In the not-so-distant past, many believed web design was all about simply how a website appeared on-screen and nothing more. However, with Google’s pursuit of optimal user experiences for those who use its search engine, it quickly becomes clear that appearance alone will do little to help a website’s rankings and subsequent performance.

The homepage is arguably the most important of all the pages within a website that web designers create. Given that most visitors to a business website land on the homepage first, this page has the job of instantly connecting and engaging with visitors. If it does so, it will keep those visitors on the site, hopefully with them then taking the desired action. If not, they will click away almost immediately and likely never return. With this in mind, website owners must ensure that when their business website is being designed, they know what elements should be included on the homepage to maximise visitor engagement. To help them, we have selected some of the most effective ways of doing so in the seven tips outlined below. Make It Obvious What Your Website Is About Before they land on your website, visitors will have clicked on a link on another website, such as social media, an online business directory, or even a paid ad. When they do so, they will have an expectation of your website, so the homepage must immediately make it clear what your website is about.