High-Converting Homepage Guide: 7 tips to get more leads

Create a high-converting homepage that works

Did you know you only have around 0-8 seconds to engage site visitors on your website’s homepage or landing page before visitors leave? Sadly this is a common occurrence in web design because not many people put much effort into conversion optimization.

You can breathe easy though as I have provided the following guide based on my years of building high-converting websites and what they do differently. It has simple-to-follow steps that you can start implementing today to improve your site’s web design and conversion rate.

At the end of this article, you will also find a handy High-Converting Homepage Checklist that covers the most important elements that we’ll explore below.

1. Header – Where your logo and navigation (main menu) live

This is where website visitors will start their journey so it’s vital that it is attractive and works. Check off each of the following to optimise your website header:

Your Logo

• Make sure your logo links to your home page. Most sites do it, so when visitors click on it, that is what they will expect.
• Ensure your logo is not too big or too small… it has to be just right. Too big and it can be a distraction. Conversely, if it’s too small, people may have to squint when looking at it. Ensure your logo and all text within it are easily readable.

If you have a logo that is vertically large, consider having an “inline version” of it created. Take this great example from Life Coach Freedom. The original logo design is quite “square” in its layout.

So, a horizontal “inline” version was also created specifically for usage in narrow areas like the website header.

Main Menu

• Keep menu options to a maximum of 7 with a font size that is easy on the eyes and sufficient white space so it doesn’t look cramped.
• Only use a drop-down menu if it’s absolutely necessary (too much choice can be overwhelming).
• Don’t have your social media links in your header. This used to be common practice but has since shown that it encourages people to leave your site which is counterproductive!

You want website visitors to stay on your site as long as possible (to improve your bounce rate). They can always visit your social pages after they have consumed your more important website content.

Main Menu Pro Tips:

• Avoid using clever titles for pages, for example, “journal, or content” instead of familiar names like “blog or resources”.
• The link to your contact page should always be the last link in your main menu and called “contact or contact us”.
• If you have a sticky header (one that remains at the top of the screen when the user scrolls down) make sure it only takes up as much space as necessary. Large headers that take up too much screen space are annoying and can distract from more important content.
• Keep things familiar: There is a reason most high-converting websites share some universal traits (known as web design standards), such as putting the contact link last. It’s just what we’re used to and the quickest way to connect visitors to your contact form.

So, when a site visitor is ready to take action, you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. It’s ok to be creative in other areas, but when it comes to helping people navigate your site, don’t make them think any longer than they have to!

2. Hero Area

The top of the page (hero area) is the first thing people see when they land on your homepage or landing page. It needs to have a compelling headline that communicates your value proposition to engage visitors so they stay and consume more content.

If what you offer and why they should care isn’t obvious, they will leave. It’s that simple.

Here’s a simple formula you can use to get started:

We {do what} {for whom} {with this benefit}

Hero Area Pro Tips:

• To make sure that your headline is clear and makes sense, ask yourself if you would use the same words to explain your business to a stranger in 1-2 sentences. Will they understand it right away?
• It’s better to be clear than clever – Your goal here is to communicate effectively and stop people from bouncing off your website. There’s no need to overcomplicate things with puns or witty jokes. Just use straightforward language that sets clear expectations for the rest of your site.
• The hero image (hero shot or video) that you use in this area is also very important. I strongly recommend using an image of yourself or your team. You ARE your business, so putting yourself out there goes a long way in the process of building trust and likability. It’s also a great opportunity to show off your personality which will help attract your ideal customers. If you can, get a pro to take the photos for you, the difference in quality will be worth it.

3. The problem and your solution

This is where you start talking about the services you offer and expand on your unique value proposition.

Now that you’ve got their attention with your engaging hero area, this section is all about drawing them in further. Showing your site visitors that you really understand their problems, and addressing their common concerns. Then, highlight how you solve these problems and what they will gain as a result of working with you.

The problem and your solution Pro Tip:

Try not to include too many services here. Focus on your signature service, or at most, 3 to 4 of your primary services. You can go into more detailed information about your product or service within your services pages.

4. Social Proof

Without social proof, your site will lack the evidence required to trigger the psychology needed for your customers to feel comfortable buying. In short, having social proof is one of the key factors that contribute to creating a high-converting homepage.

