Fix These Website Homepage Design Errors to Get More Sales

The homepage is your website’s front door. You have about 10 seconds to convince users to stay on your website and decide if you’re a trustworthy business they can work with. If it confuses, overwhelms, or bores visitors, they won’t stick around, and you’ll lose out on potential business. The first impression your homepage gives is critical and one you want to get right.

In this article, we’re going to break down the most common website homepage design mistakes that could be costing you sales – and how you can fix them!

1. Cluttered, Overwhelming Layouts

Sometimes, less is indeed more! Too much content, too many images, or an overload of buttons can have the opposite effect as intended. While you may want to put as much information as you can to show visitors you’re an expert and you can help them, it can be too overwhelming and cause information that is actually important to get lost in the shuffle.

White space is not wasted space, it actually heavily enhances the user experience and makes things easier to process. By using white space and having a clean, simple to follow layout, you can guide users through a website journey that makes sense and focuses on what matters. This includes building trust, understanding the value of your services, and motivating users with calls to action. The best homepages are easy to scan, not hard to digest.

Read more on Ways to Improve User Experience On A Website.

2. Weak or Generic Main Headline

The first thing visitors will see on your website is your hero header section – typically involving a big image, main headline, supporting description, and button. This ‘main headline’ will be the largest text and the first thing their eyes are drawn to on your website.

Don’t waste it by using generic text like “Welcome To Our Website” or just putting the title of your business (they already know your business name by getting your website and can see it in your logo).

Instead, capitalize on this opportunity by using a strong, benefit-driven headline. Something that shows the value you provide to clients and that the user can resonate with. For example, if you are a lawyer, you could use a headline like “Clear Advice. Proven Results”.

Make sure the headline lines up with what you actually do and can provide, as well as relates to what your audience needs. Working with a professional web design agency that provides content editing services is a great way to ensure your headlines are as strong as possible.

3. No Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)

The homepage of your website should always guide users to take an action, whether it be to – schedule a call, learn more about your services, or get a quote.

If visitors aren’t guided where to go next, it’s much more likely that they’ll leave your website. A strong CTA stands out visually, tells people exactly what to do, and is enticing

For example, by including a call-to-action button in a bold colour on the top of right of your website that says ‘book a free consultation’, you are adding a CTA that visually stands out and is easy to see, as well as provides something of value that a user will find beneficial.

Check out our post on why CTA’s matter more than you think for more tips on creating powerful CTA’s.

4. Slow Page Load Time

If your home page takes too long to load, visitors will leave and look for a competitor. Time is of the essence in regards to website speed, milliseconds can make all the difference.

Page speed not only affects user experience, it also affects your search ranking on platforms like Google. Search engines don’t want to send traffic to slow websites as they know based on data, that users are more likely to click off of these websites, and they want to match users to the right website the first time. So the slower your website, the worse you’ll rank on search engines.

Run your site through PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to spot slow-loading issues and how you can improve them. Some general tips to increase speeds on a WordPress website include to use lightweight theme & plugins, install a caching & performance plugin like WPRocket, & use a high quality web host on a private server

At Mendel Sites, we build fast, efficient websites that keep users engaged from the start.

5. Not Mobile-Responsive

Since over 50% of all web traffic comes from mobile devices, it is not enough just to build a website that looks good on desktop. If you design only for desktop, you’re definitely missing out on a lot of leads as your website won’t be optimized for a large amount of visitors.

Make sure your website is built responsively for mobile devices – including having buttons tyat are large enough to tap, text that is easy to read, and a layout that adjusts smoothly to the smaller and more vertical screen size.

Even if you know that the majority of your website visitors come from desktop devices, Google still uses mobile-responsiveness as a big ranking factor for SEO. This means that you will show up lower on search rankings for having a website that isn’t mobile-friendly

Mobile-friendly website design isn’t optional anymore – it’s standard practice.

6. No Trust Signals or Social Proof

Visitors want to know they can trust you. If your homepage doesn’t show proof of your work or builds credibility through testimonials or case studies, how are website visitors supposed to feel confident in reaching out and working with you.

Through testimonials, case studies, client logos, certifications, statistics, & review badges, you can build trust and confidence with potential clients that you’re indeed an expert in your industry and can get the job done!

7. Stock Photos That Feel Generic

Low-quality or generic stock photos can make your website feel cold or Impersonable. Your website’s homepage should reflect your brand and feel authentic to who you are. You need to make your brand seem personable and stand out, rather than feel like a cookie-cutter template.

If you can, use real images from your business or hire a photographer. If not, choose high-quality, relevant stock photos that match your brand tone.

Visuals on your website should enhance the content and user experience on your website, not just take up space.

Wondering If Your Website Homepage Needs Help?

If you’re getting traffic but not leads, or your bounce rate is high, your website homepage design might be part of the problem.

Try going through your homepage like a first-time visitor. Is it clear what you offer? Can you understand what your brand is and why users should work with you? If not, it may be time for a refresh.

Your homepage has one job: turn visitors into customers. If it’s cluttered, slow, or confusing, it can’t do that.

If you’re not sure where to start, Mendel Sites can help you improve your homepage and turn your website into a 24/7 salesperson for your business.

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