Power of the Home Page

Nov 172008
 

eliteclocks

We all know that the home page of a website is the power page and is typically the starting point when visiting a site. Navigation starts here, site message is found here, and the beginning of the customer hand holding starts here. When visiting EliteClocks.com I found a weak power page, the home page, followed up with strong category pages. What is happening here?

If you look at their home page, EliteClocks.com you will see few characteristics of a weak page. In-consistent type font, no real direction on what to do, and a layout that doesn not match the rest of the site. Now take a look at some of their category pages.

Howard Miller Grandfather Clock and Seth Thomas Clock

Their category pages are consistent in style, offer direction for the visitor, and are easy to navigate. Simply put, they look ready to sell. I would actually prefer to land on one of those pages instead of the home page. Though everything can be easily navigated once in their site, people still like to start from the home page. I am also betting that the store owner tells people about their website by saying “Visit EliteClocks.com” not “Visit eliteclocks.com/seth-thomas-main.shtml”.

Simple lesson here is keep the power on the home page. In this case, using the layout that was used on the other pages would be the easiest fix. The other lesson is a personal one by me. Get the Howard Miller, my mom has one, and it’s killer!

The Power of the Home Page

Aug 282008
 

Well if you check your stats, like I am sure most of you do, you will most likely find that the number one page on your site is the home page. There are several factors that lead visitors to it like marketing, search results, or simply the need of the visitor to find a starting point on your site. The best reason though should be its almighty power.

Give It The Power

Knowing that most of your visitors will visit the home page at least once, why not give it some power? When I say power, I mean site function. Identify most, if not all, the common things users do on your site, and make them available from the home page. If it gets too crowded there, or interferes with site design make sure it is no more than just one click away.

The site Dallas Real Estate makes a good example of this, and in fact have used the home page template throughout the site. With exception to a little eye candy to help draw in the visitor on the home page, nearly every function can be accomplished throughout the site using their top menu or the right sidebar. This has worked especially great for them because they are serving several nearby communities as well, and the need to create a separate home page for them is not required. The power is already there. See an example: Coppell Real Estate

First Impression Often Equals Quality

Another important factor of the home page, and another way to give it power is to really work on that home page in regards to quality of appearance. My first impression of Dallas Real Estate? I thought it looked very professional, and if I was looking for property in Dallas, I would at least bookmark it. Many visitors base the quality of a site solely on their first impression, and if you lose them there, well their gone.

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