The homepage (also known as the main page or the index page) is the face of your website. It is usually the most visited page of any site. It is highly important to make it as user-friendly as possible so that visitors will start navigating your website – instead of leaving it.

The homepage should say it all: Who you are, what you offer, why you are here. But since it\’s just one page, and you don\’t want it to be too distracting, all this should be stated concisely. The homepage should show that you do care about your visitors, and the general look should be appealing. The right homepage is 90 percent of your website\’s success. Never forget it!

Besides what I have already talked about in my previous articles, there are two major elements of your homepage: Layout and navigation. We will talk about these separately in future posts. Today, I\’ll just touch on some \”must-haves\” for your homepage.

A homepage should always include your website\’s title, logo, and slogan, if any. It should include links to the major sections of the site (the navigation menu). These include links to your \”about us\” page; \”contact us\” page; sitemap; terms and conditions; privacy policy; and other key pages. For example, if you are running a newsletter and it is vital for your online business, you might want to include a subscription link or form on your homepage.

If you have a commercial website, make sure your major calls-to-action are placed visibly on the homepage. In case your site contains lots of pages, it makes sense to add a search box to make it easier for visitors to find certain information. Also include the elements that will add credibility or authority to your site, such as award logos or security seals.

And finally, your homepage should be \”branded.\” A branded site is one that is easily recognized, even when you see a small screenshot of it. Think of how branded the homepages of well-known sites are, and you\’ll understand what I mean.

In the next post we will talk about a website\’s layout. Until then,

Shavkat Karimov
Internet Marketing Manager
mobileStorm, Inc.
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