Social proof can be achieved in a number of ways. Here are the most common:

Customer Testimonials / Reviews

“Research shows that 91% of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84% trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.” – INC.com

Seeing how other people have benefited from your services is a great way to support the promises & claims you have made. Here’s how to optimise your customer testimonials:

• For customers to see them as genuine, they should be embedded from a reliable source (Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews, etc.)
• If you only have written reviews; include the author’s name, a picture if possible, their role and ideally a website link
• If you don’t have any yet, I strongly advise that you start collecting them now. Here’s a handy guide that includes email templates to help get you started

Client & partner logos or press mentions

• A list of clients/other brands you’ve worked with and their logos
• Endorsements from celebrities, influencers or people of authority within your niche
• “As Featured In” or “As Seen In” articles or features

Achievements & Certifications

Have you managed to reach any milestones or achievements? If so, show them off! Showcasing any achievements you’ve had is another effective way to set your business apart and add more credibility to your brand. You could include:

• Any certifications or qualifications you have (this doesn’t always have an obvious impact, but prospects see it as an indication of how knowledgeable you are in your industry)
• Courses you have completed
• Professional Memberships
• Business nominations or awards

Statistics & Numbers

These are another great option and there is a heap of different ways you can do it depending on your coaching niche. Here are some ideas:

• Years in business – obviously if you’ve been around a while you must know what you’re doing!
• Number of happy customers – similar to the above if you’ve worked with a substantial number of people that also demonstrates your authority
• Case studies – These allow you to provide quantifiable evidence that your product or service works. For example, how many hours or $$ you’ve saved your customers. Or the ROI they achieved as a result of working with you.

Final tips for building social proof:

• People connect with people so use eye-catching images as much as you can. If your clients are ok with it, include their picture with their testimonial or case study
• When using logos, try to ensure the resolution and quality is good. I also recommend making them black & white so as not to distract from your branding too much
• If you don’t have a lot of logos to include just yet, that’s ok! Even 3-4 is better than none. You can always come back and update it later!

5. Introduce Yourself

This is your opportunity to tell your audience who you are, and what qualifies you to help them.

Introduce yourself Pro Tips:

• Even though this is an “about” section, it’s actually not about you! So don’t just list your history and credentials or why you’re so great. Talk about how you can serve your customers.
• Keep it brief. Your homepage is a “taster” for the rest of the site. You can go into more detail within your dedicated About page.
• Include a photo of yourself or your team. Remember, you ARE your business.

6. Primary CTA (Call To Action)

First-time visitors are only at the awareness stage, so they are extremely unlikely to part with their hard-earned money on the homepage. More time is needed to nurture your leads through the sales journey.

So, at this early stage, what else can you offer them to build on the relationship? What action would you like them to take next?

Most commonly, your primary CTA will be for visitors to book a free consultation with you. Or, to opt-in to your lead magnet.

Some options you might like to try for a secondary CTA include:

• Showcasing your most popular blog posts
• Encourage website visitors to click through to a specific page (i.e. services pages)
• Asking them to sign up for your newsletter (include a compelling reason why)
• Linking to your social pages or groups to continue the conversation there

7. Don’t forget Your Footer

Being at the very bottom of the page, the poor footer section is often overlooked. The thing is though if visitors are given a reason to scroll, they will! So your footer deserves just as much attention as the elements above it.

Footer Links to social media

Your social pages are another great avenue for developing know, like and trust, and to build credibility. As discussed above you don’t want them anywhere near the top of your page. The point is to keep visitors on your website as long as possible. So the footer is a much better location for them.

Be sure to set your social links to open in a new window rather than the same one, so they still have your website open in a tab and can come back to it easily.

Newsletter Opt-in

Either in or just above your footer is a great place to have your Newsletter opt-in. 

Back in the day when getting emails was exciting and our inboxes weren’t filled with spam, capturing leads and more customers was easy. Today though, people are less willing to part with their details. They have to feel confident that there’s something of great value in it for them.

So, instead of just having a newsletter opt-in to “stay up to date with your latest news” – try to offer more incentives. Exclusive information, upcoming promotions, or a prime example would be in exchange for your lead magnet.

Footer CTA

Every page on your website should have a CTA and I trust you have already covered your primary CTA for the homepage, but you can pop a secondary CTA in your footer too. This is particularly handy as it is accessible on every page of your site.

For example, you can remind them of and link to your main CTA. Or, use cta buttons to link to your contact page or booking form.

Final Tips for Creating a High-Converting Homepage

Know your audience:

Your website is a tool that represents your business online and connects you with your audience. So who are you hoping to reach? Who are your ideal customers?

If you don’t have complete clarity on who your ideal customers are, you’ll never know what they really need, let alone how to write compelling content that resonates and results in more sales.

