The 6 Questions You Should Answer On Your Homepage
Your homepage is the very first impression most people will have of your business.
It should connect with your target audience and encourage them to take the next step, whether that be following you on social media or buying your product.
Don’t make the mistake of talking all about your business or yourself on your homepage! Focus on your customers and what they need.
Keep it simple, clear and concise. Don’t blah blah blah all over the place just to add words to the page.
Here are the 6 questions your homepage should be answering for your target audience:
1. What is this website all about?
The main gist of your website should be apparent within 2-3 seconds of someone visiting your site.
The first thing on your homepage should be your hero section. This should include:
A one-sentence headline saying what you do.
If people don’t understand what you do right away, they’ll leave!
This isn’t the time to be clever. Clear and concise is the name of the game here. Tell people what your business does without making them think.
Try this template:
We/I [______VERB______] [______POWER WORD______] [______PRODUCT/SERVICE______] for [______TARGET AUDIENCE______].
A few examples:
Orthodontist
We create beautiful smiles for teens and adults in Anytown, USA.
Landscaper
We build beautiful gardens and pools for busy homeowners in Anytown, USA.
Garden center
We sell native plants and local pottery to discerning gardeners in Anytown, USA.
An obvious button that tells them how to get it.
It should be big. It should be obvious. It should stand out! They probably won’t click it right away, but they need to know the one main thing you want them to do.
Buy Now
Schedule Your Appointment
Contact Us
Book Now
You get the idea.
An impactful image or video that connects with your target audience.
A large image or video that makes your target audience say “Hey, I want that!”.
This should display the “after” your customer will be feeling after working with you.
Think: happy people, beautiful spaces, positive imagery.
2. Is this going to solve my problems?
The next section should talk about the problems your target audience faces and how you can help solve them.
Just like with our hero section, the goal is to be clear and concise.
Use images or icons to break up the text and give the visitor a quick idea of what you’re talking about at a glance.
Try to hit 3-5 pain points.
3. Is this for me?
At this point, someone understands what you do and some problems you can solve. But they still might not be sure if it’s for them.
So tell them!
You can even headline this section “This is for you if…”.
Have 3-5 characteristics of your ideal audience. Remember to break things up with images or icons.
Here are some examples from our businesses above:
Orthodontist
This is for you if…
- You’re ready to stop being embarrassed by your smile.
- You’ve been told by your child’s dentist that they need braces.
- You want a trusted partner in you or your child’s smile journey.
Landscaper
This is for you if…
- You’re ready to have the backyard oasis of your dreams.
- You’re tired of maintaining your yard and gardens.
- You want someone who can take your landscape project from idea to completion.
Garden Center
This is for you if…
- You want to purchase plants native to our area.
- You’re looking for advice on the best plants for your garden.
- You’re looking for unique pots and gifts for yourself or your favorite gardener.
4. How do I get it?
Give people a path to working with you! They need an easy-to-follow plan.
This section should state the 3-5 steps to doing business with you.
Step 1 should be your main call-to-action. The next steps should tell someone what comes AFTER they take that step.
The goal here is to make it crystal clear about what happens after they click that big CTA button you have all over the place.
Here are a few examples:
Orthodontist
- Schedule Your Appointment
- Fill Out New Patient Paperwork
- Come See Us
Landscaper
- Fill Out Our Project Planner Form
- Gather Your Inspiration
- Get Ready For Your Home Visit
Garden Center
- Come To The Center
- Meet With Our Friendly Staff
- Leave With Your Native Garden Plan
5. How do I know you’re legit?
Tell your audience why they should listen to what you have to say.
Display 3-5 testimonials that reflect your ideal audience.
This is also a good spot to display the logos of any associations you’re a member of or other credentials you have.
Another great way to show your expertise is to give away something of value to your audience, such as a PDF download.
Here are some examples for our businesses:
Orthodontist
Ultimate Guide To Getting Braces
Landscaper
10 Questions To Ask Before Designing Your Garden
Garden Center
Everything You Wanted To Know About Native Delaware Plants
6. How much is this going to cost me?
Everyone wants to know the bottom line!
You’ve told them how you’re going to solve their problems, how to work with you, and why they should trust you. Now tell them how much it’s going to cost!
If you have set packages you can display a pricing table with purchase buttons.
If you have a custom quote structure, write a brief explanation with a link to get the process started.
BONUS: Anything else that can help me?
Here’s where you can include some additional information that will help your customer and guide them on going from website visitor to customer.
Pick 1 or 2 of these ideas:
- Portfolio links
- About blurb
- Meet the owner
- Mission statement
- Links to the latest blog articles
The wrap-up.
Your homepage should be all about your target audience and quickly tell them what you do, how it benefits them and how they can get it.
Need help with your website? Schedule your free Website Strategy Call today!
