Have you thought about how to make your website more appealing to visitors?
To get you started here are 10 questions for you to answer about your home page. How well do you score?
1. Is your logo crisp, clear and a sensible size?
People form an opinion of you and your company from the look of your website and from your logo. If your logo is too small, to big or blurred it will convey a negative message about you. Also, does your logo still look modern? Sometimes a brand refresh can help reinvigorate the look of your site.
2. Does the title of your homepage contain your main key phrase?
Can search engines, like Google, match your keywords to what you do? Is the most important information clear to human visitors as well? If your business has developed recently you may need to consider a new searchable phrase.
3. Do you list the benefits you offer?
A list of services and products may be informative, but visitors to your site need to know why they should buy from you. What makes you unique?
4. Does the imagery give the right impression?
The photographs on your website are critical to engage and influence your visitors. Have you used bland stock images? Consider having some bespoke photographs taken to increase the impact that your homepage makes.
5. Could a new visitor work out what you do within 5 seconds?
Often, when we look at our own websites, we don’t see it in the same way that other people do. Can people who don’t know about you or your company see what you do quickly, easily and unambiguously?
6. Is there anything to demonstrate your success or trustworthiness?
Testimonials and portfolio pages are a great way to show your visitors what you do and what your customers think of you. Is it easy to see where these features are froom your homepage?
7. Are your contact details clearly visible?
A seemingly simple question, but it’s an element that’s often overlooked. How easy is it for your visitors to find out how to get in touch with you?
8. Other than in the main menu, are there permanent links to other pages?
You can influence the journey of your visitors through your site by signposting to the next step – such as your testimonial page. You can also link to external sites that demonstrate your competence such as the homepage of a related professional association.
9. Do you know what you want your visitor to do – and do you make it obvious how they do it?
What do you want your visitor to do once they’ve arrived on your website? Whether you want them to buy online, or fill in your contact form, make it obvious and easy to do.
10. If the visitor isn’t ready to contact you, have you got a method of enticing them to give you their contact details?
Can you offer them something to download in exchange for their email address? An e-book or PDF document that contains useful and relevant information can be a great way to get people to trust you with their contact details. Perhaps they could enter your Facebook competition or you free draw for a prize?
Your homepage is a critical part of your online visibility and can make all the difference to whether you get work from your website – or not. If you’ve found that your home page isn’t up to scratch then you can always get in touch to talk about how we can help make your website work for you.