How is your website working for you?
Do you know that your website is your most important tool for your online business? I'm talking about new qualified leads, program or product promotion or booking and payments; your website's homepage is the place where your visitor will go to get the information they want quickly.
Your marketing and branding plan starts with your website!
Here are a few tips for creating a quality homepage that delivers:
Keep in Simple
Simple designs that quickly show your visitor how to get the information they need quickly have the best conversion rates.
Having too much information, confusing messaging or information below the fold will distract, confuse or frustrate your visitor.
It's great to have detailed information on your site, just not on your homepage.
Focus on Speed
We, humans, are impatient and in the digital age, we are used to getting content lighting fast. If your website content doesn't load quickly, your bounce rate is likely to increase.
A slow-loading homepage will hurt more than your bottom line. Higher bounce rates will show Google that your website isn't delivering relevant content quickly and the algorithm will drop your website ranking.
Use Quality Images
Images are key when attracting visitors and keeping them on your site. However, too many images can distract from your message and can result in slower load times. Be sure you use images that will deliver the highest impact.
Have ONE Clear Call to Action
Your CTA should be glaringly obvious, meaning it should clearly state WHY your visitor should click and always be above the fold.
Your CTA should include an attention-grabbing headline that will make your visitor want to click to find out more and the button should show the action you want them to take and should be obvious:
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These CTA's are great examples that will perform well on your homepage. Remember you want to encourage your visitor to take ONE action, so only select one CTA for above the fold.
Think Mobile Design First
When designing your website, think about the mobile experience first. Heavy load times due to video, large images or other optimization issues will create a slow load time, unpleasant experience and often confusing message for your visitor.
Fun facts #1: 53% of visitors leave a site when it takes longer than three seconds to load on mobile
Fun fact #2: Mobile devices (excluding tablets) generate 54.8% of global website traffic.
User experience and optimization for mobile should be your priority.
I hope these tips help you optimize your website's homepage so you can start getting the results you want for your business.
Laura
Do you need a website?
Are you unsure about how to create a fantastic user experience on your homepage?
Are you confused about what messaging will work best for your brand?
Take the first step toward help with a free consultation. We'll discuss where you are now in your marketing and I'll give you some tips to help you start building a revenue-generating marketing plan that fits your unique personality.