Please tell me why I’m here! (What your homepage actually needs)
Question: do you ever leave your house to go someplace else for no reason at all?
I’m guessing your answer is “no” because we all have a purpose to go to the places we go to and do the things we do.
Here are some examples:
We go to the store to purchase items.
We go to the library to rent books.
We go to work to do our jobs.
So on and so forth.
This is why the homepage, or the main page of your website, should also be filled with purpose. Why? Because no one wants to visit your website and not know what they’re doing there in the first place.
Your homepage should tell people who you are, what you do, and for whom you do it within the first .05 seconds that they stumble upon your website.
If you are a service provider, what service do you provide?
If you are a nonprofit, what does your organization do?
…and for whom?
and how??
And why is this even important at all?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, your website is meant to do more than just hang out online!
I remember when I was first creating websites in the early 2000s (yikes) and was fascinated with the different animations and fonts that I could code into my Geocities website. I got really into these animations and basically built a website that served no purpose.
Since those ancient times, web design has grown to actually serve a function for your business and your homepage plays a big role in that.
In addition to getting straight to the point about who you are, what you do, for whom you do it, and why you do what you do, your homepage should also tell your visitors what to do.
If you want visitors to book a call with you, tell them to do that.
If you want them to sign up on your contact list, tell them.
If you want them to visit the other pages of your website, don’t just tell them, but give them a button they can click on to go to that page!
This might all sound a little bossy, but it doesn’t have to be. This is why it’s important to identify your messaging and brand voice (link) so that you don’t sound pushy.
If you’re wondering how to get started with all of this, check out this blog post about how I break down the different parts of a brand strategy. If you’re ready to get started building a strategic website, Tånom’s web design packages include brand strategy planning so that we can nail down your goals, messaging, voice, mission, vision, values, and processes to identify your ideal audience. To receive current pricing information, fill out this form. Not ready to inquire? Here are some other free resources to help you get started instead:And remember, you got this!
Let me know if you have any questions about optimizing your homepage in the comments below.
