Your website homepage is often the first thing people see when they visit your site. It's important to make sure that your homepage effectively represents your business and drives visitors to the right places on your website. Read on to learn more about the purpose of your homepage and homepage best practices to follow when designing your site. 

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What is the Purpose of a Homepage?

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A website homepage is one of the five pages you need on your website. It is the first-impression page that can make or break someone’s experience with your brand. The purpose of a website homepage is to introduce site visitors to your brand, including who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. It is not the place to talk about everything but give your audience a preview of what they can learn from you as they dive deeper into your site. With the right website copy and design, your homepage becomes a treasure map of all you have to offer your audience. 

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What Makes a Good Homepage?

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Your website homepage is an essential part of your site. It’s the “hub” of your website where most first-time visitors start their journey with your brand. Here’s what makes a good homepage:

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- It shares the most important information about your brand.

- It is clear, concise, and functional.

- It introduces you and your services. 

- It is well-designed and aesthetically pleasing. 

- It directs site visitors to other pages on your website. 

- It is organized and not overcrowded.

- It follows a logical pattern and flows. 

- It is formatted and designed for easy scanning and navigation.

- It uses a mix of visuals and text.

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How Do I Make My Homepage Look Professional?

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A professional-looking website homepage is clear, consistent, and captivating. It is also modern and mobile-friendly. (Hint: if you built your site in the 90s or early 2000s, it’s probably time to invest in a new business website). Here’s how to make your homepage look professional:

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- Select up to three professional fonts to use for headers and body copy. Cheap and childish-looking fonts make your website look very unprofessional.

- Use high-quality, professional images of yourself, your products, and/or filler photos. 

- Choose a colour scheme that works well together and doesn’t overwhelm or distract site visitors. 

- Keep your website homepage clear and straightforward, not overly wordy or cluttered. 

- Have a strong brand identity, and prioritize consistency in your words and visual elements. 

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11 Homepage Best Practices

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DO include your logo on your homepage. Your business logo identifies your brand and captures your audience’s attention. The more they see your logo, the quicker they will recognize your brand on other platforms like social media.  

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DO include an engaging purpose statement that quickly introduces what you do. As soon as someone lands on your homepage, they should be able to gauge what you do without scrolling. For example, the first thing you read on mint & poppy’s homepage is our purpose statement: “Strategic brand and website designs to bring your business to life.”

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DON’T clutter your homepage. Keep the layout of your homepage simple so that visitors can easily find what they're looking for. Too much “noise” on the page can be distracting, uninviting, and overwhelming. 

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DO use consistent branding and messaging on your homepage. Consistency is key, from the fonts and colours you use to the layout of your homepage to how you speak to your audience.

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DO give an overview of what you offer. But don’t give away all the goods. Instead, talk briefly about the different elements of your brand, services, and products, and make it easy for site visitors to learn more.

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DON’T forget to include links and buttons for easy navigation. Once you preview an element of your business, have a link or button visitors can click to find out more about that topic. Each button should lead to another page on your website.

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DO include testimonials, reviews, and proof. Nearly 55% of consumers read at least four reviews before purchasing a product online. Make it easy for your site visitors to make their purchasing decision by including reviews on your homepage.

DO include high-quality, professional photos. Photos are an essential part of your website homepage. Your photos should consist of images of yourself or your team, your products, and your services in action when applicable. 

DON’T use too much text. You have less than a minute to engage your audience; the average time spent on a website is 54 seconds. Make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for. Format your text with headers and your layout with blocks and break up text with images and whitespace to increase scannability. 

DO add social media icons. Make it easy for your website visitors to connect with you in more ways by linking your social pages at the bottom of your website homepage.

DO make sure your website design, format, copy, and images are mobile-friendly. Your website can look great on a desktop and not transfer well onto a smaller device like a smartphone or tablet. Because over 50% of your website visitors are likely using a phone vs. computer, it’s important to test your homepage website design and make adjustments as needed. 

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Do Hire a Website Designer for an Outstanding Website Homepage

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One of the best website homepage best practices is hiring a professional website designer to ensure all these best practices are met and exceeded. Your website homepage is the essential hub of your site. It will engage and convert your website visitors if it is designed effectively. If it’s not, it will lose you a lot of potential business. At mint & poppy, we are experts at creating websites that showcase your brand, engage your audience, and stand out from the crowd. Contact us today to learn how we can help you create a website homepage that shines.