What Your Website Needs: The Homepage

Being that I am a web designer, I have the unique opportunity to give my readers some insight into what should go into a professional’s website. What you will personally need in your website may very but these are all good thing to consider strongly.

Today we will be talking about the most fundamental page of any website. This one is the most important page to focus on when developing and maintaining your site. This is one page that every website needs.

Layout. The layout of your site is very important. How you layout your homepage should be to attract people to the rest of your website. The layout on the homepage, unlike the rest of the website does not really have to have be the same as the other pages. It can have it’s own special characteristics and energy. The layout should draw people in.

Logo. Your name or logo should be prominantly displayed on the homepage. If it is not visitors will get confused and often leave. 

Links. The main function of the homepage is to draw people in when they enter your site and convince them to dive deeper into your webspace. When you are created all the section to your website, make sure they are easily accessable from the homepage. If they are not, you may as well have not created those sections.

Looks. Not only should you have a nice layout but the imagery within it should be eye catching. This means focusing your graphical attention on this page. Also, images that related to your product or service should be prevelent. It is true that people don’t read off the bat when they enter the page. Having imagery is important to catch their attention. Never have all text on the homepage.

Intro. An introduction to what you do is a must. No matter how popular your publicist tells you that you are, many people visiting the site will have no idea if you are what they are looking for. 

Content. The content on the homepage should be simple. You should not get into too much detail about anything on this page but instead have simple introductions to whatever your website is about. If there is more than a paragraph, add a “Read On” link and have the rest of the information on another page.

Simplicity. The key to a good homepage is simplicity over all. This does not mean you cannot get a little wacky with your graphics but you must keep this page easy on the eyes and allow everything displayed to be easily accessable. Navigation is vital on this page. Navigation is vital on this page. Navigation is vital on this page. Get it?

S-E-Oh!  Search engine optimization is most important on this page. I will go more into detail about basic search engine optimization in the future but most people will link into this page so it is vital to have it warmed up for searches.

FAQ:

Does the homepage have to be the page people see when they enter the site?

No. As weird as it may sound, the homepage does not have to be the first thing viewed. Many people have what is called a splash page or intro which is normally animated or highly graphic oriented. It is a way to evoke a specific experience on the viewer right off the bat. Generally this splash page then goes to the homepage.

Should the homepage have news content on it?

Depending on what you are involved in, especially creative pros, recent news blurbs are good to have to keep people informed. These blurbs however should not be more than a couple sentences each (link to another page if they do) and there shouldn’t be more than a few.

Should the homepage have audio or video on it?

Sure. But only if the multimedia specifically relates to your enterprise. If it is a video of your company picnic, you are sending the wrong message. Throw a link to another page if you have videos like that.

Any other Questions? Leave a comment and ask.