The Role of the Home Page
What is the purpose of your website’s home page? Is it to brand, sell a product, talk about the company, direct people to the right information, or entertain visitors? Should it be colorful or stark? Simple or busy? Focused or comprehensive?
All of the other questions and concerns are acadmic if website visitors leave, which can happen if you don’t adequately execute on the two primary roles of a home page.
Role #1: Confirm That Visitors Are At The Right Place
When someone arrives at your site, the very first thing they are trying to determine–consciously or not–is if they have found a website that has the information they need. If they found your site from searching for “vacuum cleaners”, is it clear that you sell them? If they are looking for publishing services, does your home page clearly indicate that you provide them? This doesn’t mean you should show every product or service on your home page. This would be unrealistic for a company with a broad selection, like Amazon or Sears. In such cases, identify representative pictures and language that visitors are likely to interpret as inclusive of their goals. In the case of vacuum cleaners, Sears might indicate and entire category of home appliances or cleaning supplies.
Role #2: Direct Visitors to More Detailed Information
If people can’t find the information they need, they’ll leave. The home page provides the foundation and starting point for navigating detailed content. Logical navigation structure allows users to quickly find the information that they are seeking. Most users don’t expect to find every question answered on a single page, and trying to do so also makes it difficult for people to find answers to specific questions. Well designed navigation makes your website more intuitive than using a search engine or your competitors’ websites.
If these roles are not fulfilled by the home page, and to some extent the overall site design, visitors won’t stick around long enough to become customers.
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