The home page (also known as "index" or "default" page) is usually
first thing people see upon entering your site. If it doesn't grab them - or contain certain information - many people won't venture past it... and might just leave your site altogether. As my Mom used to say, "You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a Good Impression." This rings even more true when it comes to your website's home page. So what are essential components that every home page really needs to include? And why are they so important? Keep reading and you'll know in a flash (no pun intended) whether your site is hitting mark or missing it altogether.
1) Your First Paragraph: I can't tell you number of sites I've been to that don't tell me who they are and what they do. Remember "Five W's" when writing about your company - Who, What, Where, Why and hoW. Tell me up front who you are and what you offer so I know if I'm in right place or need to continue my search.
A good rule of thumb when creating your site content is to look at your site from a surfer's point of view and answer this question: "What's in it for me?" Website visitors tend to be very directed. They land on your site after searching for something they need and don't care about anything else. If you want your visitors to stay, you need to tell them right away that they've come to right place.
2) Consistent Navigation: You need to decide on a navigational system. This is generally at top or left hand side of page with links to every page or section of your site. Make it clear and simple for me to get where I need to go and don't confuse me or cause me to think too hard about it. This can lead to frustration and an early exit.
You'll also want to include text navigation at bottom of page (sometimes called secondary navigation). Another option would be to include one of those drop down navigation boxes that allows you to make a selection from a drop down box and be transported instantly to that page.
