Tips on How to Write a Website Homepage

The home page is arguably the most important page on a website. Traditionally the page with the most traffic, it is where visitors visit first before navigating their way through the remaining website. When writing a website homepage, it is important to consider not just the content, but where it is placed, use of images and calls to action, and the following of good on-page SEO principles. 

In this guide, we will share both tips on how to write a website homepage and the critical elements every homepage needs.

Key Features Every Homepage Needs to Have

When designing your homepage, there are some key features to carefully consider using:

1. Headline - the first heading should immediately tell the visitor what your business has to offer. It should be clear and to the point. It is good on-page SEO practice to include the page keyword in this heading and to ensure that is set as an H1 or Heading 1.
2. Sub-headline - this is an H2 or Heading 2, and should elaborate further on what your business can offer, such as a pain point your product solves for the customer.
3. Calls to action - CTAs or calls to action give the visitor clear instructions as to what you want them to do next. Examples of CTAs include 'Shop Now,' 'Sign Up,' and 'View Here.' 
4. Supporting image - the supporting image could be in a web banner, a background or a snippet under the headings. The image should be related to your headlines and visually tell their story. 
5. Social proof - customers value what others have said about your products and will actively look for product reviews before making a purchase. Having product reviews displayed underneath the product description is highly beneficial. Learn how to set up product reviews for your website in our short article. 
6. Navigation - visitors need to be able to find the information they are looking for quickly within your website. This means that your top menu must be clearly visible and easily understood. The use of breadcrumbs is also important as it helps visitors navigate their way through different parts of your website. 
7. Lead magnet offer - a lead magnet or content offer involves you giving the customer something immediately upon their subscription to your email marketing list. The majority of new and often repeat visitors are likely not ready to purchase from you just yet. They require some more information from your business in order to develop a relationship where they trust you enough to purchase from the online store. 
8. Ngā Āhuatanga - be sure to point out the key features of your products, helping visitors to quickly understand what they provide. You can also include the product benefits here too.
9. Resources - having case studies, customer experiences or blog articles about your product niche area is crucial because they are an easy way for visitors to learn about and begin to trust your business. These also help demonstrate your expertise in your niche, which helps customers recognise you as one of the thought leaders for your niche. 

Top Tips on Writing Homepage Content

When writing your homepage content, it is important to remember that this page is the first page that most of your visitors will see. The content must be attention grabbing and helps them to find the information they want within your website quickly. Here are our best tips on writing an effective homepage:

• Keep it clear and concise - you only have seconds to help your visitor determine whether or not your business is a good fit for them. Make sure that you have positioned the most important content above the page fold, as many visitors will be looking for what they immediately want, and are unlikely to scroll down the page.
• Write for your customer - all of your content should be based upon meeting the need for information and the interests of your customers. This makes the home page the place to solve their problems, and explain how your business can benefit them. 
• Use keywords - keywords are not just for search engines: visitors are looking for them too. For on-page SEO purposes, the keywords you have chosen should be located in the H1 heading, sub-headings and a paragraph. Avoid overstuffing of keywords, so aim for the keyword to be around 3% of the total text on a page.
• Proofread your work - there's nothing so off-putting like reading misspelt text and poor grammar. Make certain that you have double checked everything.
• Use headings and sub headings - headings and sub-headings highlight key information you want the visitors to notice. In a larger font and often different colour from the main text, headings and sub-headings also help to position text on a page so it is more easily read and the reader can quickly take in information.

For more helpful articles on creating your website, please read our eCommerce website blog.