Why having the best Homepage really matters for your site

A homepage is, of course, your website’s main page. It can also be the first page displayed in a browser when you first open a site. One of a homepage’s main aims is to draw in visitors, so that people go on to look at other pages. First impressions clearly make a big difference to that.

You should ensure your homepage incorporates your logo, a strong headline, straightforward navigation, some visuals plus a call to action to visit other pages, get in touch with you or sign up to a newsletter or your social media platforms. Take the user down the route that lets them make an informed decision.

What Google says

Several statements from the search giant would appear to suggest that your homepage could be your website’s most important section. Previously, Google has stressed that the homepage is the starting point for crawling a site to detect new pages. It will also note how many clicks it takes to get from the homepage to any other one.

So, as with anything else, you need to set some goals. What, in a nutshell, is your website about? How can you get viewers beyond the homepage? How will your track performance?

When it comes to content for this page, think of it as your business proposition, or the setting out of your stall. Use headlines plus bullet points – and focus on a single long-tailed keyword. Be sure that you’ve made it easy to scan the page and take in the main points quickly. Don’t have more than four columns.

Equally, incorporate white space. You don’t want to overwhelm people with too much to read. And, of course, internal links will help to guide people through your content.

Finally, create a footer with your company’s official name and copyright year, plus contact info and key links.

Optimising for SEO

As mentioned, focus on a primary keywords for SEO purposes and have them in your page title, meta description, headlines and content plus the alt text which describes your homepage images to search engines. Use this keyword rather than generic text like ‘Click here’ as your anchor text.

Summing up

You’ll also need to test your homepage continuously to be sure you’re achieving your goals, and to assess whether these have shifted. Each time you review your homepage, ask yourself what can be added, taken away or altered.

Front Page Advantage has many years’ experience helping clients craft the perfect homepage. We could help you, too, whatever industry and sector you work in and however big (or small) your organisation is. Get in touch today for an informal chat and to learn more abour SEO and PPC services, as well as the unique packages we offer..