Marketers, Need To Make Your Homepage Conversion Friendly?

2 min read
Nov 18, 2014 12:23:00 PM

Your company's homepage is the virtual front door for your customer. You want it to be as inviting and intriguing as it can be. Just like when someone pulls up to your brick and mortar shop, you want them to come in, browse, and make a purchase without having to go through great lengths to do so. So why is it that this same mentality is often lost when designing a homepage? If a customer were not provided with clear walking paths, access to the products, and a pleasant shopping experience, they would first off just drive away and not buy anything. Secondly, they will be discouraged from returning ever again. This same reaction happens online when a customer reaches a homepage that is not user friendly. So how do you use the brick and mortar design to make your homepage conversion friendly? With these simple steps!

Provide Clear Navigation

Just as stores provide grid design isles and overhead signs to help their customers find what they need, homepages need to take the same approach. Nothing will drive a bounce rate higher quite like a lost or misdirected customer. Twenty percent increase in decision simplicity results in a 96% increase in customer loyalty, 86% increase in likelihood to purchase, and 115% increase in likelihood to recommend. (Source: CEB) So sit down and really think about why your customer is visiting your site. What are they looking for from what you provide. From there, you need to design a pathway for them in three clicks or less. 

1st click - The tab on your homepage identifying their purpose for visiting

2nd click - Engaging with a blog, review, or product tailored for their visit 

3rd click - CTA, register, or check out

Keep An Open Door Policy

Do not force your customer's hand by making it mandatory for them to register to view your content. How can they decide if they want to commit to your company if they have yet to see the value that you offer them? Exclusivity is not as desirable as it once was. What customers cannot get from you freely, they will happily bounce to and get from the next source. Having these blockers in place is harmful for traffic and conversion for another reason. Content that is hiding behind a form is not algorithm friendly! It will negatively impact your SEO making it even harder for you to boost your homepage conversion.  

Stray From Distractions  

Customer attention spans aren't getting any longer. If your homepage has automated streaming videos and loud automated music in the background you are just asking for your customer to leave. These are not the decisions that you want to make for them. Instead, make it your user's choice to watch the video or listen to the music on your homepage.  Or convert the visual and audio into text to convey the same message in a less distracting way. 

Advertisements are also a distraction. Although ads are imperative in the digital world, as a rule of thumb, an advertisement should never be the first thing that a customer sees on a homepage. Be more concise and discreet when placing ads on your site so that they compliment the design and not hinder your conversion rate. 

If your homepage is suffering from low conversion rates, you are not alone. Tapping into the customer's wants and conversion friendly habits is no small task. These three steps are the start to make your homepage conversion friendly!

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