a website or optimizing an existing website? Send us a message – info@plantedmarketing.com. Talk soon!