5 important conditions
Before we discuss the 5 tips separately, it is a good idea to list them first. There are important conditions that you must meet when it comes to a good homepage and being able to scan is one of them. This is a good example of this. This concerns the following five points:
- Having your own corporate identity
- A homepage that is easy to scan
- A clear menu to navigate further
- A clear message
- Current texts
Anyone who knows how to optimally incorporate these 5 things into the homepage has a very good chance of attracting more customers. This makes it extra interesting to discuss them point by point. Every entrepreneur, regardless of the industry in which he or she is active, can benefit from this.
1. Develop your own corporate identity
The rise of the internet in the past 20 years has changed a lot in the business field. However, one thing has remained the same. It is still very important that you develop your own corporate identity. This is the style that is reflected in all forms of company communication and that ensures recognisability. This is of course very important, especially online, especially when it comes to a good homepage. If the style also matches, for example, advertisements and business cards, this will only provide more clarity and recognisability. It is therefore striking to see that this goes well much less often than it should.
Due to the many possibilities that platforms offer for developing websites, it is tempting to do everything a little differently online. Don't fall into this trap. Implement not only the logo, but also the rest of the corporate identity properly online. Someone who got to know you through a route other than a search engine can immediately recognize you as the company they are looking for when they visit the homepage.
2. Make the homepage easy to scan
Another point of attention that you should spend time on is the extent to which a good homepage is scannable. Scanning is something of all times. For example, in the days of print media, the photo and headline were essential to attract readers. Online, it is especially important for entrepreneurs to ensure that visitors know within a few seconds where to go to find what they are looking for. An important factor here is the way the layout has been handled. For example, it is always smart to keep it simple.
The clearer everything is, the less likely a visitor will leave without doing business. There are several tricks for this. For example, keep the texts short and use many subheadings. Also make the headings clear and understandable. Provide lists using bullet points. Ensure good line spacing. When it comes to the layout, it is important not to use too many different colors. Use a clear, striking color to highlight the most important things on the page. Provide images and footage.
3. Make sure the menu is clear
As indicated in the previous point, clarity is important. A good layout is important here, but you must also ensure a clear menu. A good homepage can of course be compared to a shop window. It should provide clear indications of what is to be seen. The potential customer must know a lot at the first glance. What do you have to offer and where can it be found? The clear menu ensures that. This is also called navigation. First of all, the navigation must be immediately visible when a visitor comes to the page. For example at the top of the page or in the top left corner.
To make the menu even clearer on the homepage, it is important to use clear terms for the buttons. This could, for example, be 'services' or 'products', depending on what you offer as an entrepreneur. 'Contact' is also a good example. These types of words immediately make it clear where the visitor needs to go to find what he is looking for. What is very important is that everything is short and to the point when the menu is developed.
4. Provide a clear message
A good homepage is the front portal of the website. It should show your visitors where they can find the things or information they are looking for. However, it is not the intention to find all these things and information on the homepage. It is tempting to tell everything directly on the homepage. Who you are and what you do and especially why you do it are examples of this. Yet this is anything but the intention. The main thing is to keep everything as clear and to the point as possible. This also does not confuse the customer. Consider, for example, that a physical store also has multiple shelves and not the entire store stock and the first shelf is next to the door.
So make sure you have a clear first message that appeals to all potential customers. For example, this could be a certain feeling that you want to evoke in your customers. Find the right image here and supplement it only with the essential text. For example, an image of a selection of the offerings you have is often a very good option for success. This is a very powerful message that actually always works. Every reason to get started with this for that reason.
5. Always keep the texts up to date
The fact that a website is easy to scan also has a relative disadvantage for you as an entrepreneur. Customers can therefore quickly see whether the website has been recently maintained. If the texts on it are immediately recognizable as dated, this can be a deterrent. Visitors may then get the idea that the company has come to a standstill, for example. This means that customers are also being chased away unnecessarily. There is also another important reason to keep the texts sharp and up to date.
When everything is correct in terms of content, it shows that there is knowledge of the matter. That is why good text is also an important factor in the whole. If the text is still current, it shows that you are also working on it as an entrepreneur. Old actions or old news reports can quickly have an adverse effect. Of course, news stories don't have to be taken down when they're a day old. However, try to avoid it taking several weeks for new messages to appear. This is what the visitor also likes to see when visiting the homepage.