So, before writing any copy for your homepage, I strongly encourage you to get crystal clear on your ideal customers. It literally forms the foundation of ALL your marketing efforts (website copy, content marketing, lead magnets, social media advertising, you name it!).

So, if it’s not on point, you’re really limiting your potential for everything else that follows it. I’ve already written an article about this which will help get you started:

Successful Marketing: It Starts With Your Ideal Customer

Keep the content brief:

The homepage is an overview of your business – the primary purpose generally being to draw people in, not overwhelm them with too much information.

It should be a “taste” of each of the other internal pages and act as the proxy for checking out the rest of the website.

Web Design & Tech stuff:

We’re dealing with web design so some tech stuff is unavoidable. Essentially, you need to make sure your website’s usability is good.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a poor web design that has broken elements, is difficult to navigate, or is really slow. People have very little patience with this.

Make sure to cover these elements as best you can:

• Mobile responsive pages are a MUST. With so many people viewing websites on their mobile now, responsive design is crucial for ensuring a great conversion rate.
• Easy navigation and a fast-loading website help increase conversions by creating a positive user experience As does making sure you have no broken links and that all interactive elements are working (i.e. contact or booking forms)
• Make sure you are consistent with the design and colours of your calls to action and CTA buttons. Use white space effectively, infographics where appropriate and eye-catching images.
• Simplicity: The best examples of websites that have great conversion rates are those that focus on what’s important. They don’t distract visitors with unnecessary bells & whistles like revolving slideshows or carousels. These features used to be super-slick in web design, but no more!

Purpose-driven copy:

Combined with nailing the other features of your site, having compelling copy is crucial for your digital marketing so you can reach your target audience and boost conversions.

If you can invest in a copywriter to help, great! If not, you don’t have to be a professional writer to create effective content. You just have to follow some simple guidelines. Here are some quick tips:

• Get clear on your objectives upfront. Determining what outcomes you want before writing a single word, will help guide the content you create. As Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People said; “Begin with the end in mind.”
• Know Your Audience: As discussed above, if you have clarity on who your ideal customers are, it will be easier to write compelling content that stays at the forefront of your visitors minds and eventually inspires them to take action.
• Use powerful headlines: Most people scan written content, so your headlines need to be attention-grabbing and on point for better conversions.
• Write in a way that is clear, concise and ideally reaches people on an emotional level.
• Avoid jargon and lengthy sentences. Break up text with images, headings, bullet points, and graphics. Keep the language simple and easy to digest – If a 5th grader can read it, great!
• Don’t just talk about the features of your service, have a clear value proposition and focus on the benefits and outcomes – that’s what people buy.

Eye-Catching Images and Videos:

The images you use on your homepage (and the entire website) can greatly impact the perception you give to your site visitors.

If they are pixelated and of low quality, that can translate to a perception of you have poor-quality services too. On the flip side, if you use good-quality images, that can leave a positive impact and result in a high-converting website.

Regarding videos, current trends have shown a consistent increase in video consumption over the last few years. The value they provide in your digital marketing campaigns can be great. It’s also an effective way to deliver lots of information quickly and stand out from your competition.

Be realistic:

If you can’t check everything off in this guide, thank’s ok! For example, perhaps you’re just starting out and only have 1 or 2 testimonials, or maybe none at all. Don’t stress. We all have to start somewhere, but at least you can make a start!

Also, get your head around the concept that your homepage and website as a whole will NEVER be done. Websites are not meant to be static, they need to be constantly evolving. So, factor in some regular time in your schedule to work on it.

High-Converting Homepage Checklist

I know this was a long read so if you made it this far, you’re awesome! Now, as promised, here’s a handy checklist that summarises the elements above.

Check all of these and your homepage conversion rate will be in great shape!

• Pretend you’re a potential customer and have a quick glance at your homepage. Do you immediately know who you are, what you offer and why it matters?
• Is your copy easy to understand, jargon-free and clear? Can a 5th grader understand it?
• Have you demonstrated social proof and why people should trust you?
• Are there strong CTAs (calls to action) telling your site visitors what to do next? And are the cta buttons easy to find/use?
• Do you offer something juicy that encourages people to sign up for your newsletter or get in touch with you?
• Have you included pictures of yourself or your team, have an engaging layout and a consistent web design?
• Have you given visitors a taste of your personality?
• How does your website look on your phone? Remember, responsive design is a MUST
• Is it easy to navigate, fast loading and everything works properly?

And that’s a wrap!

I hope you’ve gained plenty of takeaways that you can start implementing into your own web design straight away and see your conversion rates skyrocket!

So now that you have consumed all of these gold nuggets… Make sure to remember: