As one of the leading digital marketing agencies working with Clinics in Dentistry and Aesthetics, we’re well-versed in designing and building websites. From small sites to larger more bespoke websites packed with custom features.
One page that is often designed well but not thought of in terms of functionality and digital marketing – once live is the homepage. In reality, this should be one of the first pages you focus on, not just how it will work now but in the coming months. We’re here to tell you precisely why.
Why is my homepage so important?
There are three main reasons your homepage is important – and why it should take precedence.
1) It’s your shop front.
Your homepage is typically one of the most-visited pages on your website because it’s often the page that loads when someone types your name in the Google search bar. It can be the place that helps your client form that all-important first impression, and if elements are broken, badly designed for mobile, or fails to link with your social media content, this could have a negative knock-on effect on your marketing results and business.
2) It’s a ‘safe base’.
Some websites are extremely large, and even with expertly considered navigation, many users will simply click your logo to return to your homepage. It’s almost like a springboard to other places on your site – and a bit of an anchor if the user has got lost or taken an unexpected journey.
3) It helps with brand awareness.
Your homepage is the best place to start a rebrand – as we said, it’s your shop front. It should appear streamlined yet engaging, focus on your unique messages and live stream your social content and blog.
What should I put on my homepage?
It’s really up to you, but we usually recommend:
Social feeds – these help clients find out more about you, your team, your clinic, and the practice focus and give an opportunity for them to engage and follow you.
Key treatments – whether it’s the latest treatment or you are providing a specialist treatment – can all be featured on your homepage.
Featured blogs – a great way to share your latest news live and for clients and patients to get to know more about you and your clinic.
Offers – whether it’s promotional-based content such as a package or something around finance or membership, clients are always looking to save time and money.
About page – a quick link to your team invites your clients to get to know you better.
Reviews – even one review near the footer of the page can help create a positive first impression.
How can I refresh my homepage?
Sometimes, even with the right things on your homepage, it can lack personality and interest. That’s where content features come in. These can include:
Video – giving a tour of your clinic, an interview with patients or you or even showing treatment satisfies the inner voyeur, peeling back the curtain on your business.
Interactivity – whether it’s the motion of text, images or functional elements, when visitors are scrolling it all creates visual interest and holds attention and boosts engagement.
Illustrations and photography – Distinct imagery will play the largest part of your website. Most websites don’t have really unique and revolutionary layouts, when great photography is added this gives your website more personality and wow than anything else.
What else can I try on my homepage?
Whether you’re stuck in a homepage rut or hoping to build a website for the first time, we’ve got lots of tips to try:
1) Use strong clear calls to action – your homepage needs to offshoot into other areas of your website, so use clear CTAs to direct users to appropriate pages. Take a look at our hero pages blog post to see which pages clients expect to see on your site.
2) Ensure your site is optimised – a responsive design that fits any screen size is of top priority – especially as half of the web traffic comes from mobile.
3) Check your load times – a slow site speed is frustrating and puts off both new and existing clients. Quick fixes could be checking (and compressing) the size of images, or ensuring you’re not using any old or unnecessary plug-ins.
4) Cull the pop-ups – whether it’s a reminder about a great offer, or an attempt to stop a user from leaving your site, research shows that 73% of users automatically disapprove of pop-ups. A disruption to the online experience and not always useful to the user, there’s often a better alternative – like a clickable tab near the footer.
For more tips and tricks from our Marketing Experts, get in touch with our team today