What is a Website’s Homepage?
According to advertising experts, first impressions are a vital deciding factor in influencing the success of a brand’s interaction. The digital age has placed more emphasis on branding. You only have a fraction of a second to form a lasting impact on the people visiting your website when landing first at your homepage.
Remember, online users have a myriad of options to consider. To capture the attention of your preferred clients, you must be better than your competition.
Once consumers land on a website, they quickly scan it to decide if it is worth exploring. This decision never takes time but a few seconds. Due to this behavioural pattern of customers, many online businesses have invested in elevating their first impression status. They are not considering it a significant factor. It is now the priority, especially when developing and designing the homepage. Listed here are the roles of a website’s homepage.
Company’s Perception
The objective of having a website is to establish your brand. That is unachievable unless the website attracts your target clients. The homepage can enhance the effectiveness of building any brand by encouraging visitors to explore every page on the website. That will help in converting the visitors into loyal clients. Due to the abundance of websites, online users have become very judgmental. They can detect even the slightest fault with your site. That will ultimately create in them a negative perception of your business. An exceptional homepage will give any company the best perception. It will develop an interest in online users to survey the websites and buy the offered products or services.
Company’s Identity
The internet comprises numerous websites offering the same content, products, or services. That means your company has innumerable competitors ready to take your loyal customers. Don’t assume every online entrepreneur plays by the rules. Some can use your brand colours to confuse your loyal customers. Such bad practices always work effectively to the detriment of established businesses. That reveals the importance of creating a unique identity for your company. The homepage provides a suitable place to showcase your business’ identity. That is because it is the first landing site for every online visitor. An exceptional homepage will have your company’s brand colours, logo, and a visible company name. Hence, it will be easier for your customers to identify it.
Navigation
Another role of this homepage is to enable visitors to navigate and explore the whole website. Most people lack an effective homepage because they are unaware of its primary purpose. The task of this page is to grasp the attention and the interest of online users and direct them to other pages. When excess information is on the homepage, it will overwhelm the visitor. That will force them to go to other pages for a tranquil user experience. When developing and designing the homepage, find a way to direct the users within the website. Which page would you like them to visit after developing an interest in the website? Whether you want them to visit the Contact Us, Your Blog or Product Pages ensure your preferred navigation strategy will achieve the company’s goals. Also, make sure the pages’ navigation buttons are visible. Place them at the top quarter of the homepage and use conspicuous colours.
Easier Searching
Not all internet users have the time to explore your website page by page. Some are looking for a specific product, service, or content. An effective homepage has tools to satisfy the interests of such visitors. It will make it easier for them to get what they want. A homepage with a search bar reduces the difficulty of searching for specific things on the website. It reduces the time for your business to get loyal clients. It also saves time for clients in urgent need of your services or products.
In other words, your homepage should summarise the content of your whole website in an attractive and efficient way, without overwhelming content and distractive elements such as fancy animations and, at the same time, be informative and representative of your company’s identity.
