You asked for it, so here it is... my 6-step formula for writing a website homepage that
creates trust, conversions and massive authority.
Hey guys, it’s Alex and this week I am sharing another proven copywriting formula with you…
And this time it’s all about that HOMEPAGE COPY.
Now this video is in response to many of your requests so I do hope you find it helpful!
And guys, keep those suggestions coming!
I pay attention to every single one of your comments and personally respond to as many
of them as possible!
So, whether you’re writing copy for your own website, or you’re sprucing up a home
page for a client, you want to make sure to GET IT RIGHT.
Because even though your homepage may not be that “high-converting money page” in
a direct response marketing sorta way, it’s where people go when they want to know more
about you and what you do.
So think about it…
You may be scrolling through Instagram and see a brand name or a person that you want
to know more about, so what do you do?
You Google 'em.
Or maybe you’re on Facebook and you see and ad in your feed for a free e-course.
And you click, because it’s a great ad, but the resulting landing page is setup for
nothing more than lead generation with minimal information about the brand BEHIND the course.
So, what do you do?
You click on over to the home page.
Or, maybe you’re at a networking event and you give someone your business card, or someone
visits your profile on Linked In, or you reach out to a potential new client.
All of these are all ways ORGANIC traffic will come to your website and if you’re
not addressing what a potential customer or client needs to know QUICKLY, chances are
you will lose them forever.
So the goal of your homepage is simple.
It’s to create trust, build authority and offer next steps!
It’s your public image, which is why I like to refer to your homepage as your PR page!
It’s public relations at its finest…
Your homepage is often the first thing your prospects see when they come to your website…
So you gotta make that first impression count.
According to MarTech Today, a company’s homepage accounts for up to 50% of
a sites total page views.
And Crazy Egg, another website optimization source, estimates that you only have one
minute to get visitors to stick around!
So, you need to professionally and clearly communicate the what, the who, the where,
the when, the why and the how of your business...
Or that of your clients…
ASAP.
Now, before I dive into my 6-step formula for writing an authority boosting homage,
I do want to set a couple of things straight.
What I’m talking about today is your HOMEPAGE, not an About Page or a Landing Page.
Your About Page is separate from your Homepage and is where you expand on your background,
your company history, your values, your mission and/or your team.
It’s where all that stuff goes that’s important, but not need-to-know-right-away
for your ideal prospect.
So think of your homepage as your “elevator pitch” about who you are and what you do
and your About Page is where people can go for the full story.
Now a Landing Page, on the other hand, is designed to receive direct traffic from a
very specific source, like an ad or an email.
Hence the word “landing”.
Landing pages are conversion tools and focus on a singular call-to-action.
They are built for paid traffic campaigns, promotional pages and lead generation and
aren’t necessarily designed to be permanent pages in your site’s main navigation.
Unlike your homepage, which acts as a permanent root to your .com.
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Alright, let’s get into it.
Here are my 6 steps for writing your homepage copy!
Now each one comes in the form of a question you must address in the minds of your ideal
website visitor...
Yes, while your website visitors wanna know who you are, what they really care about is
what you can do for them!
The header section that appears on your homepage, above the fold, is the most important part
of your homepage.
This is what determines whether someone stays and scrolls, or bounces on out of there….
The best header copy clearly states your business or brand name, and your unique selling proposition.
Do not, and I repeat do not, write “Welcome To Our Website”!
If you’re planning to use your home page to capture leads, this is also a great section
to plug in a call-to-action button!
A great header example is Shopify Partners, which uses their headline and subheadline
to convey a powerful benefit and quickly summarizes what they can do for you.
And, don’t forget to include other elements in your header that are focal to your brand,
such as your logo and a clear, and easy-to-navigate menu.
If you want to see 10 more brands that are absolutely nailing it with their homepage
header copy, check out my video right here on 10 Brands With A Killer Slogan.
Okay next up.
Your prospects will ask...
So in other words — what makes you different?
How did you get here, what’s your mission, why are you the one that can help me?
Somewhere on your homepage, include a short description about you and your story to create
trust and relatability.
Now, more than ever, people are looking for businesses they can relate to.
