Deciding what you should have on your homepage is massively important to the success of your online presence. Getting these details right makes sure that visitors to your site find what they need to help them make a purchasing decision. Not including them means they may be turned off, confused, or just annoyed.
That might mean losing not just a single sale, but a repeat customer. Your website is where you get to put your best foot forward in impressing the customer, so your focus should be on making sure you do just that.
- Logo and headline
The first thing customers look at when visiting a website is the top of the page or the header. Ensure that your company logo is included in the header so people can immediately recognize and connect with your brand. Next to the header, you will want to have a headline. This is just a sentence or two that explains who you are and what you do. People often do not go further than the home page on a website. So it's critical to make your initial headline snappy so it grabs their attention, then leads into the rest of your home page content that covers all the key points of your offerings encase this is the only page they visit. - Easy to navigate site map
Customers should be able to find where they need to go quickly and efficiently. Create headings or links to the most important or most used pages, and make sure there is a menu or dropdown that users can easily get to wherever they want to go. If your theme/website system supports mega menu's, they are a great way to portray information is a graphical way!
Another option is to have on your home page is a search bar tool. This way, if someone has no idea what they are looking for or where to go, they can just search for it and be directed to the right page. However a search bar can lead to customers jumping over information you want to show them! So consider using them carefully! - An obvious call to action button
Your home page needs to pique the interest of the users and encourage them to want to do business with you. The best way to do this is by having a call-to-action button that makes it easy for your customers to do what you desire. This button should direct the users to things like contact forms, booking systems, or other pages within your website that provide more information key for conversion. The easier the call-to-action button is to find, the more traffic you will see coming through your website. - Photos/Videos
Most people are very visual. Having pictures on your home page will engage more people when they visit your site. This can show customers what you offer and what your brand is about. Avoid using basic stock images, and instead have pictures that capture an emotion or a call to action. When people can relate themselves to the photos, they are more likely to engage and explore deeper into your site.
Videos are fantastic as well as then the action can be visualized. Highlight your attractions in quick snappy shots, of happy guests, with plenty of action in the background. Just make sure that the images/content you choose are optimized for web, so don't slow down your site! - Social Proof
Testimonials have become huge in the world of marketing. Most people base their use of certain products or companies on testimonials or reviews from past clients. Including a section on your home page with client reviews, testimonials, or awards your business has received, is a great way to gain the trust of new users on your site.
People are more likely to believe reviews from others who have used your service, over any marketing spiel you can come up with!
What you should have on your homepage is compelling, easy-to-navigate content. It all boils down to giving your customer what they want quickly and easily and showing them they should get it from you. If you can achieve that you will gain new business with relative ease.
If you want help with your website, reach out and Zone can either point you in the right direction. Or we can build you a site and maintain it for you, that's optimized for success in the attractions market!