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Website Design Tactics: 6 Elements Your Homepage Can

You can gain a lot by investing money in the right web design strategies. For example, making your pages aesthetically pleasing will help you leave a positive impression on your potential customers. Working with experienced developers will help you achieve the highest possible site speed and responsiveness levels. And the list goes on. 

But the simple fact is that doing the basics isn't enough anymore. To ensure your site stands out, you must put extra thought into adopting web design tactics that engage visitors, bolster trust, and boost conversions. 

So, if you want to outperform your competitors, the following are the six elements your homepage can't be without.

 

Clear Customer Value

If you look at the data about how today's consumers make purchasing decisions, you'll find that value plays a crucial role in getting people to click the "Buy" button. 

But there's a caveat for anyone trying to boost sales: many people are trying to spend less in 2023. According to NIQ, 39% of people are attempting to be cautious with their spending. But the rare areas where they haven't cut their budgets include: 

  • fresh groceries 
  • health expenses
  • wellness-related purchases

In other words, consumers are minimizing their spending. But they're doing so in areas that aren't crucial to their health and well-being. 

So, to take your homepage to the next level, use elements that focus on customer value. This doesn't mean you shouldn't address product features, novelty, or convenience. But it does mean you have to prove to your prospects that your solutions are worth the investment.

For instance, if you run a B2B business, the best way to achieve this effect is to address measurable customer value. 

Check out the Seismic homepage for a good example. Notice how it features a "Real numbers from real customers" section. This is where they show quantitative customer benefits. The webpage element highlights that the software solution has helped users achieve the following: 

  • a 350% increase in content use
  • 360+ hours saved per rep per year
  • a 65% increase in revenue brought in by new representatives 
  • a 32% boost in leads 

If you can recreate this element on your brand's homepage, you'll see at least some improvement in sales and free trial sign-ups.

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Image source: seismic.com

You can use a similar design tactic in the B2C sector as well. 

For example, H2coco communicates consumer value by highlighting that its products are eco-friendly. The company knows that many of its customers care about sustainability. After all, research shows that more than 70% of people would pay more for sustainably produced goods.

The result is a compelling value proposition. On top of that, web visitors will associate the purchase of H2coco's products with doing something good for the planet. They'll feel more confident about their buying decision.

2 h2coconut

Image source: h2coconut.com

Comprehensive Social Proof

Adding social proof to your homepage is one of the best ways to boost website conversions. Especially knowing that 91% of consumers read reviews before making buying decisions.

But here's the thing. Showing off ratings and reviews on your homepage may be a good starting point for convincing web visitors to convert. But if you want to go above and beyond with social proof, experiment with various formats. Variety can boost your brand's credibility and ensure your audience notices the conversion-boosting elements. They'll thus start associating your solutions with stellar results.

For instance, check out the SomniFix homepage. It includes a different type of social proof in almost every section:

  • The hero section states the "clinically proven" benefits of using mouth tape during sleep.
  • The "How SomniFix works" part shows that the product has more than 2,000 reviews.
  • In the "Why SomniFix works" section, a certified family and sleep medicine dentist discusses the benefits of nose breathing during sleep.
  • And finally, there's an "In the news" section. It shows that the brand's product has appeared in publications like The New York Times.

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Image source: somnifix.com

If you're looking for ways to use website design to stand out from your competitors, utilize authentic, fresh social proof. According to research from Edelman, scientists, experts, and professionals with technical knowledge are seen as the most credible spokespeople brands can collaborate with. If you can't access these voices, explore the potential of user-generated content. UGC is one of the most effective formats of social proof available to (almost) any brand in any industry.

Compelling Calls to Action

What other design tactics can you implement to ensure your website homepage delivers results? Well, one high-impact change you could make would be to go beyond CTA best practices.

Every designer knows that calls to action need to:

  • Use language that is clear, concise, and action-inspiring.
  • Be in highly-visible sections of the page.
  • Stand out from the background.
  • Work well on all screen sizes. (Especially on mobile — the source of more than 50% of all web traffic as of May 2023).
  • Be continually tested to determine the most effective copywriting and design choices.

If you've done all of this but feel like there's still room for improvement, you might want to explore tactics for boosting your CTAs.

For example, you can highlight that your prospects can access your solution without providing payment information. This can certainly encourage more people to sign up. Especially considering that lack of trust in credit card info is one of the leading causes of card abandonment

So, if you check out the Jotform homepage, you'll see a conveniently placed "It's free" message just below the primary CTA.

4 jotform

Image source: jotform.com

Similarly, you can use your audience's preferences to optimize your CTAs. 

For a good example, look at GetSafe, a medical alert system provider. The company knows that older generations prefer speaking to human sales and customer service agents. So, their CTA invites potential customers to get in touch via a toll-free phone number. It guarantees a conversation with a human instead of a chatbot.

