The homepage of your site is the business card of your entire online presence.
There are elements that a homepage, in order to be really effective and successful decrease the bounce rate, should always have.
In this article I will show you what they are.
Probably after you have read the list you will say “Well, but of course these things are present on a homepage” .
But do you know that very often, when you create a website, some of these elements are completely forgotten?
In particular by those who have no experience in the sector.
So, if you are learning how to use WordPress , you will find these tips very useful. Use this article as a checklist to make sure everything is there.
What absolutely must NOT be missing on the homepage
Some elements are therefore essential to create an effective homepage.
But that’s not enough …
Remember that you will still have to optimize it to get a good ranking and ensure excellent performance.
Logo and name of the site
The top of the homepage must always contain your company logo and name or your personal brand.
Make sure that by clicking on them the user returns to the home page from any point on the site.
WordPress themes usually have this option by default.
It is up to you to decide whether or not to create a sticky header , i.e. a header that always remains visible, even when you scroll the page.
You can create a logo for your website with one of the many tools available online, such as Canva .
Contact information
All sites should have contact information on the homepage.
This gives credibility to your online presence and helps start the sales process. If your users need information, they can contact you very easily.
Many sites have their contact information in the so-called footer , i.e. at the bottom of the page.
If your theme has a section above the header, I recommend adding them in this area as well.
In addition, many sites lately also use chat to communicate more easily with users.
There are many tools that allow you to implement this functionality; for example we have chosen LiveChat .
Buttons or Social Widgets
The link to your profiles on social networks are a must on the homepage.
If you use WordPress, you can choose from many plugins that will allow you to insert buttons or widgets easily.
By inserting the social buttons, your visitors can become your fans on Facebook, follow you on Twitter etc., read the comments of other users and interact directly with you.
Attention!
If you use a latest generation theme, such as Elementor , Enfold or Divi , the functionality to insert social links is probably already integrated.
You will therefore not have to install additional plugins.
The focal point of the homepage: Unique Value Proposition
There should always be a phrase or a short message on your homepage explaining what the goals of your business are, the services and / or products you offer and how these meet the needs of your users.
In this way, visitors will be immediately engaged by the main message you want to convey.
Descriptive images
“A picture is worth a thousand words” …
And it’s really true!
In fact, if you want your homepage to be able to attract the attention of users, use images of your products, or illustrations to describe the service you offer.
But be careful to use graphics in moderation.
You don’t want them to distract the user too much. Rather, they must complement the text in a balanced way.
Also remember to always optimize your images, so that they are useful for SEO, and compress them with tools like CompressJPG so as not to weigh down the page.
Navigation menu
Your homepage is the starting point for navigating your site.
The menu must therefore be clearly visible, positioned in the header, and must be clear and intuitive.
Make sure there are links to all the “key” sections of your site and that they are working correctly, without generating the hated 404 error .
Newsletter subscription form
Having a newsletter subscription form is an excellent opportunity to increase the number of subscribers who want to receive updates by email.
A good portion of the users will reach your site on the homepage. This is therefore a page with great visibility and perfect for inserting the newsletter subscription form.
Most likely, you’ll want to use some free services to get started. Find out which are the best sites to create free newsletters .
Cookie information
If your site also uses tools such as Google Analytics and widgets to ‘Like’ your social pages, it is important that the cookie information is present on the homepage .
For more information on the legislation relating to cookies, I refer you to the official website of the Guarantor for the protection of personal data .
If you have difficulty integrating your cookie policy, we can help you get your site up and running .
Conclusion
Today I have shown you some important elements that they can never be missing on your site’s homepage.
Is this information already on your website?
