Latest / Marketing For Tradies / The PERFECT High-Converting Homepage for Your Website

Transcript

The PERFECT High-Converting Homepage for Your Website · Marketing For Tradies

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: If you're in business, you obviously know that all business is about solving pain points and problems.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: And the more challenging problems that you can solve faster and better than your competitors, if you're getting a lot of the same questions coming through in your emails, end the homepage with a strong, simple, compelling, clear, easy to understand call to action that someone can take if they're interested in.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to Websites That Convert, the podcast where your website stops being a liability and transforms into your greatest asset.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Shannon, and I'm going to guide you through the strategies and insights you need to build a website that not only attracts but converts.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Let's dive in.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_00: Have you ever wondered what makes a website homepage actually convert visitors into customers?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: So taking someone from just viewing your website and being curious about what you do to actually wanting to work with you.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Well, today I'm breaking down the exact elements you need in the perfect order to maximize your sales and bookings.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: And by the end of this episode, you'll know how to structure your website homepage for success so those bookings, quote requests, and leads keep rolling in.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm going to do this by guiding you step by step on what to include on your website homepage so it can drive more sales and bookings and revenue for your business.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_00: These are tried and tested elements that we are seeing working right now in the agency on our clients' website.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: So let's jump straight into the most effective home page elements to help you get more website conversions.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: The first is your hero sections.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: So in the current day and age, people's attention spans are very, very short.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's actually been proven that a fish, a goldfish actually, has a longer attention span than a human now.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: I believe it's like a goldfish is maybe six or seven seconds, and then a human's like five seconds.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: I'll have to double check those numbers, but it's around about that.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is kind of sad, but there's nothing that we can actually do about that.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_00: But if you want to get results with your website or any of your marketing, you need to keep this in mind.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: So just like you have to work around the algorithm with your social media and keep that in mind, you need to work around human psychology and the way that people consume things now if you want to get the best results.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: So when someone comes to your website, 99% of the time they're going to land on your homepage, unless you're driving traffic to a specific landing page for an offer or doing ads or something like that.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: When they go on the homepage, the first thing they're going to see is the hero section.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: So that's right at the top.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this needs to convince them that they're in the right place, that there's someone you they want to invest a little bit more time in getting to know, and they need to understand what it is that you actually do and how it could maybe benefit them.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: And this makes the hero section by far one of the most important sections of your homepage and actually your whole website, because the more people that we can convince to invest a little bit more time to go deeper into your website, the more opportunities you're going to have to turn those people into clients.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Now, what do you actually need in a hero section?
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you need to clearly state your offer, why it matters, and how they can get it.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: So include a compelling headline, a strong sub-headline under that, and make sure that you have a call to action.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: There should also be imagery in the hero section.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: So think about something that is going to emotionally connect to your audience.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: So obviously, this is going to range dramatically depending on what services that you offer or the type of business that you run.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_00: But just keep in mind that the image is very important, but it's not as important as the headline and the call to action.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: It should really just support that.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: Really good professional imagery is important across the whole website, but when it comes to the actual hero section, what you really want to dial in is having a very strong, compelling headline and then a supporting subheadline and a call to action.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: Making small changes like this to a website hero section can make a huge difference to conversions.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: For example, one business we worked with, uh, we added a really powerful headline to their hero section and simply added a call to action button.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: And literally overnight, like immediately, they saw a boost in inquiries.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: So because everyone was coming to their homepage, all of the traffic was funneling into their homepage from all of their marketing sources, they were actually losing so many people that originally had just landed there and didn't even like understand what it is that they do and didn't have that next action step either.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: So all we did was added a very powerful headline, added a call to action button, and that resulted in a boost in conversions, which can dramatically impact how were the results that you're getting in your business.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: So the main purpose of that hero section is really to draw people in.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_00: We want to get them to stay and engage and consume more of what's on the website, or if they're already in that stage of wanting to take action, we want to make it easy for them to do that.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_00: And that's why we have that call to action there too.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now, under the hero section, once these people have been engaged and they're going a little bit deeper into the website, the next section is where we're going to present the pain points and problems that your audience has and uh kind of position what it is that you do to be the solution to that problem.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: So they've landed on the hero section.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: They understand what it is that you offer, but they need confirmation that you're going to solve their problem.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're in business, you obviously know that all business is about solving pain points and problems.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: And the more challenging problems that you can solve faster and better than your competitors is going to result in more growth for your business.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: So we want to kind of position that as soon as they're scrolling down the page.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that is where this section comes into play.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Now, in order to know what to put here, you have to have an understanding of your target market and that problem that you solve.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: So if you don't know that right now, I would definitely suggest going and figuring out who it is that you're actually trying to serve and trying to trying to be as specific as possible.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this isn't to say that you're going to turn away people that don't fit into this exact category, but if you can niche down or be specific as to who you're trying to target, it's going to make your entire website strategy and your entire marketing strategy, your messaging, your branding, your offers, and everything that you do so much easier and effective.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: And you can literally directly speak to those perfect fit clients through your copy on your website and everything that's being structured throughout your business.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So when you can include a relatable problem and a solution section on your website, again, this reinforces that these people are in the right place and ignites more curiosity as to whether you are the person that should solve that problem for them.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then the job of the rest of the website is to convince them that you are the best solution to solve that problem for them.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, by this point, you've got their attention, right?