This is especially important if you’re writing copy for a personality based-brand.
You can do this through a short bio, like what Marie Forleo did on her homepage.
Or you could do a quick dive into your origin story to be real about your journey, like
my friend Connor Beaton, empowerment coach and founder of ManTalks, did on his home page.
If you’re not writing copy for a personality-based brand, you can use this copy to share the
company's mission and values.
Like this awesome example by Mindvalley where they clearly state their mission of changing
the world’s education system.
Ok, so now that you’ve gotten your audience’s attention with your USP and mission, it’s
time to answer the third question...
It’s important that your homepage builds trust and credibility.
So showcase as much social proof as you can!
These authority elements can include client testimonials, media appearances, press coverage,
or featuring any notable brands you’ve worked with.
A great example of this is author Brene Brown’s homepage, which is sprinkled with loads of
social proof – from podcasts she’s been on, to her Netflix special, to her media appearances,
to her best-selling books.
Now, of course, we’re not all Netflix stars with people like Oprah backing us up,
but you get the idea.
If you or your client don’t have these credibility boosters just yet, you can link to your social
media accounts to showcase following size, or at the very least demonstrate that you’re
active across all social media platforms which gives your business more visibility and therefore
credibility.
And, no matter what guys, please ALWAYS make sure it’s fact-checked and authentic, okay?
Alright, moving along to the next question on everyone’s mind...
Many brands and businesses make the mistake of leaving this critical information elsewhere
on their site, like an About page or a dedicated work with me page.
While it’s still a good idea to still have these two pages, don’t take the risk of
having someone bounce off before they have even the slightest idea about what your service
is or what you do.
Even if you’ve mentioned it briefly on other parts of your homepage, make sure to have
a section that clearly summarizes your work or your unique offer…
And convey the benefits that this will provide.
Tribe47, a digital marketing agency, does a really clever job of this on their website
with a “Why” section that both establishes how they work and the benefits a client will
experience by working with them, followed by a little section with their services.
Ok, so now that you’ve got that covered, it’s time to answer the question...
Don’t make people guess next steps!
Let them know how to get in touch with you, experience your product, or potentially work
with you!
If you do have a lead capture on your homepage, make sure that it is visible at multiple points
throughout your copy.
So don’t just rely on a single call to action at the header or the footer.
You can feature it midway on your homepage.
Or use a floating signup bar in a way that doesn’t disturb your visitors…
A great tool that I’ve seen before is hellobar.
It allows you to add a subtle and slick call to action banner on your site - similar to
this one Marie uses on her site to share a CTA to her new book.
If you aren’t capturing leads, or featuring a sale, launch or program, you can simply
suggest your visitors contact you, say for a quote, a call or a strategy session
via a contact form.
It all depends on your brand and your business, but here’s a tip…
Your CTA should be highly relevant to the USP you specified in your header copy.
Ok so now we’re down to our last question...
Ultimately, the goal of your homepage is to turn those lurkers into leads!
You want to keep your ideal customers on your website or in your brand’s ecosystem…
So, your homepage needs to make it really easy for your audience to visit other parts
on your site.
This could be done by linking your homepage to other featured pages on your website, like
your About Page, Work With Me Page, and Blog.
Sharing your social media and content platforms is also a great way to get your visitors to
explore your brand.
So make sure you have visible icons or plug-ins on your homepage to make it easy for all of
them to connect and engage with you say on, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube,
if you’re active on those sites.
My buddy Mark Groves, founder of Create The Love, does a great job of this.
He showcases his recent activity on his homepage which includes a link to his latest free training,
events, blog posts, podcasts, and his social networks.
Alright, so those are the 6 questions you need to answer to create massive authority
with your homepage copy.
But the most important tip of all guys…
Keep it short and sweet!
Home pages are meant to be punchy.
You want to use powerful and precise wording to get your message across in the shortest
way possible!
Got it?
Give me a thumbs up below if you found this video helpful and here’s another video you
can check out next on how to write a landing page!
As always, guys thank you so much for watching and subscribing!
Until next week, I’m Alex. Ciao for now!