Your website content is your personal greeting to potential or existing customers. Think of it as your front desk, your introduction and an opportunity to connect with someone you haven’t even met. When your company offers a variety of products and services, it can be a challenge to get just the right message across on your home page. A focused message not only explains what you can do for people, but grabs their attention and makes them want to learn more.
Here are a few important ways to streamline your message and create welcoming home page content to get customers through the front door (virtual and actual).
Cater the content to the user
Your home page content should focus on your customers’ needs and what you can offer them. It shouldn’t be all about you or proclamations of being the “the best in the business.” Think about your home page from your potential customers’ point of view, and make sure it answers the all-important questions:
What is in it for me?
What does this company offer that will make my life easier?
How can I get involved, participate, or purchase?
Remember, your website is your 24/7 online sales team working around the clock to offer information, answer questions and hopefully sell your products and services.
Gaiam is a great example of a company that understands how to cater home page content to users. From the get-go, you know they are an eco-conscious company offering healthy lifestyle products from clothing and bedding to yoga mats and non-toxic cleansers. Although the company’s website offers a variety of products and information, it’s easy to find what you are looking for and clearly breaks information out by customer need.
Be focused and concise
Remember, you only have about three seconds to grab someone’s attention on your home page and make him or her want to know more. Because of this, your website content needs to get to the point from the start. Don’t try to tell your entire company story on the home page. This may be important to you, but it’s a better fit for the About Us section. Focus on your most important products or services, deals or offers and include calls to action. Don’t be afraid to streamline. Talk to your audience and be laser focused on who you are trying to reach.
Method does a great job of incorporating specials and calls to action on the home page. The home page also rotates out messaging that speaks directly to users.
Keywords aren’t always the key to opening the door
Lots of industry jargon and content stuffed with keywords isn’t going to make someone want to do business with you.
Make content scannable and easy to read using bulleted lists and graphical calls to action over chunks of copy filled with keywords. Repeating keyword phrases is not only obvious but boring to read, too. Imaging going to your favorite local wine store’s site and reading “Denver wine” over and over. You’d think, “I know, I know, already!” From those words, visitors can tell you’re a wine store and where you’re located, but they want to know what kind of wine you offer. Keep content fresh by choosing a different variety to highlight each month. Don’t forget to promote specials or events, and make sure customers know if you deliver.
Lure readers to other sections of your site
Try to engage readers on the home page by pulling them into other parts of your website. Focus on at least three other areas of your website that potential customers would be drawn to. Highlight special offers, new products or services, your blog or videos. You can also break products or services out by specific audience so those customers know exactly where to go.
A site that always gets me at “hello” (and buying new products) is Origins. Its home page content is very enticing, virtually taking you by the hand to other sections of the site where you can check out new products, buy gifts, see real before and after photos and read expert Q&As.
Remember, your home page is important, but all of your site’s pages need to work together to weave a lovely path for visitors that will make them want to come back again and again. Home is where the heart is but every room should be memorable and serve a purpose.
People come to your site to get to know you and find out what you can do for them. Your home page content should be clear and easy to read while luring readers to open the front door.
How do you focus your home page content? Do you have any examples of great home page content you can share? We’d love to know what’s working for you.
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