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like they understand what you do, they understand the problem that you solve, that you've reinforced that they're in the right place if they're in your target market by presenting their pain points and problems and the solution that you offer.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: Now, we need to create or have a section that features the actual services that you offer.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, some businesses we work with just have one service, one signature service, and that's it.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: Other businesses we work with have a range of different services.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you have a range of services, it doesn't mean that you have to present every single one on the website because this can become overwhelming for people.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: So if we're selecting services to add onto the website and especially the home page, I would not put more than six.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: One to six is fine, but generally you want to stick to three.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: But essentially, this section is just featuring the services that you offer.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, what it is that you actually do, what do you sell?
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: So if you do have too many on there, like your visitor is going to get lost and your message is going to be diluted.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_00: But just select the one to six services that you feel like are the most important, the ones that you sell the most.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they're the ones that usually will bring in the leads, and then you can, you know, upsell to other offers and things like that.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: Depends on your business model.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: But the point is that on the homepage, you do need to present the featured services, so the things that you actually sell.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: And then in this section, too, it essentially acts as a little bit of a directory for people.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are, you know, coming to a digital marketing agency's website and you're specifically looking for website design as a service.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, our services are structured a little bit differently because we have our website marketing system, that's our signature service.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's an all-in-one done-for-you solution where we do your high converting website and all of your marketing for you as well.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: But we also have some clients that just want a website.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if someone's looking for that specific thing, on our website homepage, they can scroll down to our featured services section and they can click on the learn more button and it'll take them to our dedicated website design landing page.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: So they can get all of the information about that specific service.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're a local service-based business, you may have something similar to that.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say you have you're a smoke alarm installation company and you offer installation, maintenance, and compliance certificates.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_00: So they may be your featured service categories.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: So we would display all of those on the homepage so we can direct people to the area that they need and that they're looking for so they don't have to go searching for it.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now, showing this isn't enough.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: The next section is to present the benefits of working with you.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: So people need to know like why should they actually choose you?
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: What's in it for them?
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, why shouldn't they just go to another competitor?
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: So you want to highlight at least three benefits and what sets you apart in the market.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: So this can be very, very simple but super powerful in reinforcing why someone should choose to work with you over someone else.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you've listened to any of my other episodes, you may be recognizing a trend here.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: So when someone comes to your website, they're going to have questions.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're going to be asking subconsciously, who are you?
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Who do you help?
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: What do you do?
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: What do you offer?
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_00: Why should I trust you?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: And how should I get it?
• 11:04
  SPEAKER_00: So as you're going through this structure here, and I'm talking through the sections, you may be seeing that this structure aligns perfectly to that strategy too.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_00: So the hero section, who are you, the problem and pain point section, who do you help, the featured service section, what do you offer, the benefits, just reinforcing that of like what you offer as well.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: And the next section is why should I trust you?
