Hey there, creative entrepreneur! Ready to get your website launched and out in the world for everyone to see? Good for you! This is a big (and exciting) step for your business.
I know in my own entrepreneurship journey, the moment I had my published website was the moment that everything started to really feel real. It’s when I finally began to believe to my core that I was a business owner.
When it comes to building your website, there’s one page that takes the cake in importance… the home page.
In this post, I break down the core areas you need to pay attention to on your website home page, break down the things you have to include, and give you some of my favorite homepage tips.
Must-Have #1 – A Clear + Enticing Header
Your webpage must be incredibly clear and easy for your dream clients to understand within the first 3 seconds of their visit for them to keep reading. That’s why it all starts with the header.
This header section of your website needs to tell us who you are and what you do, as well as a clear indication of how and what makes you unique. Sound like a fine art? There is a fine art to copywriting because you want to make sure that the headline is incredibly clear while also being enticing.
I recommend having the following in your header:
- Your name and title, including the core keyword you are targeting for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes
- If you’re a local business: You’ll want to also ensure you are using location-specific keywords
- For your title: make sure that you’re actually picking a title that is something your ideal client would be searching for. For example, maybe you call yourself a ‘brand alchemist,’ which is super cool, and you don’t necessarily have to change that in your personal marketing! But for your website headers’ purposes, make sure you go for a clear title like ‘brand strategist’ instead.
- Your impact statement that really highlights the purpose or ‘why’ behind what you are doing.
- Some entrepreneurs choose to highlight this in their ‘I help’ statement (i.e. “I help _________ do ____________ so they can ___________________ )
Must-Have #2 – A Friendly Photo of You!
This sounds silly, but you would not believe how many online entrepreneurs and business owners don’t actually put their photo on their homepage. My friends… we need to see your face.
If you really think about how the online business world works, there is a lot of trust at work. It can be very intimidating or difficult for people to invest in your services or products when they don’t actually feel that they know the person behind the business.
Especially with online businesses, we want to assure our dream clients that we’re absolutely who we say we are, and put a face to our brand.
Must-Have #3 – A Problem + Solution
Your website visitors are here and reading your homepage because they have something they’re looking for a solution for (or support for). That’s why it’s important that in the website copy for your website home page that you clearly reflect their problem back to them, while offering the solution and presenting your products or services.
It’s important that we speak the pain points our clients are experiencing in their own words so they really feel seen and heard. While I’m not a copywriter myself, I work closely with a few copywriters and know some pretty fiery tips by now 😉
One thing I highly recommend is starting to gather your own voice of customer (VOC) research. This can be a simple spreadsheet you add to overtime that includes your testimonials, the key pain and pleasure points that your clients or potential clients have voiced to you, as well as common language and verbiage they use to describe themselves and what they do.
Another copy tip for you: focus on the pleasure points more than the pain points. It’s not empowering for your potential clients to read an entire page piling on the pain. It’s essential to address these pain points in the copy but focus more on what brings them pleasure when you really aggravate these points deeper.
Above all else, highlight your solution and how your offering is exactly what they need!
Want some extra copywriting tips? Check out this article on how to write an about me page!
Must-Have #4 – The WHY YOU
The “why you” is absolutely essential to your website home page; as let’s face it, there are countless other service providers and coaches out there likely doing the same thing you do. I don’t say this to disempower you because all that you share with them is the what behind what you do! There’s no one else like you doing what you do the way you do it. So let’s make that clear for the world to see!
Make sure you include:
- A short bio on you that highlights your experience in a fun way to prove you’re qualified. This should not be a complete resume, my friends. But simply a way to show you’re the real deal!
- A clear reflection of your WHY. The bigger purpose behind what you do (you can also think of this as your mission).
Enjoying these tips? You’ll LOVE this Ultimate Web Design Checklist!
