What is a homepage? Why your website’s homepage matters

If a website is a house, the homepage is the living room. It gives an overview of the whole site and holds the navigation bar, images, slogan and much of the company's key information. A website needs to put a lot into homepage design to look professional and friendly. What you need to know about what a homepage is, and which elements it should have, is Mona Media covered in detail in the article below.

What is a homepage?

Visit any website address and the first screen you see is its homepage. From there, a navigation bar plus a few menus and categories lead to the content on the inner pages.

The homepage has to be engaging and look professional so that users want to click through to the inner pages. Almost all content on the inner pages is introduced and updated through the homepage.

In short, to guide users well and reduce bounce rate you need to invest in building the homepage. Content, images, CTA, slogan, logo and address must all be correct, attractive, accurate and complete.

Why the homepage matters

The homepage is what customers use to judge a business. From it they can tell whether the company is reputable and operates at a professional scale.

The homepage is effectively your main store in the online market. The more impressive this "face" is, the more customers trust you. Don't focus only on the physical store. Invest in your "online store" on the homepage too.

The homepage is the first thing customers see. If it doesn't make a good impression or the information is dull, they leave right away. So if you want to and turn more visitors, and bring down the bounce rate, you need to understand customer needs and design a professional homepage.

8 features every website homepage should have

The homepage needs professional investment to establish brand identity. Product and service promotion and revenue growth also start there. A homepage should have all of the following elements:

1. Brand logo

The brand logo appears at the top of every web page, usually at the top left of the homepage. Besides representing the brand, it works as a navigation link that takes users from inner pages back to the homepage faster.

The logo should be designed to fit the website's other colors. Or, if your logo already carries strong brand recognition among customers, design the site's colors to match it. Get the logo's size and position right so it gives the homepage the best focal point.

See more:

• Brand logo design
• 6 beautiful color combinations to know when designing a website

2. Navigation bar

The navigation bar is where visitors explore all of your inner pages. Make sure the wording, fonts and sizes of categories and the navigation bar are well thought out. It is the map customers use to explore your website and stay longer.

3. A striking, distinctive slogan

You have 2 to 3 seconds to give users a focal point on the homepage. The best way is a short, striking slogan. These lines need to hit the viewer's emotions and psychology hard.

4. A compelling CTA that drives conversion

The end goal of every website is to sell, collect information… All of it is converted through the CTA. A call to action placed in the right spot on the homepage gets noticed and converts more easily.

See also: How to write a Call to Action that draws customers

5. Proof of success

Customers don't like empty theory. You persuade them with real proof, such as customer reviews, the number of people visiting your website, and the number of products or services you have supplied to the market.

A professional website Having practical proof of success always persuades customers better. Don't skip the numbers that show your success; show them on your homepage.

6. Eye-catching images

Images are the most direct way to draw viewers in. The homepage should have several rotating banners. Viewers can explore your services, products and business through these images.

These images should be SEO-optimized and kept light in file size, with dimensions that fit the homepage so they display fully and in detail. Websites today put at least 3 images on the homepage, or more, so customers can easily explore the brand and the business.

See more:

• What is the standard image size
• Standard website banner sizes

7. Short, concise text

Homepage language should use concise words that carry broad meaning. Don't put too much long text on the homepage. Invest in writers who specialize in homepage and landing page copy; they will create the best content for you. Above all, pick a reputable website design company, one that understands homepages well, to build a complete homepage with the full set of features.

8. Professional footer design

Contact information, links to social networks and other media… usually sit in the footer. Investing in footer design matters, as the footer works as another important navigation bar for the homepage.

You can also embed an important video on the homepage. YouTube videos like these encourage purchases. Many studies conclude that 73% of people who visit a homepage watch the video and buy products from it. These videos can also connect customers to your YouTube sales channel.

Make sure these features are in place to drive your business. Brand promotion, product introductions, conversion, and customers looking for contact information and advice all depend heavily on the homepage.

See also:

• How to insert a YouTube video into a website
• How to embed a Facebook video into a website

Things to keep in mind when designing a website homepage

For a professional homepage, pay attention to improving the following:

• Organize the homepage layout well. Keep images, video, fonts and logo in harmony.
• Lay out the navigation menu clearly and legibly. Choose suitable colors and add distinctive features to the menu.
• Optimize the homepage for SEO. It must work at every screen size on different devices. Hiding some of the homepage content makes visiting harder.
• Define the homepage's goal correctly and focus on promoting the business's brand.

The homepage is extremely valuable, since it decides whether customers stay and explore the site. Choose a company that specializes in website design and knows homepage trends to build the best interface. If you need advice on homepage design, web design or services directly tied to your website such as the website management service, website optimization services, professional website SEO services… contact Mona Media theo hotline 1900 636 648 and we will give you more detailed advice.