Web design - How to build the perfect homepage

The Guide

It's often said that a company's website is its shop window. Here at Greyhive, we agree and believe that the website homepage is the doorway through which customers will enter your shop. Its appearance, structure and functionality will determine what they do once you have brought them to the threshold.

A marketing opportunity not to be missed

We've all become accustomed to websites; just about every business has one after all. 

To some businesses they are looked upon as a necessary evil, something that's just expected, but we truly believe that a well-designed website with a strong homepage is one of the best marketing opportunities. A great website says so much about you, and, as it is digital, it can evolve as your offering develops, staying fresh and current, adapting to trends and market changes.

The role of your homepage 

The best website homepage will welcome your potential new customers, draw them in, raise their awareness about you and your products and present your need-fulfilling proposition. As per ‘Marketing for Beginners 101', it will answer the “So what?”' and “What does that mean for me?” questions and help convert prospects to customers. It will build trust, confidence and interest.

It's your story

Like every good story, your website homepage should have a beginning, a middle and an end. Each section has its own part to play in your audience's journey and must account for the fact that the starting point of every reader will not necessarily be the same.

Our guide to homepage success

The following guidance is exactly that – guidance. 

Whilst some providers might speak about website templates, we firmly believe (rather than just say) that each company should tailor their website to what they want to present and the target market it wants to impress (and sell to).

A good web developer within a quality digital agency will understand the turn-ons and turn-offs within your specific industry and modify the content accordingly.

Here's what our expert web developers suggest the three main sections of your website homepage should do: -

1. The Beginning

• Introduce your brand, product or service
  
• Establish credibility
  
• Recognise the audience's pain points
  
• Confirm that you can offer a solution
  

Sadly, this top section has a lot to do as it may be the only part that some of your audience reads. Probably the hardest working part of the entire page, this section has to build trust in you, inspire confidence that you are the right choice and create enough interest for the reader to want to go further.‍

2. The Middle

• Provide information
  
• Introduce features and benefits
  
• Hold the reader's attention
  
• Encourage positive engagement
  

This is a transitional stage in the journey, taking your reader from their new awareness about your offering to actually seeing you as something they need/ want/must have (we especially like the latter!).

This section needs to get visual- imagery is great, but video might be even better. Leave potential customers in no doubt how fabulous your offering is and – this bit is of the utmost importance – how their lives will be transformed when it satisfies a pressing need.

3. The End

• Provide proof of how amazing you are
  
• Introduce the community who already trust you
  
• Offer reassurance of quality
  
• Remove any remaining doubt or hesitation
  

Just because a proportion of your audience won't make it this far down doesn't mean you can rest and pay less attention to the content here (spoiler: you may have lost up to two thirds by this point!).

The remaining audience members need to know more and are looking for any nuggets of encouragement they can find so it's time to pull out the big guns - awards, reviews, testimonials, absolutely anything which proves how fabulous you are and how relevant official bodies and satisfied existing clients hold you in high regard. 

If you have been featured in any publications or referenced by recognised authorities in your marketplace, then this is the point where you push the bushes to one side and reveal the shining light.

And on the subject of shining lights… If you're looking for a digital agency that doesn't believe in templates but does believe in utilising tried and tested formulas that work, give our bright and focused website design team then give us a call.