Most small business websites are awful.
They’re confusing and cluttered.
Visitors don’t know what to do or where to go, so you can help them solve their problems.
Over the last several years, I’ve developed a few simple practices (hacks?) to
- simplify homepages for small businesses,
- increase conversions (get hired),
- and improve search engine optimization (SEO = rank higher on Google).
While simplicity is key for conversions, you do need quite a bit of content if you want to rank well in search.
These “hacks” help you get the best of both worlds.
Four Homepage Hacks for Small Business Websites
A simple process to get hired more and rank higher on Google.
1. Answer 4 Questions Before the Scroll
The header of your homepage needs to hook visitors in less than five seconds. That means BEFORE they scroll to see more.
Does your homepage header answer these four questions in less than five seconds?
- Who are You?
- What do you do?
- How does it make my life better?
- How do I buy it?
If you can answer these four questions in fewer characters than an old-school Tweet (180), you are well on your way to an effective homepage.
We use StoryBrand to ensure we have our clients’ messaging down before writing homepages to ensure we nail the header elements.
2. Summarize The Story in The Headlines
People don’t read (at first). They skim.
So, the headlines on your homepage need to tell a story.
Scroll down your homepage and read ONLY the headlines.
Do you have a clear picture of how your business helps your customers overcome a problem and find success?
If not, rewrite them to tell a clear (if not VERY simple) story.
Consider your headlines a summary of the page.
Our Free StoryBrand Homepage Template makes this process very simple for you.
3. Start simple, Then Build.
No one wants a flood of information when they first open your homepage.
Start extremely simple. Start with the 4 questions in the header. Then, get progressively more detailed as you scroll down the page.
The first few sections of your page need to be extremely simple and clear and invite visitors into a story.
Down the page, you can add more detail for folks who want more content for more detail.
This brings us to the next point…
4. Be Sneaky With SEO
We’ve all seen the terrible law firm website that reads, “Indianapolis Criminal Defense Attorney in Indiana practicing Criminal Law for Hoosiers.”
Eek!
My favorite way to add lots of good content for SEO is in a FAQ section with expandable boxes.
At first look, all visitors see are the questions.
They can choose which questions to click to get the answer.
However, Google is indexing the hidden content behind each question present.
8-10 FAQs can add up to a TON of content to drive SEO.
The questions are H3 tags, so the keywords land in headlines. The answers include ideal keywords and content that shows Google your subject matter authority.
Above all else, be strategic.
Too many small businesses leave thousands of dollars on the table every month because their website isn’t a strategic marketing tool.
They think simply having a website is enough. A bad website may be worse than no website.
The words and layout of your homepage matter and should be developed strategically to invite visitors into a transformational story and move them to action.
If you follow these four simple practices, your small business website will get better results. I promise.
We would love to help you cut through the noise to create unforgettable marketing that grows your small business. Schedule a Free Discovery Call, and let’s customize a plan to grow your small business.
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