Treating Every Page Like It’s Your Homepage

April 27, 2015

Every page of your website should act as a homepage.

I know you have a dedicated homepage and are probably thinking I had too many cups of cocoa this morning so I’m talking nonsense, but hear me out.

Visitors do not always come to your website through your homepage. Maybe they come from a link to your blog post that one of their friends shared on Facebook. Maybe another searched for “local blogging and business expert” and your About page link was displayed in the first Google results page.

However a person finds your website, what matters is what they do when they get there.

You must make a good first impression on every page of your website.

It’s crucial to your online success. If you focus all of your energy on making a knock-out homepage while the rest of your pages are only shrug-worthy, visitors might head for the exit button.

Your user’s journey could start on any page.

So how can you ensure you’ve created a great impression for every visitor entering your website?

Invest in a user experience focused web design

Sure, we all like pretty things, but if an attractive website has an awful user experience, you probably won’t stay there long. Simplicity is key. (If you need some web designer recommendations, I have a whole arsenal of rad web designers. Let’s chat.)

Watch the analytics

Numbers may not tell the whole story, but they don’t lie either. Google Analytics can give great insights into how specific pages are performing. This allows you to zero in on the problem areas of your website so you can tackle the issue behind the scenes. Two metrics worth noting are bounce rate and average time on your website.

Create an in-depth reader survey

It’s amazing the things we can learn when we simply ask for feedback. Create a quick online survey using a tool like Survey Monkey or TypeForm, my personal favorite. Ask multiple choice questions like  “How would you rate the user experience of my blog?” or open-ended questions like “If you could change one thing on my contact page, it would be..” This is a great way to show how much you care about your audience by tailoring your website to them.

Utilize social listening

Even if feedback is not directed toward you like in a reader survey, it’s still beneficial to listen to your audience to figure out what they love and what makes them cringe. If you hear your followers complaining about pop-up newsletter opt-ins on other sites, it’s probably a good idea to rethink your use of pop-ups. Use this insight to create the best online experience for anyone who happens to find your site.

The more people look like heart-eyed emojis when they visit your site, the more likely they are to become a regular.