What makes a great homepage layout
When it comes to creating a website for your company, there are a heck of a lot of different approaches you can take. Do you build it mobile first or desktop first? Do you build an app? Do you include a portfolio of your work or testimonials from customers? But often the biggest question is exactly what to put on the homepage.
There are so many different routes to take when it comes to design and content. How can you possibly know which is best? The truth is that every business—and therefore every homepage—is unique. We can’t tell you what to put on your homepage unless we’re designing your website. But there are certain things that every great homepage layout has in common. And we’ll be discussing those in today’s blog.
The importance of your homepage
You only get one chance at making a first impression and usually your homepage is it. Your homepage is exactly the same as your storefront. You wouldn’t have the front of your shop looking messy, would you? You’d make sure it presented your business as well as possible. It’s exactly the same for your website.
The problem is that, unlike your store, there is no one there to guide the customer around and help them find what they are looking for. As a result, your website’s homepage must be designed in such a way that it answers all the questions a customer could have such as:
- What do you do?
- Why are you better than your competitors?
- Where should I go next?
- How can I get in contact with you?
- What do you offer?
In order to be effective, your homepage has to answer all these questions and more.
What makes a great homepage layout
There are a few elements that are crucial to have on your homepage that will help to answer the questions above.
Headline
Here you answer what your company does. It needs to be short, sweet and to the point and instantly get over your company’s proposition in a few words. If someone doesn’t know what you offer, they should have a pretty good idea after reading your homepage headline.
Subheading
Here you expand on your headline, offering more information to the customer.
Call to action
Where should your customer go next for more information or to continue shopping. Think of it like your sales assistant pointing a customer in the right direction.
Image or videos
Images and videos offer a great way to get across your brand message in a much more digestible way than copy. Don’t go overboard with images though, one or two should be enough to convey what you do.
Logo
This is like your instore branding that helps align a customer’s experience to something recognisable and memorable. You shouldn’t change your branding for the web.
Nav bar
The nav bar is the roadmap for your customers helping them get around your site. It is like the aisle signage that tells shoppers what products are down each aisle.
These are just some of the elements a great landing page should have. If you want some help making your homepage layout great, our team of web designers are here to help. Get in touch today for a free consultation.
