You’ve got 3 seconds.
That’s how long a visitor gives you when they land on your website. In that time, you have to convince them to stick around.
Consider it a test. And your home page is the make-or-break factor in whether they stay to see your offerings or leave and never look back.
So what can you do to keep them around?
Here are five tips to help you improve your website’s home page and its “stickiness.”
1. Keep the design fast & simple
Your website’s load time is critical—3 seconds remember? If your site takes too long to load, your visitors will leave and find what they’re seeking elsewhere, maybe on your competitor’s site.
Websites work faster when they’re not loaded down too much. This means you (or your web developer) should compress images and optimize the code for speed.
Also, for website design, less is more. In fact, a minimalistic design that’s simple and easy to use is much more valuable (as a sales tool) than a creative one that might be confusing.
Think about it. You want to make it as easy as possible for customers to find what they need. Part of that is also answering the right questions, so prospects aren’t confused.
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“A website should be designed such that a visitor should go to the cart with confidence and not to your contact page with confusion.” – Amit Kalantri
2. Answer the right questions
Ever land on a website that looked great, but wasn’t too clear on what the business did?
No one wants to decipher vague wording or play “guess that business,” so you need to make sure you answer the right questions.
Here’s a test. Visit your home page.
Now, act like a prospect who’s seeing it for the first time and ask yourself the 5 Ws:
- Who are they?
- What do they do?
- Where are they?
- How can they help me? (Instead of “When”)
- Why should I use them?
Does your home page answer these questions? Does it do so clearly? What about quickly… 3 seconds, remember? If not, it’s time for a rewrite.
RELATED: How an FAQ Page Will Help Your Small Business Website Sell
3. Use clear and compelling writing
You don’t have to be a master wordsmith or channel David Ogilvy in your writing. Just make sure it’s clear, easy to understand, and makes a good case for your product or service.
People should understand what you do and how you can help them within seconds of landing on your home page (3 to be exact).
Clear and simple writing can win the day and the sale. Just explain how they benefit from using your product or service. And don’t forget to tell them what to do next.
4. Tell them what to do next
Want them to buy or sign up? Make it clear with a call-to-action (CTA). This is a button or a link that encourages visitors to take action and tells them what step to take. This could be “Buy Now,” “Get Started,” or “Learn More.”
MANY businesses have pages with good text, but then forget to tell visitors what to do. It’s important because it leads to sales. In fact, using a clear and visible CTA can boost your sales conversions online.
Make sure your CTA is easy to find and uses strong action words. This urges your visitors to click and take the next step.
5. Make it mobile-friendly
Finally, your website must be mobile-friendly. Yes, today it’s a must.
Most visitors will be on their phones. We’ve seen clients who had 80% (!) of their website visits come from people on smartphones. This is the new normal, so it’s vital that your site works well on mobile.
Because if it’s not mobile friendly, visitors will leave in 1 second, forget 3.
We hope these tips help you boost the stickiness of your website’s home page. Remember, every second counts!
Want a professional opinion on your website? Let us know below or send an email.
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