6 website homepage mistakes and how to fix them

Your website homepage is the most visited page on your website so it needs to play its part in getting you leads and clients.

Are you making these 6 common mistakes on your website homepage?

Want to know how to fix them?

Want examples of good homepages?

In this blog, I share the 6 most common mistakes business owners make with their homepage, what they can do to put them right and I also share examples of home pages I think are nailing homepages.

Here’s what we’re going to cover:

• The 3 questions your homepage needs to answer for your visitor.
• Why your homepage header is so important.
• The different calls to action your homepage will benefit from having
• Why it’s important you showcase the key things your client will get as a result of engaging with you and your business.
• How to easily showcase the results your reader will get by engaging with your business.
• How to show them what to do next if they want to buy or engage with you.
• Why talking about price is important on your homepage.
• The ways you can talk about price on your homepage.
• Why your blog has an important role to play for your homepage.

What 3 key questions does your homepage need to answer for your reader?

When a visitor arrives on your website, consciously or un-consciously they’re looking for answers to these three questions:

1. What do you do?

2. How can you help me?

3. What do I have to do to buy or engage with you?

It’s all about your reader.

I know the temptation is to talk about your business, but all your reader is thinking is ‘What’s in it for me?‘ and so view your hompage, and all of your website through their eyes.

Focus on their information wants and needs.

Answer the questions they need answered that will  help them decide to buy from you, or not. 

6 Common Homepage Mistakes

1. Your Home Page Header

Have you ever landed on a website homepage and had no idea what the company does?

Yup! That’s mistake #1. 

The headline on the homepage header is confuggling and bamboozling. 

Be clear

You want your reader to quickly grasp what you do and what the benefit to them is when they land on your home page.

When the visitor visits your home page make it easy for them to understand what you offer.

Make it clear how your product or your service will improve their life.

What should you consider when writing your homepage headline?

Your headline should:

• Communicate the benefits of what you offer to your reader
• Identify a problem your reader has and reassures them that you can solve it for them
• Describe what the business does in a way that’s easy to understand.

What does that look like?

Here are some examples of websites I think that do a good job at this.

Notice the image. 

It’s one their ideal client can relate to. 

They make it clear who they help, the benefit they offer and what they offer. 

Want another example? 

Again, they make it clear from the get go. 

What they offer, who for and the benefit of using their product. 

One more example? 

Okay dokey. 

What’s so good about this header?

They make it obvious what they’re offering.

AFFORDABLE life and health insurance.

And they know how their target audience feels when it comes to searching for and getting the right plan at the right price.

And notice they have two calls to action. 

It’s almost as though I’d planned it. 

Guess what I’m talking about next?

2. Have a Clear Call To Action

The second most common mistake is a lack of asking the visitor to take action.

I get that it can sometimes feel icky. 

But your website visitor needs your help to taking the next step. 

Make it easy for them.

Do you have an obvious call to action?

What I love about the examples I’ve shared with you is how they do include a clear and obvious call to action for the visitor in their header.

When you think about calls to action for your home page, consider including two types:

A direct call to action which is a ‘Buy now’ button

And a transitional call to action which is your offer of your lead magnet, a video they can watch or to book a call or a demo.

3. Your Value Proposition

Not all homepages make a point of showcasing the key things their client will get as a result of engaging with them and their business.

It’s easy to do.

You can use icons/graphics along with a clear bold description of what they’ll get. 

Focus on what they want.

Like this example from The Mindful Chef. It does a nifty job at explaining the value or the success they deliver for their clients.

4. How do I get my hands on what you offer?

Mistake #4 is not telling the reader what steps they can take to get access to what you offer.

Or explaining how their product works.

Do this to your visitor and they won’t hang around guessing. Off they’ll pop to your competitor.

How can you show them the steps?

Explain it clearly.

Like this example from a company that buys cars.

Notice how they include a call to action to start the ball rolling. 

5. How much?

Mistake #5 is not talking about the price of what you offer.

And one of the things your reader will be curious about is price.

I know, not everyone feels happy talking about it on their website.

• What if your competition find out?
• What if your price is different for each project?

Let’s tackle your competition finding out.

Who is your website for? Your potential leads and clients, that’s who. 

So what does it matter if your competition finds out how much you charge.

What’s stopping them asking for a quote or getting a friend to phone you up to talk about your price?

Focus on your client.

Answer questions they have about your price.

Here’s a few ways you can.

You can do it like this.

Isn’t this a fab example.

They talk about price AND explain how it works.

They’re reader must love it!

And another example.

I love this example.

It’s clear who their ideal clients are.

• Freelancer
• Professional
• Business

They show clearly the price, what features you get at each price point ANd they give you the hint to start your trial.

Don’t have a set price?

What if you offer one product or service and the price depends on a variety of things? Each job or project is different.

Explain this to them in a blog.

With a click of a button they could be reading a blog or watching a video that fully explains what the price they pay depends on.

Want to know more about the benefits of blogging? Check out my blog ‘Why blogging is an effective way to get a consistent flow of enquiries, leads and clients.‘ 

6. Encourage them to explore

There’s nothing worse than a homepage that leaves the visitor wondering what to do next.

You want visitors to your website to spend as much time as possible having a good look around. 

Make it easy for them to see you as the solution to their problem. 

Lead them to your vast array of useful and helpful blogs. 

Like this swimming pools, hot tubs, sauna and steam rooms company.

In summary:

• Create a homepage that is client focused
• Answer the key questions your  homepage visitor is asking
• Encourage them to take action