15 Questions to Measure the Strength of Your Home Page
The home page is typically where most site visitors will enter your website. It can determine whether a prospective customer is intrigued and eager to learn more, or is instead confused, frustrated and turned-off. Let’s face it – your home page is one of the “Money” pages on your website, so it better be effective.
Therefore, it would behoove you to spend time revisiting your home page and making sure that it answers these fifteen fundamental questions to drive your business results.
15 Questions to Measure the Strength of Your Home Page
1. Who are you?
Does the home page make it explicitly clear who you are, including your company name, your logo and your tagline? Is it clear if you are a services firm, retailer, wholesaler, manufacturer, B2B firm, or B2C firm, etc.?
2. What are your products or services?
You would be shocked at how many websites do not make this clear on their home page, but instead assume that of course the site visitor knows exactly who they are and what they sell. Big mistake. Don’t assume anything.
3. What can I do here?
Assuming you make it clear what you sell, is it just as clear what the site visitor can do on your site, whether it be a purchase, a download of a free trial, or engagement in a community?
4. What’s your identity?
Are you professional and reliable? Are you cool and cutting-edge? Are you fun and silly? Make it clear on the home page, and then be consistent with your identity throughout the site.
5. Is your design helping you?
Too many small business owners think that just having a website is good enough regardless of what it looks like, and they sacrifice design. Remember, though, that site visitors are real people, and they get it when a site is amateurish.
6. What’s your differentiation?
Clarify how you are different, and the unique value you offer the site visitor. Do you offer the highest quality? Are your prices the cheapest? Do you have the broadest selection? Is your customer service absolutely amazing?
7. What does the website include?
The home page needs to ground the new site visitor. Does your home page provide a clear view as to what’s included in the site from a high level? Does it answer the visitor’s question of “What can I find here?”
8. Are you being a “tease”?
Like the cover of a magazine, your home page should entice new site visitors to want to check out additional pages. This can be anything from special promotions to free eBooks to announcements of upcoming events.
9. You don’t force me to scroll, do you?
Is your home page succinct and to the point? Or are you expecting your site visitors to scroll and scroll and scroll to read everything you have to tell them? Remember, many people do not scroll.
10. Is your home page scan-able?
Most website visitors do not read through an entire page, but instead scan the page. To that end, it’s important that you are providing them with visual cues, such as headers, subheads, images, movies, links, etc. And remember to leave sufficient white space on the page – clutter can be a major obstacle to website usability.
11. Do you provide timely content?
If you are a publisher, do you make the latest and freshest content clear and easy to find? If you are offering a special promotion, is it prominently displayed?
12. Do you weight your home page elements according to importance?
Is every element on your home page the same size and treatment? If so, are you sure you are not paralyzing your site visitors? Are you sure that your home page is scan-able (see above)? Allocate different weights to the different elements on your home page to ensure the page is guiding visitors in line with your business priorities.
13. Why should I trust you?
Many site visitors have no clue who you are, yet they always have options for going elsewhere on the web. Therefore, it’s critical to convey a sense of trust. This can include trustmarks such as from the Better Business Bureau, association membership logos, associated charity logos, a link to your privacy policy, etc.
14. Do you include clear Calls to Action?
Does your home page clarify what the site visitor is supposed to do next, whether learn more, download, view a comparison table, purchase or otherwise?
15. Where’s the pizazz?
Your site visitors are real people. Don’t bore them to tears. Add pizazz to your home page, but realize that this does not mean bells and whistles. Focus on delivering a deeply satisfying experience. This could mean an insightful solution to their biggest problem, an amazing client testimonial, a free widget, a free book, a community or a resource center.
These are just a few tips to help you create a great website that drives your business success. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I don’t think there’s really anything you missed here, but it’s amazing on how many people are ignoring many of these pointers. (I know I’m guilty of it myself)
I think #15 is the hardest to do,. mainly if you’re not a fantastic developer. I’ll be sure to check out your site after posting this comment.
May 28th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Thank you for that information it was most informative and I will use it to measure the strength of my homepage.
May 28th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Tom: Thanks for the info. Your advice is always “rignt-on target.” The only advice I would change is the Better Business Bureau. They are not as good as people may think; especially for new, young, small business owners who have not had much experience with them. There are other good, supportive, non-political sites to join which are much more friendly and less costly. The one that comes to mind is ‘The Safe Shopping Network.’ Thanks again.
May 28th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
Thanks for netting this out — nice, concise, to the point, valuable article ;)) sent it on to facebook, delicious, twitter.
I’ve seen all these before, but you have organized the key points in a way that’s easy to read, understand, and use.
Thanks!
May 28th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Thanks for the input - once again startup you are hitting the mark . I know i will have a few changes to make here and there on my website.
Kepp up the great advice
Denise Farquharson
Got a Dream ? Start with a Picture!
May 29th, 2009 at 12:26 am
You’ve given me some great ideas and things to think about in regards to my home page. There is always room for improvement and as my mother always said “first impressions are important!”
May 29th, 2009 at 12:34 am
Nice article with straight to point information.
May 29th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Thanks for all the positive feedback, everyone! I’m glad to see that the list is useful.
Check back again next week for a new post. I’ll try to make it as info-packed as possible for you.
-Tom
May 29th, 2009 at 5:24 am
I really enjoyed the succession of info! It was straight, to the point, and realitively simple! I just hope putting all of this into play is that way!I always welcome helpful suggestions aand that is exactly what you provided….keep up the good work (and suggestions)
-Melissa
May 29th, 2009 at 5:25 am
I should really proof read my comments sorry for the misspells
May 29th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Great article! I think #3 has been the most difficult question for us to answer– maybe that has something to do with the fact that publicity is often one of the most understood marketing methods. Anyway, thank you.
May 29th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Thanks for putting this together! I’m working on building my website now and will keep this list in front of me to make sure I don’t miss anything.
May 30th, 2009 at 6:15 am
[...] 15 Questions to Measure the Strength of Your Home Page [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
This puts into words what i have battled so many mmonths to pass across to my lead developer.I will simply feed this to him and leave him to make his deductions.
This is great.Do keep it up!
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:28 am
Great checklist that every developer should tape to the desk! I would add to it only one more item. Clearly state how you will solve your visitor’s problem. Perhaps this is part of your differentiator focus.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 am
Maaaan… this can’t get any better! Well written!
January 29th, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Differentiation is the tough one, especially with bloggers trying to make a living online. So many bloggers are blogging about blogging as if that is interesting or useful. And what does every business Blogger of note blog about? Making money on blogging. You need to offer a service that is useful and unique, you need an online niche and you need to know something about it!.