Designing at desktop computer aerial view- Studio Lago Design

Top tips for a successful homepage design

Jan 20, 2023

If your website is like your shopfront, then the homepage is its front door. Not all your website visitors will land on your website via your homepage, but it’s a great place to start and set the tone for the look and feel, design and layout for the rest of your site.

If you’re designing your own website, I commend you. This is no mean feat! But it’s so important to make sure your website is designed well around your ideal clients and your website goals. It’s important not to just create a website that you think looks good. There is a lot more to a successful website than just the pretty. 

So, it’s important to dig deeper here so I hope these top tips for creating a successful website homepage design will help you on your way to greeting, not just a good website, but a great website for your business.

Use copy to compel and keep your website visitors

It only takes a couple of seconds for your website visitors to make up their mind if they will stay or go when they land on your website. Yes, time is of the essence here, so your homepage needs to capture and inspire your website visitors and also tell them exactly what you do. Your website visitors will not take the time hunting around on your site trying to find out what you do and if your website is confusing, it will give them a reason to switch off and leave.

As well as the design of your site, your website copy is so important to get your message across. It’s important to create copy that speaks directly to your ideal clients and encourages them to take action on your site. This is as important on your homepage as  across the rest of your site.

Studio Lago Design- Claire Owen Cakes Desktop website view

Make your homepage a summary of the rest of your site

Your homepage should set the tone for the rest of your website in terms of design and also content. Your homepage should let your website visitors what’s on offer and start the journey through your site. Think of your homepage as a kind of index page to the rest of your site, introducing the other pages of your site and what you have on offer. A successful website will take its visitors on a journey towards the goals of your site and keep them engaged the whole time.

Keep it easy to navigate

It’s so important that your homepage and of course, the rest of your site is easy to navigate. If your website visitors can’t find what they are looking for, they will get frustrated and are more likely to leave and go elsewhere. Think about how frustrating it was the last time you were looking for information on a website and you struggled to find it. Make it easy for your website users to find information or contact you. A successful website homepage design will set the tone for the rest of your site and make sure they aren’t left frustrated.

Tell them what to do next

This is a website user experience error I see happening so commonly on so many websites. It’s so important to tell your website visitors what to do. They won’t guess. And, if you don’t tell them what to do next, they’re more like;y to get distracted by the hundreds of other tabs they have open or things on their mind that they’ll end up clicking away and leaving. When designing your website, it’s super important to consider how your website visitors will use your site. Test your site out or get feedback on it from others. Is it user friendly? Does it get them lost? 

I offer website review sessions, where I’ll give you an honest opinion on what’;s working and what’s not working on your website including content, user experience, navigation and SEO. Find out more about these sessions.

Studio Lago Design- Learn English with Niva Desktop website view

Update your content regularly

It’s a great idea to use your homepage to showcase your latest offers, collections, a sale you have on or something seasonal. But, it’s the worst idea ever to let that content go out of date. If you’ve ever visited a website and found out of date content, you;’ll know it makes that business look unprofessional, or worse, it can look like they are actually no longer in business at all depending on how out of date that content is. 

Make sure all the content on your site is kept up to date as a priority. You could set this as a monthly or weekly task depending on how current your content is. A lot of business owners put so much emphasis on making sure their social media profiles are kept up to date and not enough on their website. Make sure you keep your homepage looking as professional as possible by keeping content up to date. The Google Gods will reward you too as Google tends to rank websites that are frequently updated much higher than those with dusty old content. All the more reason to blog frequently and keep your galleries and portfolios up to date too.

So you’ll see how your website homepage can really help to set the tone for the rest of your successful website. Follow these tips and you’re sure to be on your way to creating not just a good, but a great website.

And if you’re keen to learn more about how I design my website homepages and dig deeper into the design process for my clients, get the guide on 6 secrets to a goals smashing website right here!

I’m a WordPress website designer based in North London and I’m on a mission to help as many business owners as possible get ‘update website’ off their to do list. If this task has been lingering on your task list for far too long, get in touch or see the services I offer busy business owners like you, to find out how I can help you.

About the designer...

