HOMEPAGE
The homepage of a website business is critical for the success of any business that follows from the opening page. The customers’ initial impressions of a business are important and may lead to further interest in the company or may generate sales. The homepage needs to be attractive and bring in the type of customer that would be more likely to purchase from the website or, at least, go by a brick and mortar facility.
SPECIFIC BUSINESS TYPES
Therefore, the homepage should fit the specific business type that is going to purchase from the company. Design an initial page that is unbelievable for the crowd it is attracting and is definitely going to bring conversation to the website. Specific business types may include the following:
1) The artistic homepage can be used for the entertainment or media audience and should cater to this crowd’s creativity and love for design and shapes.
2) The athletic crowd is wanting to see something that interests them, and having sports memorabilia is certainly going to add to the value of an attractive website, in the athlete’s estimation.
3) The finance crowd is wanting to see everything that relates to their profession, such as general business news and articles, and is interested in information that they may use in their respective businesses.
4) The general retail entrepreneur may want to look both professional and a little more traditional. The homepage may include more giveaway items and certificate coupons for the ever discriminating modern shopper.
WORKING NAVIGATION
The pages that follow the homepage are unique to each shop but, also, the navigation for the website should be in perfect working order and flow easily for the online shopper. There should be clear explanations for each website feature and further instructions displayed if necessary.
USABLE TEXT
The homepage text should be usable and explain the relevant images displayed on the website. Vagueness or anything written that is unnecessary will only cause the time conscious shopper to move on or at least be uncertain about what is being read.
TRACKING VISITOR INFORMATION
Tracking visitor information can be useful for future promotion sales or newsletters. Emails can include the website’s new products and may lead to additional purchases. Signing a guestbook is another way to collect and publish comments from satisfied customers.
BLOGS
Blogs on a business’s homepage is another good way to generate traffic. Blogs may include information that can be followed from week to week or even daily. A satisfied customer may begin to depend on the daily information for either personal news or business news. Having a dedicated visitor may lead to further business and additional business through the customer’s friends and colleagues.
LINKS AND AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES
Links to associated products or services are good ways to keep a customer satisfied and generate a good name for the business. The links may expand the network of shopping options for both the shopper and the business. Reciprocal links are often a good way to share business referrals.
Siting authoritative sources gives the website reader the ability to further research what is being shopped for. Linking to relevant images in this category of website tools is important since the reader is usually wanting to go a little further in gathering information. After reading through any information on an authoritative source the shopper is, at least, ready to make the initial beginnings of a decision.
VISIBLE CONTACT INFORMATION
Visible contact information is important since the website customer may want to know specifics in order to decide to purchase. If the company has a brick and mortar facility, then the shopper may want to stop by to see the item. If there are questions about a service or product, then the customer may want to address these with a customer service representative.