Hosting a holiday party takes stamina – especially when your main dish requires a pre-dawn marinade massage. Before it’s time for your bird’s next baste, you’ve got to chop and mix and bake and mash. And then there’s the festive table to set … all before your first guest arrives, clad in their most stylish stretchy pants and ready to feast.
At Motivated Marketing, we know that warmly greeting a visitor isn’t quite as easy when a digital screen, instead of a front door, stands between you and your guest.
So instead of thinking of your website’s users as nameless, faceless entities, imagine them as guests around your dinner table. You want them to feel comfortable, to linger, to digest. And whether you’re hosting a homepage or a holiday guest, keep these wise words from M2’s web experts in mind:
Ensure Your Nest Looks Its Best
Craft a Message That’s Impossible to Miss
Like the tantalizing scent of turkey roasting or a wreath on the door, your site should draw visitors in and communicate what it has to offer immediately. By positioning your main message and call to action “above the fold,” you’ll save users the trouble of scrolling and searching. Research shows that 86% of users want to learn about a brand’s services or products on its homepage.
Answer the Door Quickly
Optimize Load Times
You wouldn’t leave your guest waiting outside – and you shouldn’t leave your website’s visitors waiting either. In fact, 47% of consumers expect a page to load in two seconds or less. And if it takes more than three, 40% will leave it. Also, remember that mobile now accounts for almost 70% of all digital media time, making it crucial that your website loads quickly there, too.
Put Your Guest on a Pedestal
Make It All About the User
You have plenty to share about your brand – like its philosophy and the team that implements it – but your homepage is not the time or place. Make your homepage ALL ABOUT what you offer the user. Sure, mention your decades of industry experience. But be sure to explain why the lessons you’ve learned along the way benefit clients.
Set a Beautiful Table
Choose a Visually Appealing Design
It’ll take more than a stunning centerpiece and your grandmother’s finest china to ensure your homepage grabs users’ attention. Remember, though, that your homepage’s design must not only look good to you, but resonate with the users your brand is hoping to attract. Studies show that 38% of users will stop engaging with your site if the layout and content are visually unattractive.
Cater the Menu to Your Guest’s Palate
Make Dropdowns & Headers Clear
Like the Thanksgiving feast you’re preparing for family and friends, your homepage’s menu must be appetizing to users. Be sure to organize your headers or dropdown menu so that users can easily find the information they’re seeking.
Here at Motivated Marketing, we know that gravy can save an overcooked bird, but it won’t do much for a hard-to-navigate homepage. Maybe it’s our Southern hospitality that helps us create homepages that are so inviting. That, or our years of industry experience.
If you’d like to learn more or schedule a time to chat, shoot us an email at info@motivatedmarketing.com or call 843.856.7322 today!