When you build a website, a lot of effort also goes into creating the landing page for viewers across the globe. That first page is the first thing you will encounter for some companies, and how it looks, where it takes you, and a couple of other factors all play into the number of viewers you will get landing on your page.

The purpose of a website homepage is to engage the visitor. It also serves the purpose of capturing the viewer’s attention, giving them an introduction to your website, and giving them access to online resources that help them. 

A homepage is supposed to hook the viewer, tell them what to do, how to do it, and teach them about the website or company. To fulfill its purpose, you must show the viewers your purpose—whether that be your company mission statement, a demonstration of your best work, or a link to shop for clothes—it helps them see what it is all about. So make sure that you put time and effort into creating a homepage that fulfills a need that your viewer has and is looking for. Below are some helpful tips.

How to Catch the Viewer’s Attention: Important Elements of HomePage Web Design

 

Most flights, or at least the ones you want to be on, are taking you somewhere exotic and beautiful. This same sort of concept applies to websites as well. When a person lands on your website, they subconsciously desire it to be aesthetically pleasing, and they want it to contain the information they were searching for. Therefore, when a viewer lands on your site, you want it to be pleasing, so they will stick around and look through more of your content.

The way you do this is often through visuals. It is hard to incorporate the sound of birds chirping and waves rolling into your website, but you can capture their eye with a great color scheme, pictures, animations, buttons, and more. It’s easier said than done to create a nice-looking homepage, but there are a variety of strategies you can use to try to get people’s attention and create an appealing website design.

• A great color scheme is more than just colors on a page. The colors can often coordinate with the company logo colors and help lead the viewer’s eye around the page. The colors you use on your homepage are often present throughout your entire website and are complementary. Colors also tend to insight different emotions to the viewer, so be sure to pay attention to the emotion and connotation of the color.
• Typography can also be an incredibly useful tool. If you can use it to your advantage, it can also guide the viewer to different parts of the page and emphasize the key points. Typography determines your website’s readability, and if it is hard to read, people will leave. What your text actually says is also very important, and we will discuss it in a couple of paragraphs.
• Visuals, including photos, graphics, and videos, are another vital aspect. Images do a great job at saying something without actually speaking it. As long as your image is relevant and delivers a message, not just filling space, it can also be a great addition to any homepage. Ensure that the image is of good quality so that it adds to your site rather than detracts from it.
• While colors, text, visuals, and all other elements are incredibly essential, don’t underestimate the power of blank white space. It gives the viewer a break and keeps it simple. The more simple it is, the more likely people are to really see what is happening and understand it. Leave some white space.
• Another great point is balance! Balance is super pleasing. Ensure that each side of your site has elements that balance it and that they are aligned correctly.
• Last but not least, ensure your website has continuity. You should avoid duplicating content but still have it all following the same pattern or theme. Consistency helps the viewer recognize that they are still in the right spot and can find what they need.

Communicate Your Purpose on Your Homepage

 

The purpose of your site should be the first thing someone sees when they land on your homepage. You got people to visit your site now you want to let them know why they should stay. If they have to look for a reason, they’ll quickly find another site to go to. You have a few precious seconds to capture a visitor’s attention and give them a reason to use your website.

We’ve all clicked on a page and wondered what we were looking at. What does this company do? Where do I go to find this thing? If we have to ask these questions, the homepage is not doing its job. Keep in mind that while you know your website and the answers to these questions, viewers don’t have the same information as you, so you need to tell them.

One of the best ways to show what you are representing is to have a button with text or images of what the site is for. Great examples of this are companies like Target, Kohl’s, and other clothing stores.  They have images of people modeling their clothes with text saying “Back to school style” “Warm up for winter”

 

On their site’s homepage, these companies might show images of their most popular items with information on prices or discounts. The second you get on the page, you understand its purpose: to get you to purchase something.

If your website is an e-commerce site, then maybe that is something to think about. But if the online store is only a small part of the website, it could still make it onto the homepage but should use fewer images and text.

