You’re building or growing a business built on service, so you may feel out of your comfort zone when faced with designing a website to sell your services.
Well, the good news is that if you can get your homepage working well you’re a huge step towards having a website that converts casual visitors into clients. Simply creating a welcoming first impression through a well-designed homepage encourages visitors to stick around to learn more about your business and positions you as a trusted expert.
So spending a little more time and attention on your homepage will go a long way towards creating a website that works hard for your service-based business.
What is your homepage for?
If you’re running a service-based business, your website is going to be an extension of yourself in many ways. This is where potential clients learn about you and your offers, and get to know you before booking your services.
And your homepage is the first page most people will see on your website. It’s also often their very first impression of you and your business. So it’s critical that you put the right foot forward!
Presenting a polished and easy-to-use homepage is an easy way to win the trust of a casual website visitor and encourage them to stick around to learn more about what you have to offer.
It’s also a helpful resource for people who already know about you but are looking for more information.
So your homepage needs to balance creating that impactful first impression and providing an index essentially of all of the important pages on your website so interested people can continue to learn about you.
Let’s start with the first impression.
Optimize your “hero section”
The very top part of any page on your website is called a “hero section” because it is by far the hardest working piece of any page. This is where people decide if they’re in the right place and if they want to scroll down to learn more.
So how can you optimize your homepage “hero section” to get people interested to explore the rest of your website (and your offers)?
Start with an impactful headline that tells visitors exactly what it is you do and who it’s for.
This is not the time for clever word-play or cute puns. You’ve got mere seconds to reassure your website visitors that they are in the right place before they click away, so keep this heading super straightforward and clear!
Make sure to use words that your ideal client uses to describe your work and how they identify themselves to help them quickly connect with your offer (and improve your chances of them finding you through search engines!)
Use images connect with your potential clients
As a service provider, you are by default part of your brand. And your potential clients will want to feel a sense of connection with you as a person before they decide to work with you. It’s human nature to need to see someone’s face before we trust them, so do make sure to show a nice, smiling photo of yourself in this top section of your homepage!
Offer a clear Call to Action
Telling people where to go next is critical to keeping them on your website. Yes, they may eventually scroll down your homepage to have a look at your offers, but you want to make sure to offer a shortcut to their next logical step towards working with you through a clear button labeled with your call to action.
And to help ensure none misses your call to action, make sure to pick a bright, eye-catching color for this button and that there’s lots of contrast between the button and your text so there’s no mistaking what you want people to do next!
Want more tips on optimizing your homepage “hero section”? Get your free Homepage Hero checklist to ensure you’re doing everything you can to keep your potential clients on your website.
Keep it simple
Lastly, it is crucial that your website is easy for people to use. Prioritize simplicity, clarity, and ease-of-use above any fancy design or clever tactics and you’ll go a long way towards building trust and confidence in your services in the eyes of your potential clients.
Taking a little more time as you build your website to make sure that you’ve used clear language to describe your business, that you’re showing a picture of yourself so people can connect with you as a person and that you’re offering a clear and visually eye-catching call to action for the next step towards working with you.
Michelle Pontvert is a branding and website designer with 12 years of design experience, specializing in working with moms on a mission to grow their service-based businesses and spend more time with their families.
Michelle lives with her husband and 3-year-old son in Paris, far from her native Australia or adoptive homeland America, and balances serving her clients and being a hands-on Mum.
You can connect with Michelle on Instagram @MichellePontvert and on her website www.michellepontvert.com
