What Makes a Great Homepage? Website Design Best Practices

1. A Clear, Compelling Headline

Visitors should instantly know what your business offers and how it helps them. A great headline is short, benefit-driven, and written with your target audience in mind.

Tips:

• Focus on the value you provide
• Avoid vague taglines—get to the point
• Use subheadlines to explain further or support your main message

Example:
“Custom Website Design for Modern Brands”
Subhead: We help small businesses turn their online presence into a sales machine.

2. Strong Visual Hierarchy

Your homepage should guide the user’s eye naturally—from your headline, to visuals, to call-to-action. Use contrast, spacing, and size to prioritize what matters most.

Design tips:

• Stick to 2–3 main colors and a clean font pairing
• Use bold fonts for headlines and buttons
• Use white space generously to avoid clutter

3. Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

Every homepage should have a goal—what do you want users to do next? Whether it's booking a call, browsing your shop, or downloading a guide, your CTA should be clear, visible, and action-oriented.

Best practices:

• Place your CTA above the fold and repeat it throughout
• Use buttons like “Get Started,” “Shop Now,” or “Book a Free Call”
• Make sure your CTA leads to a fast, relevant page (no dead ends!)

4. High-Quality Visuals

Imagery makes your homepage more engaging and easier to scan. Use visuals that reflect your brand and connect emotionally with your audience.

Visual ideas:

• Product photos or mockups
• Branded illustrations or icons
• Background videos or animations (as long as they don’t slow things down)
• Team or client images to build trust

5. Easy Navigation

Your homepage should make it easy to explore your site. Confused users leave quickly—clear navigation keeps them engaged.

Tips:

• Keep the main menu simple and visible
• Use anchor links for long single-page sites
• Include a search bar if you have lots of content or products

6. Trust-Building Elements

Visitors want proof that you’re legit. Adding social proof and credibility markers can increase conversions significantly.

Add these to your homepage:

• Testimonials or reviews
• Client logos
• Certifications or awards
• Case studies or project highlights
• Trust badges (for e-commerce)

7. Mobile Optimization

More than half of web traffic comes from mobile devices. Your homepage must look and function perfectly on small screens.

What to check:

• Responsive design that adjusts to screen size
• Large, tappable buttons
• Fast load times (use compressed images!)

8. Quick Load Speed

First impressions happen in seconds—literally. If your homepage takes too long to load, visitors may bounce before they even see it.

Speed tips:

• Compress images and use modern formats (like WebP)
• Limit use of heavy animations or sliders
• Choose fast, secure hosting

9. A Snapshot of Your Brand

Your homepage should give a high-level view of who you are and what you do. Think of it like a movie trailer—just enough to get users interested and wanting more.

Consider including:

• Short “About” section or intro video
• Highlight of services or product categories
• Blog or content preview (for SEO and authority)
• Latest offers or promotions

10. SEO-Friendly Structure

A great homepage should also help you show up in search. That means it needs to be structured in a way that both users and search engines understand.

Tips:

• Use proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3)
• Include keywords naturally in your copy
• Add alt text to images
• Keep URLs clean and readable

Final Thoughts

Your homepage isn’t just a pretty cover—it’s a strategic asset. Done right, it introduces your brand, earns trust, guides action, and boosts conversions.

Whether you’re building from scratch or doing a homepage refresh, focus on clarity, visual appeal, and user experience. Think like your customer, keep it simple, and always make the next step obvious.

Want help designing a homepage that actually converts? We specialize in clean, conversion-focused website design—get in touch, and let’s make your first impression unforgettable.