Your homepage is the most important part of your website design! It’s usually the first thing a visitor to your site will see.
The home page needs to create a lasting impression or capture visitor attention with a confident tag line or striking image. If you can seize focus early on then visitors to your site will likely want to look further.
Make sure the home page is accessible; avoid using too much text or too many images. The right amount can be striking but go overboard and your page can become disorientating.
Try to make the text portion of the home page relevant and consistent with the rest of the website. Dividing information into short bite size paragraphs is always a good idea; we don’t want to overwhelm or confuse potential clients with unnecessary jargon. Often a bold testimonial from a happy customer is enough to make an impression; you can link to meatier text content on other pages.
The right images, whether used as a background or as part of a scrolling showcase, are often essential for communicating with your audience. Obviously for an artists website you want to showcase your work straight away but even a corporate business can benefit from an illustration or photo on the home page.
In terms of navigation, keep it simple. If a visitor can move around your site easily they are likely to stay longer. The homepage is a good place to highlight a key feature or service you offer. When it comes to selling an idea or a service you need to get your point across quickly and concisely.
