Like they say, you don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression. And on your website, you’ve only got 3 to 5 seconds to get the job done.
Yes, it’s a “first glance” kind of world, and folks don’t come back around if you’re going to frustrate them by making them take a whopping 60 seconds to figure out if you’re worth investing a little more time.
Can your website do the work it needs to do for you? That answer begins with the elements you display on your homepage, such as:
Your Branding – Your website is one very important part of your consistent brand, and it should include a professional logo and tag line that is used in your other marketing pieces. Your tag line is a positioning statement that succinctly tells who you are, what you do, how you differentiate yourself. It’s not, “In business since 2016,” but more like, “Quick response and quality products, guaranteed.” Sometimes the tag line is part of the actual logo, or it could be separate.
Good Images – You’ve got to catch their eye, but not with pictures of trucks and new units, as attractive as they may be. A better choice is a picture of a happy family enjoying their comfortable home (that you helped make possible, thanks to your quick response and quality products and otherwise all-around awesomeness).
Contact Information – Seriously. Don’t make them look around for how to call you or email you. This is why you have a website.
Clear Navigation – As they want to dig deeper into your services, make the “clicking” process logical.
Free Offer – Add an enticing way to get a response – free estimates, for instance.
Social Icons – Let them know you’re on Social Media.
Site Search Feature – This is the go-to feature for someone who knows what they’re looking for and wants to know if you’ve got what they need.