Must-Have #5 – A Clear Breakdown Of Your Offers
Time to roll out the red-carpet menu and show your prospects exactly how they can work with you! It’s important to outline this on your homepage so that primed visitors can get exactly what they’re looking for. In fact, studies show that on a business’ homepage, 86% of visitors tend to want to see information about your products and services displayed.
You don’t need to lay out everything you offer here but merely focus on your core packages and services (between 3-5 offers). My rule of thumb: feature the work and packages you want to be hired for; you don’t have to put it all up here on the homepage. You can always expand on your services page or even have a secret menu of offers not on your website.
Must-Have #6 – Optimized Calls-to-Action
Website visitors are busier and more distracted than ever before. Remember, we have to make a solid impression in that first 5 seconds, or they’re likely bouncing! So you must be giving these guests clear directions of where to go next. These visitors don’t want to waste their precious brain calories trying to decipher how to take action! Let’s make it effortless for them to do so!
The best way to do this is to define your ultimate goal for these homepage visitors. Of course, you’ll have a few calls to action (CTA) throughout your homepage that will lead your other website pages (like your services page below your packages or your about me page below your bio), but otherwise, there should be one ultimate goal.
Do you want them to go ahead and purchase your offer directly?
Do they need to book a 1:1 consultation first?
Or should they simply reach out via email to get started?
For example, my core goal is to get visitors inside my Website Template Shop on my home page, so all my CTAs are encouraging them to go there!
Struggling with CTA ideas? Here are some examples!
- Buy Now
- Join Now
- Contact Me
- Learn More
- Book a Free Consultation
Must-Have #7 – Optimized Footer
The final must-have for your website homepage is a clear, optimized footer. This should have a clear explanation of how to contact you, the core pages of your website, and links to the following essential documents:
- Privacy Policy
- Disclaimer
- Terms and Conditions
Other Sections You Can Include On Your Homepage
What I’ve broken down for you so far is really what I call the absolute must-haves to a homepage, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more you can include! Here are a few other sections that some of my clients include on their homepages!
- Testimonials from past clients that reflect your work and the impact you have on your clients.
- Your portfolio of work
- Affiliate links to products and services you love and use yourself (just make sure you disclose clearly they are affiliate links!)
- A breakdown of your unique methodology or signature framework (if you have one!)
- A feed for your blog, content or podcast
- Your social media feed
Before you go, I want to give you a few bonus tips from me to you…
**Bonus: A Few Extra Tips From Me To You…
- You can’t build a house without a plan… so don’t try to build your website without one either! Even if it’s a simple sketch with pen and paper, make sure you know where you’re going!
- Yes, there may be tons of other people doing what you do… but only you do what you do the way you do it. So make that incredibly clear across your website – why you’re doing what you do and why you’re different. Why you’re exactly what they need!
- It’s excellent to browse others’ websites for inspiration, but try to put a cap and limitation on it, so you’re not straying from your lane. Be sure to yourself and make your homepage authentically you – not necessarily what’s trendy or how others are doing it!
- Break your website design process into phases so you don’t get overly caught up in the small details. After all, done is better than perfect, and sometimes we just have to get ourselves out there!
- Work smarter, not harder. When you buy one of my Showit website templates, you also receive a library filled with tutorials that will help you with every single phase of this process, from customizing the template to eventually launching your website out into the world!
Showit Templates Ready to Support Your Dreams
The Template shop is the one-stop-shop for Website + Social Media Graphics Templates thoughtfully designed + curated for the passionate female entrepreneur!
With Showit website templates for as little as $97, my mission is to make beautiful design more accessible to new entrepreneurs.
*New in The Shop: One-pager website templates! These are the PERFECT way you can get your website launched for the world to see if you’re not ready for (or don’t need) a complete multi-page website!
Other Blog Posts You’ll LOVE
How to Design a High-Converting Sales Page
The Ultimate Website Design Launch Checklist
How To Write an About Me Page: 5 Tips From a Website Copywriter
Quick Website Tips to Instantly Improve Your Conversion Rate
5 Benefits of Using a Creative Website Template for your Showit Site
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