Five key elements to turn your website homepage into a client converting machine 

Struggling to convert site visitors into clients? Or perhaps you’re starting a brand new website and don’t have the slightest clue on how to get started on its design. Dive into today’s post that covers five non-negotiable elements that your homepage needs to have in its design and copy to help establish you as an expert in your field and turn site visitors into loyal fans and clients.

Number one: Branding. When someone lands on your page, they should instantly get a vibe of who you are and what your company is all about. For an online business, a great question to ask yourself is if I were to have an office, what would I want it to feel like? Would it be clean, minimalist and modern? Bold, bright, and funky? Would it feel super luxe and beautiful or cozy, inviting and warm? All of these come together to form your branding, which will establish the design of every page on your website.

Branding (logo, tag line, color palette, aesthetic, photos, tone of voice) should be crystal clear from page one. Lack of clear branding can come off as a company that doesn’t have its shi* together. And we all know that’s not a vibe you’re going for.

Next up: Navigation. It should be very easy to find and use your website’s menu. Take into consideration your target audience (dream clients). What style of website menu design would they prefer and know how to use?  For some, having a clearly labeled menu (without too many options) across the top is the best. Others like the minimalist look of a hamburger menu (the three dots or lines typically found in the upper right corner) that you click on to reveal menu options. Either way – don’t make it confusing to operate. And make sure the font is legible.

Introduce yourself. A little. Your homepage should have an “about me/us” section.  This shouldn’t be your full blown personal story. Rather it’s a small intro to your about page, and has some sort of a hook that can relate to you dream client’s experience or pain points that will lead them to want to learn more about you and what you have to offer. This allows website visitors to connect with you and your business on a personal level from the very first page, and invites them to learn more or book a service/consultation.  

This is a non-negotiable. TESTIMONIALS. People want social proof that you know what you’re doing. In fact, 92% of consumers read online reviews and testimonials when they’re making an online purchase. So. SHARE CLIENT REVIEWS!! Reviews of your products, services, of what it’s like to work with you, etc. This is something you should have on EVERY page if possible. Have statistics that demonstrate client success and your areas of experience? SHARE THEM!

And lastly, Clear CTAs. Having clear Calls to Action (e.g., learn more, save now, sign up today, count me in) is critical! Your website design should make it very easy for visitors to know what the next steps are and how to take them. Quick and easy buttons with high contrast (think dark background, light font) and large and easy to see are must-haves (on every page, but especially the homepage). And you don’t want just one button — have several buttons, throughout the page. You want to ahve this across your site, but especially on your homepage design. Link-building is huge for SEO (check out this post all about it). Need help coming up with some CTAs? Check out Grammarly’s tips here.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Get in touch. We would love to help you hammer out the details for designing/writing your dream website and making sure you have the perfect homepage design to captivate dream clients.

Written by Carrie Bondioli, Founder and Web Designer/Copywriter at Bloem Creations.

Bloem Creations is a web design studio and copywriting service based in Eugene, OR and specializes in serving creative small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.