Hi! I’m Katie. Helping busy business owners create bold online brands and stand-out, non-boring websites is my jam. I’m passionate about giving once-upon-a-time-website DIYers, ambitious entrepreneurs and founders back the time to focus on doing the things they love the most in their businesses, giving them clarity in their online presence and the confidence to grow big!

Through this blog and on social media I share my advice and best practices with  business owners on how to build strong brands that will start attracting their dream customers and website that work by focusing on strategy and business goals.

When I’m not working with inspiring business owners or designing wedding cakes, you’ll probably find me dreaming of what my next meal will be, the best fruit garnishes for a gin and tonic or where we’ll travel to on our next adventure.

The latest on the blog

How to craft your brand message

Crafting a brand message is essential to connecting with your target audience and establishing a strong brand identity. Your brand message should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. So, what is your brand message and why is it important? Your branding goes way beyond just the visuals and having a brand message that’s consistent across platforms and everywhere you show up is key. You can...
Designing at desktop computer aerial view- Studio Lago Design

The Road to Branding Success: Avoiding These 5 Common Pitfalls

As a small business owner, establishing a strong brand is essential to success. There are several common branding pitfalls that small business owners often fall into that I have seen all too often in action. These can have a negative impact on your brand image and business. Avoid these 5 common branding pitfalls as a small business owner: Inconsistent Branding Inconsistency in branding is one of...
Studio Lago Design- Abstract Events Desktop website view

How to keep visitors on your website for longer

As a website designer, one of the most important goals I need to consider when designing, is how to keep visitors engaged and interested in the content on your site. A website that is able to do this will not only increase the time visitors spend on the site, but it will also lead to higher conversion rates and a better overall user experience. Here are some effective strategies that I consider...
Studio Lago Design Home

What is brand messaging and why is it so important?

As a branding and website designer, I see first hand the importance of brand messaging for small businesses. Brand messaging is the process of crafting a clear and consistent message that communicates what a business stands for and what it offers to its target audience. A strong brand message can help small businesses stand out in a crowded market, build trust and credibility with consumers, and...

How many pages should your website have?

If you're at the stage where you need a website for a new business or perhaps updating to a new and improved one, one of the questions you may be asking yourself is how many pages should it have? This can be a difficult question to answer as there isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution. However, there are a few factors to consider that can help you make an informed decision. What’s the...

Why you should have a clickable email signature

You probably use email as an essential communication tool in your business, to exchange information, make appointments, and to establish and maintain relationships with customers, colleagues, and partners. With all of the email messages that we send and receive, it's important to make sure that we're taking full advantage of the opportunities that email presents. One way to do this is by making...
Studio Lago Design digital business card

Why you should hire a professional branding designer

Branding can be the key to success for any business, big or small. It’s the way your customers perceive you and your business and the experience you offer your clients when they work with you. A strong brand identity can differentiate your business from your competitors, create trust and loyalty with your customers and can make your business instantly recognisable. That’s why it is essential to...
Designing at desktop computer aerial view- Studio Lago Design

Humanising your brand

As a branding and website designer, I see how important it is to help my clients create a brand that connects with their audience in an authentic way. In such a fast-paced digital world, consumers crave authenticity, connection, and relatability. A humanized brand is one that creates an emotional connection with its customers, and this connection can drive long-term loyalty and repeat business. ...
Katie Lake Volcof of Studio Lago Design

The importance of brand tone of voice

As a branding and website designer, I get the importance of creating a strong brand that speaks to your audience. But beyond the visual aspects of branding, such as colors and logos, lies a crucial component that often gets overlooked: tone of voice. Your brand’s tone of voice is how your brand communicates with your audience, and it can greatly impact how your brand is perceived. Let’s look at...
Studio Lago Design- Claire Owen Cakes Desktop website view

Why a website is just the beginning

You’ve got a business so you need a website, of course. And a website is an essential part of establishing an online presence for any business or individual. However, it's just the beginning of a much larger process. Once your website is launched, that’s the start of something much, much bigger. Just because a website is live, it doesn’t mean anyone is going to know it’s there or just stumble...