If your website isn’t converting browsers to buyers, it’s costing you money. It may be time to take a look at it and see what needs to be fixed so you can make your website work for you.
In this blog post, I’ve listed the top 7 homepage mistakes that your website is costing you. If you’re making any of these mistakes, fix them as soon as possible and you’ll start to see some changes.
Without further ado, here are 7 website homepage mistakes that are costing you:
Mistake 1: Having A Slider as Your Hero Header
Sliders, or carousels, used to be a thing on websites many years ago.
People would put all their services and special offers up there to get people’s attention.
However, this doesn’t work anymore.
Most users actually skip sliders, or carousels, because they look like ads.
More than that, it tends to slow down your website and it can also get very distracting.
Instead of a slider, you should have a single image with a strong and clear message that communicates your offer.
Tell them how you can help them in a simple sentence.
The key is clarity.
If you want to sell something, your message needs to be clear.
Never assume that they know what you’re selling.
For example, “I help you *insert what you do*”, so they know exactly what you offer in a glimpse.
If you struggle to think about what that sentence should be, imagine you’re in an elevator and you only have a few seconds to tell the person what you do. What would you say?
Go on and write it down.
Mistake 2: Irrelevant Images that Make No Sense
Stop using images that look pretty but have nothing to do with your business.
The use of your images is also a form of communication when it comes to letting your potential clients know what you do.
Ideally, you should use images from your past work.
If you just started your business and don’t have anything to show for it, you can use stock images for the time being.
The goal is to show potential clients the promise as to where they could be after using your product or service.
Your images should show them the feeling they will have when they arrive at the destination, which could be happy, successful, fit, accomplished, etc.
Mistake 3: Displaying Your Entire Autobiography on the Homepage
Many entrepreneurs put their “autobiography” below the hero header and tell users about their lives and everything.
The problem with that is that most people only care about themselves and all they think about is “what’s in it for me?”
While it’s important for them to know who they will be working with, leave your story and fun facts on your About page.
Think of your homepage as your first interaction with someone in real life.
You wouldn’t tell that stranger your whole life story on the get go.
What you might do is introduce yourself first and briefly tell them what you do.
That’s exactly what you should do on your homepage.
Have a quick intro of who you are and tell them how you can help them.
Remember that people have very short attention spans!
Use the first few seconds to convince them that you have what they need.
Otherwise, they will lose interest after that if you don’t show them how you can help them right off the bat.
Mistake 4: Having Long and Wide Paragraphs
People don’t read your website, they skim it.
If they are spending too much time understanding what you do, it’s too hard.
If they are running their eyes across the page back and forth, it’s too tiring for them.
After burning all the calories figuring out what you do, mental fatigue stops them from making a decision to work with you.
That’s the last thing you want them to do, right?
Instead, you should break it down for them into shorter sentences and bullet points.
What’s even better is to give them a 3-step process on how easy it is to work with you and how you can help solve their problem.
Your 3-step process can be made out of infographics and visual elements. That way, it’s more engaging and easier to understand for the users.
Mistake 5: Lack of Social Proof
Whenever you come across a new business, you may find yourself looking at their reviews and any proof that this product or service actually works.
You want to make sure that this business is legit before you put in your credit card details, right?
It’s no different for your potential clients.
They will be looking for evidence that other people have used your service and found it to be valuable.
That’s why you need to show testimonials and any awards or features that make you credible.
Once you gain their trust, they are more likely to book you for *insert what you do*.
Mistake 6: Not Capturing Email Addresses
When you don’t have a system to capture email addresses, you basically have a leaked bucket that doesn’t hold any water.
What use is a bucket if it constantly leaks?
In other words, your website isn’t working for you as well as it should be if you’re not getting any email addresses.
Why email address, you may ask?
Not all of your potential clients are ready to get their hard-earned cash out to hire you straight away.
Sometimes people need a bit of warming up first before they feel comfortable doing business with you.
This is what an opt-in form is for; you offer a freebie to get them to give you their email addresses, so you can contact them and continue the nurturing process.
That way, you’re keeping your business at the center of their minds, and when they are ready, you’ll most likely be the person they go to!
P.S. If for some reason your social media or website goes down, you can still get in touch with your people via email to let them know what’s happening, etc.
Mistake 7: Poor Call To Action (CTA)
Many people are often scared to ask for the sale when that’s what they need to do to get those bookings.
Are you giving them clear directions as to what you want them to do on your homepage?
If you want them to book a call with you, don’t say “get started”. Just say “book a call now”.
If you want them to download this freebie, don’t say “learn more”. Just say “download freebie here”.
If you want them to buy this product, don’t say “more info”. Just say “buy it now”.
You get the gist. You don’t need to beat around the bush.
Simply tell them what you want them to do.
Clearly show them the next step and you’ll start seeing more conversions via your website.
Pro tip: Make sure your CTA buttons are eye-catching and clickable.
Hope this blog post was helpful to you in pinpointing why your website isn’t performing the way it should.
Make those changes right away and you’ll see some quick wins with your website!
P.S. If you’re looking to redo your website, check out my web design services here. Let’s see if we’re a good fit for each other!
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