Tips for Designing A Homepage for Your Website

A one-click button to your homepage is a must-do on all sites. There are many reasons: because of their dependence on search engines, all visitors enter sites via the home page and then skip the homepage altogether. Easy access to your homepage gives a fresh beginning for those who need to explore the site or are already on the wrong page. With the click of a button you can find out more about your company, view your recent orders and manage your newsletter, contact form, or learn about events and special offerings. And with just one click, the whole system goes from live to print.
The Homepage has been a hallmark of the ease-of-use for years, but it isn’t enough. The Homepage alone won’t help users find what they’re looking for. For improved usability, the following steps should be taken: Improve navigation and make it easier to find specific information or to find all information at once. Better mapping for drop-down menus on individual pages. Make it easier to enter email addresses, return forms, or insert a Photo.
To improve your homepage’s usability, consider using the Google Analytics Content Network. Google’s analytics gather information about how visitors move through your site and which pages they visit. These data can be combined with your site map and the home page to show visitors where they are on your site, what they are looking at, and how long they spent on any page. You can also track which links are click-worthy, which make people more likely to hang around long enough to see the entire homepage.
The Homepage should always be an eye-candy and welcoming experience. It’s OK if your navigation is clunky or confusing, but don’t let it distract from the content. If your Homepage is filled with flash, use a different site map, or provide alternative text for your buttons and images. Keep your font size reasonable and your background consistent. This will help visitors remember your website and come back often.
Your home page is also a great opportunity to introduce new features you are using on your site, such as social sharing. Make sure your navigation is easy to use and clear. Use the same color scheme as your content, but don’t clutter it up with too many colors. Use the same navigation links and drop-downs throughout the page, so visitors can find what they need without searching for it all over the site. In addition, the home page should encourage visitors to sign up, leave feedback, or follow other links to your site.
Although you want your homepage to be a friendly welcome page for visitors, don’t make it too conversational. Keep it professional and simple, and give people an easy way to exit your site. Make navigation easy by separating the “home” section into two tabs: the tab for your most recent activities (such as a blog post), and the tab for the most important information (such as an order confirmation). Make your homepage the first result for new visitors, and offer a link in the “About” section to find out more about you. Finally, make sure your Homepage is regularly updated with new content, so that people feel comfortable visiting it again.