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: So this is when we're getting into social proof, which is a very, very powerful element across any website, especially a home page.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_00: Because new visitors need to see proof that your service or product works.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: If you don't have some type of social proof, whether that is testimonials and reviews, case studies, even your portfolio or something that shows maybe behind the scenes of your product or your service or something that proves to people that what you're saying is true, you won't be able to build trust and credibility with your audience as they're going through your website.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: So this element is very, very important.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_00: One way that we love to do it in the agency is to embed Google reviews from Google Business Profile.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_00: So you can use plugins if you have a WordPress website to just embed and directly integrate your Google Business profile with your website so you can focus on getting reviews on Google, knowing they're going to be automatically sent back to your website.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because the last thing you want to be doing is trying to copy and paste testimonials as they come in to your website from Google Business.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: Instead, we want to make things as easy and streamlined as possible for you.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: And this doesn't only just help with you know saving time and energy and getting the actual testimonials on there.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: It also means there's another element of trust and credibility because uh a lot of the Google reviews will have uh or be attached to a Google profile, which tells us that person who has left that review is somewhat legit.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: Now, people can obviously create fake profiles, and you may have had fake bad reviews left and things like that, but for the most part, 90% of reviews on Google are legitimate, and it just helps with your prospective client who's looking at those reviews, knowing that more than likely they are from real people rather than just some text that has been put onto the website and potentially changed.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the next section is your frequently asked questions.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: I think FAQs are actually super important on a website because it can actually convince someone that you are the best fit for what they need by answering those objections that they may have.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_00: But also on top of that, I speak to a lot of business owners who are getting the same questions time and time again from people.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_00: And it can actually stop the wrong people from inquiring with you as well.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So that's gonna save you time too.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're getting a lot of the same questions coming through in your emails and you're having to reply to them, so you can only imagine how that's impacting your time efficiency.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: And with time being the most valuable resource that we have in life and of course in business, you want to make sure you're not doing those repetitive things that are wasting it.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: So having FAQs on the website just helps with that.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_00: It also, like I said, helps with overcoming objections for your ideal client.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: Um, maybe someone's asking about your cancellation policy or like whatever, uh, or if you have parking on site, say if you're like a gym or something like that, or you know, how long your service takes or what service areas that you are located in or service.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: But either way, it helps to overcome objections of people that are good fits that you want to take the next step and just need that question answered.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: It also helps weed out those people that aren't good fits.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: So um you can answer that question for them, and maybe they say, okay, that's not for me, because then it's just gonna be a wasted lead coming through anyway.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then thirdly, with FAQs, it can actually save you a lot of time by not having to answer the same question time and time again in your email.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely FAQs, it can help with all of those things and can obviously help with conversions too.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: So it's an important part of having a high converting homepage.
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_00: Now, lastly, just like you would do a pitch on a sales call, the next and last section is your call to action.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to give your prospective client or customer and the website visitor that you want to convert an action that they need to take.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_00: So end the homepage with a strong, simple, compelling, clear, easy to understand call to action that someone can take if they're interested in inquiring about working with you.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: So whether it's to book a service, to make a purchase, to sign up to something, apply, request a quote, whatever it is in your sales process, this must be clear throughout the whole page.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: But at the end of the page, at the end of the home page, and basically any other page on your website, you want to have a strong call to action.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_00: This cannot be missed because the hottest leads are going to be the ones that are scrolling all the way to the bottom.
• 16:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like it just makes sense, right?
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: They're the most engaged people that are looking at your website.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't want them to get to the end of their journey and then there's nothing for them to do next.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: Like, yes, maybe they'll take an action through just a button or maybe even just on the hero banner.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_00: But if they don't, then we don't want them to get to the footer and then, you know, potentially clicking on something else, your social media or like whatever it is, and leaving the website and then forgetting.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: Because as soon as we lose them, like if they click that uh Instagram or Facebook link over to your social media, they may go deeper into your content, which can be beneficial, but then they're on another platform, they're not on the website, and it's going to take more energy to get them back to the site and to take that action.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely have a strong call to action at the end of your homepage.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: That's really, really important.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: So to maximize your home page, which is the most important page on your website, you need to get the layout right.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_00: So going back to a previous episode that I did and the strategy that I shared with you today around the questions that your potential customer is having when they land on your website, you need to answer them for them.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: And this layout and this structure does that.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so the questions are to reiterate them again: who are you?
• 18:05
  SPEAKER_00: Who do you help?
• 18:06
  SPEAKER_00: What do you offer?
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: Why should I trust you?
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_00: And how do I get it?
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: So your website homepage needs to start with a clear, compelling hero section.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: You need to address the problems and your solution.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: You need to showcase your featured services or what it is that you actually offer.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: You need to highlight the benefits, you need to build trust with testimonials, and you need to answer common questions and objections with FAQs and give your prospective client a compelling call to action at the end and make sure it's really, really clear what it is that you want them to do by being on your website.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_00: Every single one of these elements plays a very crucial role in guiding your visitor to towards becoming a customer.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_00: Like, think of it like a journey.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: So going back to those questions, we want to answer those questions, it's gonna get them to the next step.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: We want to make sure that we are building trust and credibility.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_00: We're getting them to know us, to like us, to trust us, and to get them to take action.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_00: So remember that your website homepage is where most, if not all, of your website visitors are going to land first.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: So make it count, make sure it's structured correctly, and add these strategies that I've spoken to you about today and just see how they work, especially the hero section.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: But if you want us to take a look at your website homepage and give you our personalized custom advice on what you can do to implement these things into your website or improve your website strategy and convergence overall, get in touch with our team, book a free call.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_00: You've got all the links in the show notes here, or contact us on social media and we'll be more than happy to help.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: But that's it for this episode, and I'll see you next time.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to Websites That Convert.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: If you found value in this episode, please give us a five star review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Follow us on all social media, and if you're a service based business owner that's looking to double their website conversions, book a call with my team using the link below.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see you in the next episode.