Your search engine optimization is working. Prospects are finding your home page. Terrific!
The thing is, you want them to stay on that home page, especially after you've invested time and money in your SEO.
But how?
Well, remember in a previous post, the secret that drives winning Web content? The Internet is the most user-centric medium in history. I think this strikes most businesses as counter-intuitive when it comes to their homepage content. They worry they're wasting an opportunity if they don't tell visitors all about their company right off the bat.
But this is a big mistake online. Remember, people don't come to your home page to read about you. They come because they have a problem or want to find something.
But you don't have to worry. I've got 4 foolproof tips that'll work to keep you on a user-centric track while you write your home page.
- Include in your headline what you do and why you're the best at it.
Think how you search the Web. When you're new to a homepage you wonder, Am I in the right place? and, Can this website solve my problem? A visitor-centric headline addresses both of these issues. I know it's asking a lot of a headline. But it's definitely doable. I enjoy writing headlines for homepages because researching them often gets to the core benefit...how a business really helps its customers(the unique selling proposition or USP...you've probably heard this marketing term before). And businesses can effectively use their USP throughout their marketing. - Add some clear, descriptive intro text.
OK...you can't tell your visitor everything in the headline. You'll have to add some intro text, remembering that most first time visitors are unfamiliar with your products. Answer the questions they bring to your website in benefits rich sentences of introduction. - Make it easy for people to find what they're looking for.
One critical job of the home page is to act as a portal to the rest of your site. People won't stay long if it's difficult to find what they're looking for. Separate your products clearly into groups so it's easy to find them on the home page. - Build Confidence
Make your visitors comfortable with your business with phone numbers, third-party verification seals, guarantees, free trials, and testimonials. Give your visitors confidence that you are trustworthy.
You'll find examples of all this with some of the websites I've written. Check out See the Sites! here. And, feel free to get in touch to talk more about your homepage. I've written lots of them and I can help you sort through it all.
And yes, there is more to the home page...keywords, meta tags, proof, navigation, usability...but if you keep these four tips in mind while you write your home page, you'll stay on track to creating a page that pleases your online visitors. And happy visitors leads to more sales.
Until next time,
Nick
