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6 ways to get a homepage which really works

Are you planning a new website for your business at the moment? If so, the expert team at web design geniuses Black Nova Designs want to make sure you nail something really important – the homepage.

Why? Because it takes someone just 0.05 seconds to decide whether they like your website or not. That means that to keep someone’s attention when they’re scrolling and surfing your homepage needs to stand out. What’s more, you want to make sure your visitors who do stick around can quickly and easily find out the following information:

  • What you do
  • Who you do it for
  • How you do it
  • How to learn more

So, you need a website which looks great and has that key information clearly available. That can be quite a challenge if you don’t really know where to start. That’s why we have put together their 6 top tips to help you get a homepage which gets people’s attention. Whether you’re having a go at creating your website yourself or you’re working with a web designer, we know these will help. Let’s get started:

  1. Invest in high-res images

Our brain processes an image in just 13 milliseconds, so the images you choose to have on front and centre on your homepage will have a huge impact on what the visitor does next. We see a lot of homepages, and one thing that the best of them have in common is great quality, high resolution imagery. It doesn’t matter how good the design of a homepage is, if it’s paired up with poor images you risk people clicking away immediately. Beware of solely using stock imagery as, while that does tick the high-res box, there’s something else to bear in mind. We passionately believe that the images you choose should match the personality of your brand. If you want the homepage to convey that you’re welcoming, calming, professional, fun or trustworthy, make sure you commission images which reflect that.

  1. Get your banding professionally designed

After the images, the next thing people will notice about your homepage is probably going to be your logo and colour scheme, so you want them to look fantastic. They need to be aligned with your brand personality, what you do, your target audience and your vision. For example, if you are a riding coach specialising in customers who struggle with their confidence, a big shouty black and red logo just won’t align. A good graphic designer will be able to create a logo and select colours which work perfectly to share your key message. Plus, you’ll use your branding in many other marketing and sales materials too (email marketing, social media, flyers, business cards and more) so it’s all money well spent.

  1. Write words which get your key messages across

Now that your images and branding have caught your visitor’s attention, the next thing to address is the wording on the website. People will still have a limited attention span, so your headings, subheadings and copy need to be clear and to the point. Remember that they need to convey what you do and who you do it for, then show people what to do if they want to learn more – that’s where you might have a button saying ‘Shop Now’ or ‘Explore Our Services’. It’s also worth bearing in mind Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) at this point, weaving in keywords which people might put into Google when they want to find to find a company like yours.

  1. Nail the Menu Structure

The menu of your website is essential to help visitors who want to find out more about your business navigate their way around. Without that navigation tool they might not be able to find your products or services, read your blog or sign up to get more information. It’s said that people should be able to get from the page they are on to where they want to be in less than 3 clicks. From a ‘user experience’ point of view, you don’t want to have more than 7 menu options for them to look through either – again bear in mind people’s attention span is short.

  1. Choose any other content carefully

Any other content you decide to include must be there for a reason. People won’t read or look at everything on your homepage so use the space well. Do you want to feature some of your best-selling products or your key services? Or do you want people to read your blog? Your homepage needs to work hard for you, so have a good think about what you want visitors to see and what will look visually appealing.

  1. A footer with contact details

If your website visitor has made it all the way to the bottom of the homepage, then the footer might just be where they look for a way to get in touch. That’s why you’ll often see footers with a contact form for people to drop in their name and contact details for a call back, or a sign-up form for a newsletter. You can also pop the address and telephone number for the business if you want people to call or visit, and social media icons linking to your profiles.

These tips should help you gather the information and assets needed either for you or for a web designer to do a great job for you.

 It might sound as though you need to spend more money to get it right, but the investment in images, logos and even professional copy will help elevate the homepage and the website to the next level.

If you are looking for a new website or to discuss what you need for a website get in touch.