9 Critical Website Homepage Elements You Should Never Miss

The homepage, also known as the landing page, is considered the most crucial page of the website. The homepage of your website is a high-stakes page because it is the most visible web page. 

For most companies, the homepage receives more traffic than any other page. It influences the decision of the visitors to either bounce away or dig deeper to explore more about your business offerings.   

If you want to turn visitors into potential customers, make sure your homepage design is a holistic representation of your brand message and offers a top-notch user experience.

This article will discuss all the necessary website homepage elements that will help you design a great homepage for your site. 

9 Essential Website Homepage Elements

To help your website homepage stand out among your competitors, here are the nine most essential homepage elements.

Company Logo and Header

Starting off with the company logo and a header. Almost every website you visit has its logo that usually appears at the top left corner. It is where the visitor’s eye is first drawn. In fact, you can likely identify many of the websites just by their logos, which speaks volumes about the power of brand awareness. 

The top part of the page that your visitors see is the header section. It includes elements like a logo, menu, search bar, or sometimes social media icons. Some websites have their logo placed right in the center of the header which also looks aesthetically good. 

While you’re working on these elements, there are some important aspects that you must consider. For instance, the logo shouldn’t be too big as it would add visual noise, avoid loading the header with too many categories, etc. Website design affects user experience, so ensure it appears minimalistic and doesn’t strain visitors’ eyes, offering a good user experience. 

Navigation Menu

The navigation menu is the second most important website homepage element and many website owners overlook it for their homepages. It serves as a site map, enabling visitors to easily access other web pages once they are done exploring your website’s homepage. 

Include all the important pages and categories in the menu. For instance, if you’re offering any services or products, make sure to add product or service pages to it. Similarly, you can include other important pages like the contact page and about us page.

Overall, your navigation menu should be simple and have all the important pages for smooth and effortless navigation.  But, remember, there’s a fine line between an interactive menu and an annoying one, so focus on functionality.

Hero Section with a Strong Headline

Right below the navigation menu, there’s a hero section. Typically, this section comprises an image, a slider, or sometimes a video with a strong compelling headline. It is where you can hook your customers by giving them the essence of what they can expect on your website. So, deliver maximum information about your brand message and values. 

One of the common website design mistakes that many website owners make is utilizing this section just for aesthetic purposes. If you’re not using this much space purposefully, you’re doing the wrong thing. You must include an eye-catching headline, a brief introduction about your business mission, and a tagline. Avoid clutter and ensure everything is clear to the visitors. 

An Enticing Call-to-action (CTA)

Having an enticing call-to-action is another crucial website homepage element. The purpose of the CTA is to drive certain actions, it could be a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading an ebook.

Encouraging visitors to take action is easiest through the use of CTAs. Whether it’s a button or plain text, it should stand out from other elements on the homepage. One effective method is to employ contrasting colors. In the example above, the CTA button is given a dark blue color against an off-white background. 

The easiest way to choose the color of the CTA is to consider the color of your company logo. This strategy will help you create a consistent branding style. Furthermore, be mindful of the language used, as there is limited space to prompt a “click” response from the visitors.

Supporting Images and Videos

Visuals draw the attention of your website’s visitors. Adding relevant images or a short video can deliver your brand message faster than using simple text. Make sure you incorporate visuals that evoke emotions and indicate your brand offerings. 

It is important that you avoid using generic stock images unless necessary. For example, if you have a restaurant website, showcase images of the actual dishes you serve in your restaurant.  This will give new customers an accurate idea and evoke nostalgia for previous customers. Moreover, people are more likely to order a specific dish if they see an actual picture of it instead of a generic image. 

Regardless of industry, it’s important to be authentic with your audience. The better approach is to click photos and capture short video clips, featuring them throughout your homepage. The hero section is a great place to start.

Photos and videos are necessary website homepage elements and you can create a better website design, but overlooking the optimization will result in a slow-loading website. There are multiple tools to optimize them such as TinyPNG, and Optimole if you’re using WordPress.   

Client’s Testimonials.

Testimonials or social proof are also considered important website homepage elements. The ideal homepage is the one that should build trust in the hearts of the visitors, especially if you are operating a business. One effective way to do this is by demonstrating to users that you have received positive feedback from previous customers.

In practice, homepages incorporate social proofs in various aspects, such as testimonials and reviews. However, for newer businesses with only a few testimonials, it might be better to opt for a more traditional “featured testimonial(s)” section. The good aspect of this section is that you only highlight the positive experiences of one or two specific customers.

Details About Services, Products, and Team Members

Selling physical products, digital products, or any kind of services? Assisting visitors in understanding what you offer is always a good idea. The best location for this information is on your homepage, ensuring that it won’t get overlooked.

You may also create a dedicated products or services page for further details, but including at least a summary directly on your homepage is always a thoughtful gesture. Similarly, create a section providing the details of people working with you. It will contribute to a highly professional appearance for your homepage. 

Clear and Engaging Typography

Website owners often ignore the importance of using easily readable fonts and engaging typography. Imagine you have very informational and interactive content on your page, but unfortunately, the visitors are unable to read it. That is where the significance of font selection comes in. 

The appropriate fonts can enhance the accessibility of your website by being easier to read. Additionally, fonts can be used as a visual element, adding to the overall style of your website. That’s why many websites use bold fonts and oversized typography, following modern website design trends.

Overall, the choice of fonts reflects individual styles, but it is advisable to opt for traditional fonts that are easily readable. It’s important to note that the fonts used on your homepage will be consistently displayed throughout your website, so make your selection thoughtfully.

Footer Section

You might have noticed many websites that lack properly designed footer sections. It’s a fact that many visitors scroll to the end of the page to explore more details about your business. What if they come across the footer section that is missing most of the important sub-elements? Certainly, it would cast a negative impression. 

There are some essential sub-elements that you can’t miss in the footer section of your website’s homepage. Make sure to include contact information like business email address and phone number. 

Be sure to add the links to all pages on your website so users can easily access specific pages with just one click. Additionally, consider incorporating a social bar in the footer with easily identifiable icons that direct users to your social media pages. This can assist in growing your social media following, leading to increased brand awareness and potential business expansion. 

Final Thoughts

To sum up, a website’s homepage is the most prominent and noticeable page and serves as a digital front door to your business. However, designing a homepage that can act as a better gateway to your business is certainly a challenge. There are a lot of elements working together to deliver a complete experience to the visitors.

To make a great first impression on your visitors, make sure you incorporate all the necessary website homepage elements. This includes compelling calls to action (CTAs), interactive headlines, relevant images, client testimonials, and a well-designed footer section. Having all of these elements in place will help provide an excellent user experience, leading to more conversions and business success.    

Reach out to our experts at VirrgoTech to design and develop a website that perfectly aligns with your brand and remains effective over time. Get in touch today.