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5 Tips to Write Content That Converts for Your Website's Homepage

Candace Bozek | May 9, 2019

Candace Bozek
Website homepage with content that converts

Nowadays, having a website for your brand is a given. In order to stay competitive in your chosen industry, a responsive web design is essential but what many businesses fail to realize is that the content on your website is equally as important. Many websites lack a clear content strategy which is likely hurting your conversion rate.

Whether the goal of your website is to bring in sales leads, sell products online, or drive people to your events; you need content that converts. Read on to discover 5 tips to write content for an effective homepage.

  1. Write for Your Audience
  2. Highlight What You Do
  3. Establish Trust
  4. Include Actionable Calls-to-Action
  5. Capture Leads


1. Write for Your Audience

Write for your audience to create content that converts

"People generally prefer to read two grade levels below what they’re actually capable of."

The first step to creating great content for your website’s homepage is to write in a way that resonates with your audience. If you want to target the general public as your audience, we recommend writing at a 5th-grade reading level.

The average American reads at a 7th or 8th-grade level, however people generally prefer to read two grade levels below what they’re actually capable of. If you’re not sure what reading level your writing is, test it using online tools like HemingwayApp.com and Read-able.com.

Even if your content is targeted towards higher-literacy users like executives or medical professionals, highly literate people still prefer copy that is easy to read. Consider a study by the Nielson Norman Group. They rewrote a pharmaceutical company’s website at a lower reading level. Both lower-literacy and higher-literacy groups reported a higher satisfaction rate with the rewritten site.


2. Highlight What You Do

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State your company’s mission front and center so that new visitors know exactly what your website is about. Your mission statement should only be one or two sentences, (don’t try to explain your entire brand on the homepage). Instead, link them to your 'About' page by adding a button with a call-to-action like ‘Learn About Us’ if they would like to read more about your company.

Use icons or featured images to refer site visitors to your various products or services. Showcasing your product or service categories upfront will help visitors navigate your website quickly and find exactly what they need with just one click.

Focus on the benefits of your products or services rather than just listing off its features. Audiences aren’t interested in all the shiny bells and whistles, they want to know what YOU can do for THEM. Benefit-focused copy will help your readers understand why your products or services are the right solutions for them.


3. Establish Trust

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Testimonials in digital form serve as word-of-mouth marketing for your brand. They are a great way to build trust with your target audience. High-trust testimonials have the following characteristics:

  • They are specific. People trust exact numbers and stats over rounded figures. For example, at 97% satisfaction rate is more trustworthy than 100%. They also include specific examples of an experience with your brand. Potential customers want to know what they can expect when they choose your products or services.
  • They give indirect praise. Overly positive reviews will set off alarm bells as they may seem fabricated. Genuine reviews will indirectly praise your brand by explaining how it helped them solve a problem and/or improve their bottom line.
  • They come from legitimate sources. Use testimonials from industry experts or real customers to properly showcase your brand. Celebrities are seen as less trustworthy because they are often paid for endorsements. The more details you can provide about your source (name, location, company, job title, etc.), the more believable they will be.
  • They are imperfect. Real people don’t speak in perfect sentences. Don’t overly edit quotes for your testimonials. Minor grammatical errors help the quote sound more genuine.
  • They include a photo. Including a photo of your source adds to its legitimacy. It helps potential new customers or clients relate to your brand by identifying with your consumer base.

Display testimonials on your homepage as a rotating image gallery. This will minimize the space they take up on your homepage and allow your site visitors to browse through your testimonials without ever leaving your homepage.


4. Include Actionable Calls-to-Action

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A call-to-action (CTA) helps guide your website visitors to complete a desired goal. Depending on what goals you want your visitors to accomplish on your site, you’ll want to sprinkle these CTAs throughout your website copy in your headlines, images and buttons.

"Use engaging headlines to guide visitor interactions through your website."

Use engaging headlines to guide visitor interactions through your website. Use directive statements like “Register for an event” or “Request a free demo” and include buttons to other pages to incite them to take action.

You can further encourage site visitors to engage with your website by including links in your image banner. With rotating image banners, you can add links and CTAs right at the top of your homepage.

Put your most important CTA in a button on your navigation menu so that it is accessible from every page. If your brand offers a service, include a CTA like ‘Request a Quote’. If your organization is a nonprofit, you can drive more visitors to your donation page by including a ‘Donate’ button in your navigation menu.


5. Capture Leads

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This is the last and possibly the most important piece of your website’s homepage. Once your reader has read through your content and is thoroughly convinced of your brand’s quality, they will be more willing to provide their contact information to your organization.

If your business is offering a service, a lead-capturing form is essential to allow your sales team to follow up with interested parties. If your website is focused on eCommerce, a newsletter sign-up form will help your business stay in touch with site visitors and encourage them to return through email campaigns.

A compelling lead capturing form is short and succinct. Include an engaging CTA in the headline and a short form to collect their basic contact information. Don’t forget to include a nice message once the form is completed to thank them and let them know that their form entry was received.


Bonus: Eye-catching Imagery

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If your images are 3+ years old or you’re still using stock images from the 90’s it might be time to update your photography.

If your website has an eCommerce store, it is especially important to have current and high definition product images. Online shoppers don’t get to see your products in person or try them on, so it is essential to showcase them in the best light.

For services, lifestyle images are particularly effective because they show how your services can help potential clients solve a problem. Images portraying satisfied clients will nicely complement your benefit-driven copy.


The Gist

Creating an attractive design for your website is only half the battle. The content on your website’s homepage is what can make or break a sale. Maximize your homepage conversions by writing for your audience, highlighting your mission statement, establishing trust through testimonials, incorporating actionable CTAs, and offering a lead-capturing form.

For help with your website’s content strategy and design, get in touch with the MORAD team for a free consultation.

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