The Purpose of a Homepage
Let People Know They Are In The Right Place
The first responsibility of a homepage is to let the visitor know that they are in the right place—geographic and services or products—and that your company or organization has a solution to the problem that the visitor is having.
Be Beautiful So That People Stick Around
We want people to stay on your website once they have arrived. A modern, up-to-date, and easy-to-navigate homepage should make people feel comfortable finding out more
about your company.
Show Off That Your Company Is Up-To-Date
Your homepage should look modern and reflect how your company keeps up with current techniques, services and products. Don't let an outdated design devalue your company or products.
Strategically Drive People To Content
Here is your opportunity to drive visitors to the content you think is most important on your website. A well thought-out home page will act as a road map for visitors, but also give you a chance to connect with their pain points and how you solve them.
Build It Last
After you get a feel for how the site behaves on screen and how you interact with your website, it is only then that you are able to effectively drive people to the content that you would like them to see.
"At TechCare we build homepages last because we think of a homepage like the table of contents. You can't build it until you have written every page of the book."
How to Build Your Homepage
Think of your Homepage as Rows
Write down the most important things you would like a visitor to do or see on your website in order of importance. You can have as many "to-do" items as you would like. Each of these items will become its own row and visitors will scroll down the page and see each row in order.
Note: there is no limit to how many rows you can have or how long your homepage can be. Since the advent of social media, most visitors are used to scrolling down a page.
For Each Important Item in Step One, Create a Headline and Pair it with a Purposeful 1-4 Sentence Description and a Button
Include your specific keywords in each heading and description text. By using keywords in headlines and descriptions, visitors can clearly navigate down the page and understand exactly what your company does while also boosting your SEO. Add a button to each row, directing the visitor to a section of your website. Think of exciting, actionable words to use on each button instead of "Learn More" or "Read More." Get creative!
The First Row: Create a STRONG Message
This message should clearly address the main pain points your company solves. Resonate emotionally with the visitor by providing a sense of relief that your company is able to solve their problems. The first row is also a great place to put a video, a form, or an offer.
Strong Images to Reinforce Your Messages
Next to each heading and text, each row can contain a photo or image that reinforces the text in that row. Look for images where the main part of the image is off to the left or right so that we can overlay the headings and text next to the main part of the image and on top of the rest of the image. You can also include illustrations or icons next to each block of text, depending on the styling of your website. TechCare can help you with this part.
Examples of Successful Strong Homepage Messages:
- GoDaddy → Create your website or store for free.
- Duolingo → Learn a language for free. Forever.
- Optinmonster → Convert and Monetize Your Website Traffic.
- JuliaClark → Tidy Space. Happy Mind.
- Upstate Laundromat → A better place to do your laundry.
- Uber → Get in the driver's seat and get paid.
Need Help Planning Your Website Copy Text?
What do you need on your homepage? What will your audience expect? And which elements take priority? This a worksheet is designed to help plan out your homepage copy text. We make note of which phrases and keywords you should consider, such as: a sense of your company’s values, unique selling proposition (USP), and purpose.
