Home page formats that work

I love home pages because they hold so much potential.

They hold the potential for you to quickly (and simply) tell people what you do and motivate them to take action.

What actions, exactly, do you want people to take on your home page?

While this may vary depending on where you’re at in your business, for most coaches the primary action you want people to take is to join your list.

You want people to join your list so you have the opportunity to communicate with them (by sending emails) and build a relationship with them.

If someone comes to your website and leaves without entering their name and email, it’s likely they won’t return.

Once someone has joined your list, the next action you likely want them to take is to schedule an initial consultation with you (and become a paying client).

Is your home page structured in a way that directs visitors to do what you want them to do?

If your home page it too busy, it’s likely that people are arriving on your home page and leaving without taking any action.

Here’s an example of a “busy” home page.
(If your home page looks like this, don’t worry! It’s totally fixable!)

Why this “busy” home page isn’t effective:

1. The main real estate is being taken up by a large photo or slide show. While this may look pretty, it’s not helping direct your audience to take the actions you’d like them to take.
2. Slideshows are distracting and don’t give you control of what your audience sees. Because slideshows are constantly cycling through different images, you’re not able to keep the most important message front and center.
3. There’s too much text. When people arrive on your home page, they won’t have the attention span to read a lot of text.
4. The “Join my list” with opt-in form is small and “below the fold.” Below the fold means that people will likely have to scroll down to see it.
5. There’s no free gift promoted. While this home page does have “join my list,” that is not nearly as compelling as a free gift that speaks to your audience’s main pain point.
6. Sidebar gives too many places to click. The sidebar is the right-hand column. It’s best not to have a sidebar because the content distracts visitors from the main actions you want them to take.

As I mentioned above, don’t fret if your home page looks like this. It’s totally fixable.

Let’s look at three home page formats that are effective.

Home page option #1
This home page is very simple and is effective because it gives people one action to focus on – entering their name and email to receive your free gift. If people want to know more about you, they have the option to click to the various pages on your site.

 
Home page option #2
This home page layout is very similar to #1, but has testimonials at the bottom of the page. This is a way to build credibility and speak directly to the main ways you help people.

 
Home page option #3
This home page layout adds a little more complexity, but it’s still nice and simple. The top half of the page is the same as #1 and #2 above, but we’ve added two “boxes” below the promotion of the free gift.

The first box, in home page #3 above, contains a pull marketing question. This should be something you often hear from clients. An example of a pull marketing question is, “Have you found it more difficult to lose weight in your 40s and 50s?” Then text that says “Start here.”

When they click “start here,” they will get to a page that promotes your initial consultation. If you don’t want more private coaching clients, this box might lead to a sales page for a lower-priced product or home study program.

The second box, in home page #3 above, contains a pull marketing question based something else you frequently hear and work on with clients. This will then link what’s called a “Resource page.”

On the Resource page, you can have one article with valuable content on the topic, or you have links to 3-5 blog posts you have written on the topic. This will show that you are an expert in an area your audience really cares about and will highlight your expertise.

There you have it! Three effective home page formats that…

• Are simple and minimize distractions
• Keep people focused on joining your list
• Quickly communicate who you are what you do

Want more tips on how to get more clients with your website?

Now I’d love to hear from you.
If you have a website, take a look at your home page with fresh eyes. What would you like to tweak to make it more effective? If you don’t have a website, which of these home page formats appeals to you? Post your thoughts and questions below so I can support you.