If you want to create a successful website, you need to learn one important lesson: first impressions matter. When a potential customer visits your website, they will determine whether or not they want to purchase something based on the design of your website and its pages.
The main goal is to convert your website visitors into customers, but unfortunately, only 3% of online store visits result in a purchase. This is because there are many factors that can influence their purchasing decision, and one of the biggest is your homepage design.
Since that is the first thing customers see when they visit your website, you need to ensure that it makes a great first impression. And here’s how you can do that!
Simplicity is key
A mistake many websites make is cramming too much information on their homepage. They do this because they want to show everything off, from their products and services to their awards and affiliations. It goes without saying that this is not such a good idea.
While it is important to show all of this information on your digital experience platform, your homepage is certainly not the place to do so.
When designing it, you need to keep in mind that simplicity is key and in this instance, less is more.
When you include too many elements, the website visitor won’t know what to focus on, so they will feel overwhelmed. Instead, it’s best to give them only a few options with minimal texts and most important of all, draw their attention to the CTA button.
If you don’t have any experience in building this type of homepage, you should try the Drupal layout builder. With Drupal, you can use a layout builder and the drag-and-drop technique to create a perfect and simple layout that will be aesthetically appealing but also optimized for conversions.
Learn how to incorporate videos
Videos can be a great addition to your homepage and you can take them to the next level with good video hosting. They provide a positive experience to your website visitors and can have a big impact on conversion rates, but that’s only if they’re used right.
How to make your videos work
There are certain dos and don’ts you need to know when it comes to homepage videos. If you want to make your video great, here are all the things you need to keep in mind:
- Show what your website is about. The point of your homepage video is to introduce potential customers to what your business does and what it can offer. Highlight your key selling points and show how your products can improve their lives.
- Know your target audience. As the items you sell on your eCommerce store cater to a certain audience, so should your video. If you know your target audience well, you will also know which elements of your brand you need to incorporate in the video to resonate with them.
- Use auto-play. Videos that play as soon as a website visitor lands on your homepage can sometimes be annoying, but you can still incorporate the auto-play option. Simply play a short video of a looping movement without too much motion with a button that customers need to click to play the full video.
- Place your video in the center of the page. Your video needs to attract the website visitors’ attention, and the best way to do this is by placing it in the center of the page.
Mistakes you need to avoid
Even if you do all the things that are necessary to create a great homepage video, you can still make some mistakes and ultimately create a bad video. Here is what you need to avoid at all costs:
- Having high expectations. Don’t think that your homepage video can magically solve every issue and create it for multiple purposes. The goal of your video is to increase conversions, and that’s what you have to keep in mind when you’re creating it.
- Going into too many details. Just like the rest of your homepage, your video shouldn’t be packed with information. Don’t go into too many details, but try to keep the video length under 2 minutes. Remember that this should be an overview of your products and business, not a detailed explanation of them.
- Forgetting about the copy. A good video can be very beneficial for conversion rates, but that doesn’t mean it should be the only thing on your homepage. If you want to achieve the best results and improve your SEO, use a combination of video and effective copy.
- Getting in the way of navigation. The point of this video is to intrigue website visitors to interact with the rest of your digital experience platform, but they won’t be able to do that if the video stands in the way of navigation. This means you should allow the video to be paused and muted.
Make speed a priority
A slow-loading homepage can significantly lower your conversion rates, as only a 1-second delay eats away 7% of the coveted conversion rate. Since internet speeds are getting better every year, people don’t want to waste time on slow-loading websites.
The faster your website visitors reach your homepage, the higher the chances of making a sale. That is why you need to focus on making speed your top priority. If you keep your homepage simple without too many extra elements, it should lead to fast loading.
However, if you still have a slow-loading website, it’s possible that you have a bad web hosting service. So know what to look for in a web hosting service and don’t choose a cheaper option because you think it’s more profitable for you. Bad hosting will lead to slow loading times, and as a result, low conversion rates.
Ensure your homepage is mobile-friendly
Mobile eCommerce has been on the rise for years with no signs of stopping, as more and more people choose to use their mobile devices when they shop online. Thus, strategic designer Michelle Dipp advises optimizing your design for mobile devices if you want to convert as many website visitors as possible.
Mobile optimization requires that all elements of your homepage work well on all mobile devices. It’s important to use a reliable website builder, like Drupal, for instance, and always test it out.
Additionally, not only does everything have to be functional and offer a seamless experience to the website visitors, but it also needs to look just as good as it does on desktop devices.
Make room for social proof
People who shop online need to provide some sensitive data when they complete transactions, such as their personal details and credit card information. Before a customer can entrust this kind of information with you, they need to be sure your business is trustworthy.
The best way to do this is to leave space at the bottom of your homepage for social proof. The most common type of social proof is customer reviews, but there are also other kinds of social proof such as client logos, client story videos, and links to case studies.
Final thoughts
There are many website elements that influence a customer’s purchasing decision. However, if you don’t optimize your homepage for conversions and make a great first impression, the rest of your digital experience platform won’t even matter.
So, take into account everything you just read about and use it to create the perfect homepage.