Let's talk about the importance of the Home Page - why you shouldn't always get hung up on designing it and vice versa, why and when you should pay extra attention to it.
It is considered something accepted by default that the home page of a website is its foundation. And the main task of the designer - to make it qualitatively, and the rest as we go along.
Home Page does play an important role in attracting and retaining visitors. However, behavioral models are changing with the development of web technologies. And at this point in time, it is far from always the home page that remains the most important on a website.
Why is the homepage not always the most important?
If your goal isn't a one-page landing page, but an extensive website, it's not always the homepage that's paramount. Now let's look at a few factors to consider before throwing all your efforts into Home Page development.
Site Specifics
Some platforms may have more important pages than the home page - users are interested in them. For example, this could be sites such as online stores, blogs, image and video aggregators. Initially, people are looking for a catalog, a selection or an article. Perhaps then they read the terms of purchase/delivery/subscription. And only in the last turn they are interested in the history of the store's creation and the faces of its team (if it even comes to that).
Thus, the homepage does not always reflect all the information and functionality of the site. It may be the last thing a visitor needs at all.
Search Engine Optimization
Users often arrive at websites from search engine results. In this case, pages with specific content may be more important to attract the target audience than the main page.
Here the issue should be discussed with marketers and clearly understand what exactly we are promoting.
This is a very common situation in the context of sites with several areas. For example, one organization offers babysitting services, private kindergarten, children's training, children's swimming and some products for kids. All of these are completely different requests. Yes, it is convenient to go from one page to another and get an understanding of the full range of services. But in most cases, a person is looking for "private kindergarten", not "something for the child". And even if it is a well-known organization with a promoted brand (let's call it conventionally KidsWorld), it is worth adding keywords like KidsWorld kindergarten, KidsWorld training, KidsWorld products. And work first of all on the relevant pages.
Mobile adaptability
Most users use smartphones and tablets to access the web. And because of this, the homepage is no longer the only entry point to the site. Already mentioned transition through search engines, links, images - all of them lead specifically to those pages that the user wants to see. On them and should focus on them in the design.
We recently wrote about SEO-optimization of images in our blog - check it out here.
Trends in web design
Current trends in web design emphasize the importance of creating a strong and cohesive user experience across the entire site, not just the homepage. This includes strategically placing content and functionality on all pages of the site. Statistical studies over the past 10 years show a clear trend - the percentage of homepage views on a major website is slowly but steadily dropping year after year.
Keep an eye on trends. It's worth periodically monitoring platforms with a selection of cool modern websites - we have a list of such resources right here.
Why is the homepage important after all?
Because more often than not, it's the foundation of your project. First you develop the Home Page, and then, after all the design elements, blocks, menu items, fonts and transitions have been approved, you start creating other pages. This is a common practice for both designers and customers - it's just easier to find a common language.
The face of the company
A homepage is a brand's digital showcase on the web. Thanks to this page, the impression of a company is often formed. After all, how can you create an image of a good salesperson if your site only has products from different brands? You need to somehow stand out, tell about yourself, show advantages over competitors. Otherwise, the online store will become just one of the faceless aggregators.
Home Page should capture attention, arouse interest and clearly convey the key ideas of the brand. Perhaps in this case, Home Page is the only place where you can best reveal the character and style of the brand, convey the key values of the company.
Importance of navigation
On complex sites with a confusing menu system and a huge number of pages, you can sometimes get lost. At that moment it would be convenient to return to the place where everything is clear and structured. That is, on the Home Page. Of course, in this case, the Home Page should be intuitive so that visitors can quickly find the information they need.
A place for news and promotions
The Home Page can and should motivate visitors to take a specific action, whether it's buying a product, filling out a feedback form or subscribing to a newsletter. A clearly worded and visible call to action will help increase conversion rates.
It is also a good way to draw attention to some nice bonuses, changes in the work of the company, discounts. And already from the home page will be a transition to goods/products. By the way, see more article on how to make a quality product card, it will come in handy.
Conclusion
A homepage is the face of a website and brand in the online space. It needs to be attractive, informative and functional to engage visitors and convert them into long-term customers.
While the homepage has always been an important element of a website, as web technology evolves and consumer behavior changes, its importance may be overemphasized.
It's important to be site-specific, user-centered, and follow current web design trends to create a more effective and attractive web resource.
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