Here are some examples of things you could put on a homepage to help show others its purpose:

• The value proposition of your website, which is a short tagline about what you do, who it’s for, and why the visitor should use you for it.
• A call to action after the tagline such as “Start Now” or “Join Us” that tells the visitor exactly what to do.
• Social proof of other people or brands who engage with you.
• Services or the benefits your site provides.

For whatever website you are creating, you have a purpose, which your viewers need to know. It helps them gauge what to do with the information you give them. Most likely, you will be teaching people, selling to people, or showing people how you can help them. Information is a major part of our society, and people search for it, so give them the information they are seeking from you!

Your homepage is super important to your website for communicating your purpose and because it usually gets the most visits to your site! Learn more about why your homepage is important in this article I wrote here.

How to Further Engage Visitors On your Website

 

Giving the viewers an overview and telling them your purpose are two great ways to get them to engage with your website. But just like travelers who have taken the first step and dec….ings they will do when they are there, many viewers are also ready for the next step. Now that they have landed there and understood what the point of it all was, they will want more information. Normally this more detailed content is located on a different page of your website. Let’s get them where they need to go!

A really great way to do this is by having a search bar right there on your home page. They can simply type in what they are looking for and pull relevant information within your site—just ensure it actually generates good results.

Not only is a search bar important, but so is a navigation bar. Navigation bars are normally located at the top or left side of your site and allow the viewers to click on the option that seems most relevant to them. For example, some options for the navigation bar could be “home,” “photos,” “shop,” “about,” “history,” or “contact.” Navigation helps the viewer see what your site offers them and encourages them to click and dive deeper into your site and become further engaged through more pages.

Another common practice to help engage people is to provide links throughout pages to other parts of your sites. You could have a grid of photos from different blog posts for people to click on. Maybe you highlight different aspects of your site, like short columns on features or services. Having a brief description of a link and then telling them how clicking them can help them find more places to go.

At the bottom of the homepage or in a link, provide the viewers a place to reach out to you or get notifications from you. This allows them to contact you or stay in contact with you and your site, which produces more engagement for you. Call-to-action buttons, as shown above, are also incredibly influential and will help people engage more in your content.

Other Elements of a Good Homepage

 

Above we figured out the purpose of a homepage and how to achieve that good design, but you can also add more to your homepage to make it your own.

A great way to do this is to add things specific to your website or business and show the viewers why you are credible. If you create a site to teach people something, let them know why you are a credible source. Do you have a certification, degree, or professional experience? If you create a site to get people to purchase a product, tell them what other people are saying about it. Credibility can be shown with media coverage, press, or reviews.

People trust other people, it’s easy to say you’re the best, but it means a lot more coming from other people. Visitors want to see the results others have had engaging with you before going through your website.

Here is a list of these elements and more to consider:

• Hero Image (the main image usually at the top of the page): Make sure the image is not only relevant to your site but easy to see.
• A blog or portfolio: Allow the person further access to you and what you do.
• Social proof like testimonials, awards, and reviews.
• Authority, credibility, and experience.
• Products, services, benefits, and features.
• Use keywords: Words that would often be used in a search engine to find your site will help generate more viewers to your page as more people search it and your website grows. Put these in content throughout the homepage.
• A Footer: Obviously, you will also need a footer that contains a list similar to the navigation bar and helps redirect the viewer to other aspects of your site.

You can also include about us sections, locations, clientele, resources, events, and tools.

Help visitors have a great overview of your website and purpose and help them find the information they need quickly.

The homepage will act as a hub and signpost pointing to other parts of your website. Show people your purpose and how they will benefit from viewing the content on your site. The homepage may not be the destination for your viewers, but it should be a map that guides them to where they need to go.  Source.

While they may not always be the most important page, a home page is a crucial part of your website. Want to learn more about the rest of your website? Check this out: I wrote this post on the purpose of your website as a whole to help you define yours.