This may sound trivial, but the main page and what is on it is a very important part of the site. The main page takes over the burden of quick information about the most important issues related to the website, namely: for whom the website was created and for what purpose.
Main pages usually have the highest number of visits among all subpages. On the other hand, there is no need to be paranoid, you have to remember that not everyone on this page goes to the very beginning. When does this happen? Of course, if the visit comes from a blog or a product page that appeared in the search engine. Natural links from references to our articles more often refer to subpages.
Preparing the content and appearance of the main page is difficult because we want to address all users, although we are aware of the existence of different groups of users with different needs. The issue is more complicated in stores with a wide range of products or a company website where the offer is extensive and the addressees are both companies and individuals.
Communication
The content of the homepage should be the answer to more or less such questions as the user may ask himself:
- What is this company/shop?
- Can I do something here?
- Why this website and not another?
- Is this for me?
The best thing about all of this is that each industry answers each question in a different way and often in a completely different form.
And what exactly should be on the website? Is there a recipe for this? Unfortunately, no – there is no good scheme for the homepage and each case has to be designed separately for the target group, website objectives and brand attributes.
First impression on the website
The home page should be carefully designed for obvious reasons, but you should not forget about subpages. And this is extremely important. Why? After all, a website user does not stop at the first page and if a visit to the other pages is disappointing, our chances of achieving the goal are diminishing. It doesn’t matter if it’s a purchase or contact with our company. You have to “reward” the person who is browsing more and more pages to make the visit satisfactory.
It’s a good idea to polish your homepage design but not at the cost of the other pages. The main page is of interest to the user but usually it does not take an active part in converting users into customers. The exception to this rule are, of course, One-Page pages:
Navigation
The main page should give the direction of the visit, e.g. refer to the most important places on the website or to a specific purpose, e.g. the application form. It can also be a signpost: ” Women here and men here” which is often used e.g. in clothing shops.
Conceptual homepage
If we are able to accept the alternative cost – that is not using the possibility of strong positioning, and losing those more impatient and sensitive to breaking the conventions of customers, you can tempt yourself with a conceptual homepage, which is supposed to interest and even surprise the visitor.
SEO
It is the homepage that is most often positioned on the most valuable phrases. It usually has the largest number of incoming links and therefore it can be used to win a lot. As experts from Homepage4you point out – it is definitely not recommended using spam techniques like keyword stuffing, creating large blocks of text etc… What is worth doing with the main page is to create something like a table of contents on it. Dividing the content into thematic sections, using headlines of varying degrees and encouraging the interaction of links will certainly help us to redirect traffic so that each user is in a place consistent with his initial intentions.
Summary
A good design of a homepage is a cover and at the same time a table of contents. It contains structured information to assist users with their first visit. Just like a large shop assistant, it greets customers and tells them where to go depending on the user’s needs. It provides positive aesthetic impressions and inspires trust, but does not dominate over the rest of the subpages.