5 getsafe

Image source: getsafe.com

Remember, the best way to elevate homepage CTAs is to dive deeply into your audience's wants, needs, and preferences. Make design choices based on those elements. Yes, the process might take longer than slapping on a generic "Sign up" CTA button. But you're sure to find the extra work worth the effort. That's especially if you'll use conversion rates to measure the effectiveness of your web design choices.

Urgency Triggers

There are a lot of ways you can use psychology to influence web visitors' behavior while browsing your site. Most of these tactics rely on design to bring them to life. So, it's not a bad idea to experiment with various ways in which visuals, layout, and copy can encourage engagement and conversions on your homepage.

For example, one of the most effective methods of getting web visitors to take action is to use design elements that act as urgency triggers. Regardless of whether your targeted outcome is to make sales, generate leads, or simply get people to browse your site.

From a psychological standpoint, triggering urgency appeals to people's fear of missing out. And FOMO makes people more likely to try and attain certain products and experiences. So, businesses trying to acquire new leads should find benevolent ways to use FOMO.

Take a look at the summer sale banner on the Mannequin Mall homepage. It's an excellent example of an urgency trigger that evokes the feeling of FOMO but doesn't exploit consumers. The design element advertises a sought-after benefit — saving up to 40% on select products. By pointing out that the sale period is limited, it gently nudges consumers toward making a purchase decision.

6 mannequin

Image source: mannequinmall.com

Or check out the Balance App homepage. The SaaS brand offers new users the possibility to get their first annual membership free of charge. As the app download takes place through the App Store or Play Store, new users must enter payment information. However, the lengthy free trial period allows leads to completely integrate the app into their day-to-day routines. This maximizes their chances of liking the solution and continuing to pay for it once the initial 12 months are up.

7 balance

Image source: balanceapp.com

Clear Product Descriptions

So far, we've discussed web design tactics that rely on consumer psychology to boost conversions. But any business owner knows that one sale is not enough to secure the longevity of their brand. The key to business success lies in fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Admittedly, there are numerous ways businesses can ensure customer satisfaction. One of the primary ones is to deliver outstanding shopping experiences. Even so, if you're searching for ways to employ web design to boost customer happiness, consider the importance of clear product descriptions and their role in expectation management.

By helping your prospects understand what you're selling, you're empowering your audience to make better buying decisions. But that's not all. Next-level product descriptions can also help you make your products stand out. And if they communicate extra value, they can tip the scales in your favor. They'll help you maximize conversions and position your solution as the superior choice.

For instance, take a look at the Vivion homepage. This ecommerce business practices noteworthy clarity. Stating that it offers "safe, ethically sourced, and contaminate-free ingredients," Vivion makes it super-easy for web visitors to know what to expect. Furthermore, they emphasize universally beneficial product attributes. The brand doesn't alienate web visitors by pointing out irrelevant or niche benefits that wouldn't appeal to parts of its audience (like the word "vegan" would, for example).

8 vivion

Image source: vivion.com

You can see a different approach to the same design tactic on the Airfocus vs. Clickup landing page. The former brand uses unique product benefits to win over people who are leaning toward a competitor's products. 

Note the insightful feature description sections. They address the precise use cases and benefits of each software's capabilities. And check out the handy table. It's there to help web visitors comprehend the solution's unique value. Plus, it demonstrates why the product might be a better fit than the alternative they're also considering.

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Image source: airfocus.com

Enticing Lead Generators

Lastly, don't forget about the importance of lead generation elements. After all, consumers don't buy products as soon as they discover them. The more likely scenario is that they go through a lengthy research period. Sometimes, they'll need as many as fifty touches with a brand before they feel ready to buy.

So, enrich your homepage with lead-generation elements that invite your audience to subscribe to your newsletter. Research from Unbounce shows that email campaigns tend to convert three to six times better than social media and search ads. If you can incentivize email capturing, you'll gain a unique opportunity to nurture subscribers into buyers. You'll do that with trust-generating content, personalized offers, and hard-to-pass-up deals.

The great thing about this design tactic is that it can be as straightforward or elaborate as you like.

For instance, if you're searching for simplicity, you can opt for a lead-gen element as straightforward as the one on the FOCL homepage. It offers new subscribers a 15% discount on their first order.

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Image source: focl.com

Or, if you're unafraid to play with interactive web elements, you could take a page out of ATH's book. Consider creating something similar to this brand’s protein quiz

Note how the website heading awakens web visitors' worries about not meeting their health and dietary needs. The copywriting choice triggers an emotional response from the brand's potential customers, encouraging them to take the quiz. They're more likely to provide an email address if they get science-backed, personalized nutrition information in exchange.

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Image source: athsport.co

In Closing 

There you have it, the six homepage elements you should add to your website to get the most out of it. Of course, you can combine these design tactics with more common ones used by your competitors. Or, you can think outside the box and opt for a non-conventional aesthetic direction.

But remember, no matter what strategies you choose, the only way to confirm their effectiveness is to test them. So don't forget to track your site's performance. And most importantly, don't hesitate to make incremental changes to see how they impact your KPIs.

Written By: Staff  |  Friday, July 28, 2023