What Do I Put on the Homepage of My Website?
“So… what do I put on the homepage of my website?”
I get this question all the time and I totally understand it.
Unlike all the other pages on a website, it doesn’t offer an obvious intention.
We all know that on the contact page, you’ll put a contact form and your business information. Maybe a picture.
The about page is obviously a page where you write about yourself and your business (I know this one can be a toughy too, so more on this in another post coming soon).
On the services page you put your services down. On the blog page well…you get the point.
So where do I start when it comes to the home page?
It’s actually much easier than you think, and I am going to give you the EXACT formula I use to put together a home page.
Step One: Make sure you know what other pages you want to have on your site first
This may seem like a strange place to start, but the reality is that knowing what will go on your site makes your homepage that much easier. I’ll explain that more in a second.
Traditionally, the pages that are important to have are:
About page
Services/Products/Store
Contact/Appointment scheduler
Blog
If there is anything else you want on your site I didn’t mention, then these should not go in your main navigation unless they are VERY important to the success of your biz.
Learn more about how I set up my website navigation here.
Step two: Use the navigation as a map to layout your website
Your homepage is basically a glorified version of your main navigation. By that I mean, it will summarize everything that people can expect to find on your site.
Here is a map of my homepage so you can see what I mean:
Does this make sense?
Your homepage may have elements here and there that differ from my website. For example, you might also have a section for services if you offer multiple. Or you may have a little section that displays some of you featured products, but the overall concept remains the same.
Here is your complete website formula
Use your navigation as the map
Introduce your website with something eye catching
Writing your tagline (the sentence that explains EXACTLY how you help people and who those people are. More on that here)
Restate the problem you solve and how you help others
Introduce what you offer
Introduce yourself/your business/your mission/your purpose
Establish credibility with testimonials/studies/results you have helped clients create
Provide a FREE resource to clients and build your email list
Share insight into your blog if it makes sense and share your work