Website Fundamentals: Must-Haves for Your Homepage
Contractors need a website for any number of reasons, including these: 1) as an online location where your social and digital advertising can send your prospects for offer details, 2) where contracting services searchers can find what they need thanks to your keyword strategies, 3) where current and future customers who know your name can quickly access your contact information and 4) where you can grow your reputation as an expert in your industry through helpful content and advice.
If your company is new, you need a website. If you have a site and are growing in your services or enhancing your marketing, you should conduct an analysis to see how well your current website is serving you. Or if you’ve been around for a while and your site is more than a few years old, a lot has changed in the digital world. In web terms, 2005 is like the Paleozoic Era. But 2010 is like the 18th Century. Either way, it could be time for a redesign.
The most unavoidable reason that you need a new website design is that your current site isn’t “responsive.” No, this isn’t whether it will answer when you ask it a question – but non-responsive in that it can’t be viewed on a smartphone. Many (well, let’s go ahead and say most) people in your market are looking for you through this small screen size, so make sure they can read your content when they get to your site.
Don’t Leave This Out
Whether you’re starting fresh or launching a redesign, your website homepage should have several important features:
Company logo – Usually this is in the top left of your homepage, and it should be a professional design that presents the kind of image that fits who you say you are as a company as well as how you want to be seen by your prospects.
Navigational menu – A handful of titles divide your website into several logical sections – general information about your company, the services you provide, your contact information and your blog. Don’t try to put everything you do in your menu. Just hit the highlights, and let the subpages tell the rest of the story.
Hero shot – This is not your favorite sports icon or movie idol. It’s in image that by its nature sells your company. And it’s not a picture of your truck or equipment either. The hero shot shows benefits – the kind prospects see in a happy, smiling family in a comfortable home. In a sense, you’re not selling equipment. You’re selling comfort, safety, security, relief, smiles. And this is what your hero shot should show.
Headline and body copy – Keep this benefit-focused, and introduce your company with the assistance of keywords that help your SEO strategies. You might also include your risk reducers, such as satisfaction guaranteed, same-day service, etc…
Social proof – Please note, you don’t need a page called “testimonials.” Instead, spread your testimonials out on every page, including your homepage.
An offer – Give visitors a reason to take action. Possibilities: Get a free estimate, sign up for our newsletter, call for a free energy analysis or join our mailing list and get a discount coupon.
Call to action – Make sure they know how to take the next step. Tell them what you want them to do, including “call now” and any number of variations.
Social icons – Provide links to your social profiles, and encourage people to “follow” you there.
Footer – A footer can run across all pages and is usually a spot for contact and copyright information.