6 tips to create a homepage that converts

The homepage of your website is an essential aspect, a way to direct traffic towards converting potential customers into returning ones. Even if your website is beautifully designed, that doesn’t necessarily mean your visitors will be inclined to buy. So, how can you find a way to create a main page that easily converts clients?

If your homepage is functional, but you’re finding that it’s not helping your bottom line, there are a few adjustments you might have to make. Luckily, we’re here to offer some tips to make sure that your website is doing its job.

Here are 6 tips to create a homepage with a good conversion rate

1- A distinct CTA (Call to Action)

Letting visitors to your website know exactly what your business is all about is the main purpose of your website. When a browser lands on your homepage, there shouldn’t be any ambiguity regarding the nature of your business. This is where your page’s Call to Action (CTA) should play its role. Your call to action is in place to generate sales and expand your customer base. It should be clearly marked at the top of your home page so that visitors aren’t required to scroll down and search for it.

As a general rule, you should avoid using excessively distracting elements on your homepage. Steer clear of anything flashy or animated so that your CTA can stand as the focal point. Of course, it’s still important to include other elements such as social media buttons or navigational directions. These should be in support of your CTA rather than taking away from it.

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2- Clear and concise homepage content

Aside from making sure your CTA is visible and distinct, it’s important that the additional text on your homepage is easy to scan. This is because most people tend to scan online content instead of thoroughly reading every single word. If you don’t want visitors to your website to miss out on the important aspects of your business, then it’s crucial for you to have clear, concise and quality copy. Some tips to make that happen are as follows:

• Use subheadings on your homepage to direct visitors eyes towards informative content;
• Utilize lists to cleverly outline any necessary details;
• Caption your images so that visitors don’t need to do additional work to decipher what they mean. An additional option would be using visual elements in place of text if this will help you present the information in a more consumable format;
• Use short, clear and to-the-point sentences; avoid flowery language;
• Avoid small type as well as overcrowding the page with information.

These homepage content tips are sure to assist in a consumable format that any visitor can clearly understand and digest.

3- Clarity

Now that you understand what should be on your homepage as well as how it should be presented, you should begin to think about clarifying the reasons why visitors should convert to customers. This will come down to the way in which you communicate why they need to follow your CTA. Therefore, when collecting copy that will appear on your homepage, ask yourself the following questions:

• How can you communicate to your visitors what they’ll be getting for interacting with your CTA?
• Does all of the content on your homepage clearly communicate information about your company’s ability to provide a solution to a problem?
• Will visitors and customers alike be able to easily pass on information about your business?

4- Quick load time

If you’ve browsed the internet before and come across a website that takes ample time to load, chances are you didn’t stick around and wait for more information on what that website is all about. Over 50% of website visits will be abandoned if the site refuses to load in less than three seconds. This statistic may seem shocking, but it’s still necessary to pay attention to it. In a nutshell, this means that the longer it takes your homepage to load, the more likely visitors are to abandon it.

One way to make sure that your website doesn’t take a lifetime to load is making sure that all images used have been compressed. This will allow you to find a manageable balance between having beautiful images on your site but making sure that it loads quickly and keeps your bounce rate down. If you’re having trouble, you should check out Google’s PageSpeed Insights to check areas that might be affecting you. Also check out our other article: 6 ways to improve your website's download speed.

5- Live Chat

Live chat is becoming a feature popping up on more and more home pages. Essentially, it’s a small chat window that usually appears in the bottom or top corner of a screen which allows customers to chat in real time with yourself or your staff members. This feature is very useful for visitors, as they can simply ask you for additional information including helping with website navigation, preliminary questions or putting through a sale itself. This option makes it so that customers don’t have to call or e-mail you. Further, since the feature is in real time everything can be dealt with on the fly while the customer is browsing your site. Another important point is that this function can help to reduce the number of calls your company receives.

This feature can serve many purposes, allowing customers to ask questions about your products or services and offering you the ability to explain them in your own words. This can definitely increase conversion rates and is therefore worth trying out on your homepage.

6- Video

As we move into 2019, video marketing tactics are only growing in popularity. Videos are easily consumable, fun and engaging. Including a video clip on your homepage that offers an overview of your company, products or services is an excellent way to catch the attention of the customer. Bear in mind that it should be kept short, sweet and to the point.

A potential customer will easily lose interest with a video that’s too long. Some ideas for potential videos include customer testimonials, product demos or even a quick tour of your offices or stores. Your video should reflect your best business assets, so take stock of those and check out our article on how to make a compelling corporate video.