Functions of a Business Site’s Home Page
The home page of an business site is very important, although it may not harken thoughts of the security of a traditional home’s warmth and protection. Still, it does get its nickname of “home” for a reason.
Let’s settle one thing up front, though: For most businesses the home page is not the most important. Far from it. The page that earns the honor of being most important is probably one or two click removed from the home page. It is the one on which a converted visitor can perform an action that directly or eventually will lead to the company earing revenue. However, in most cases the home page will attract more first time visitors than any other single page on your site.
Assuming that you have followed a traditional link building plan, more external links will be directed to your home page than any other. Also, more than likely, your home page will be close to the top in terms of the number of internal links directed to it. Should your visitors lose their way, due either to taking a wrong turn or due to poor design by your website’s architect, they probably will return to the home page to serve as their base of operations in order to launch another quest.
That simply means that your visitors will use your home page more than it might merit, although I took a circuitous route to get to that conclusion. As long as your prospects are loitering there, you better make sure you help them make good use of their time.
What are the functions of a good home page in a well designed Internet business site? Here are a few functions from which you can choose, although never try to use one page to do everything.
* Provide a corporate office atrium to set the mood for your business’ corporate climate–laid back and informal, or efficient and orderly or however else you position the company.
* Allow the visitors to locate where they want to go without any unnecessary distractions. Your navigation menu will serve this function on all of your pages, but on the home page you may want to help with making suggestions concerning the most efficient ways in which they might proceed.
* Subtly and efficiently communicate the mission of your business through the copy on the page, the images, a video or some combination of all channels.
* Tell your visitors what you want them to do. You might want them to buy a product, sign up to receive valuable information, learn about the topic in which your business is the expert or even all of those.
* Make a favorable first impression by picking up the clutter; create an attractive but unpretentious space.
Those are some of the things to keep in mind for your home page, whether you have a large, established, authority website or you are planning to build a small business website.
