Digital culture and technology web site Mashable.com recently posted a blog titled “8 Tips for Small Business Homepage Design.”

I recommend it, and decided to post my own version with different approaches to some of the key concepts that are based on my experiences developing sites for small businesses.

1.  Keep It Simple – Quickly and clearly communicate your product or service, and benefits to target customers. Provoke a positive reaction with design (image, color, layout, concept, etc.). Avoid flash and clutter.

2.  Avoid Scrolling – Instead create and link to separate category and/or detail pages that provide relevant information and benefits.

3.  Tell Your Story With Links – Be sure to provide links to relevant and current information that tells your story. Link to about, product or service, and news content that quickly and clearly tells what your business is about. A critical question to answer when writing content for your site is “So What?” – or – “Why would anyone care about what I am offering?”

4.  Keep Featured Products/Services Above The Fold - Make sure your featured products/services are visible when the Home page loads – without any scrolling.

5.  Be Current – If you actively use social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, then be sure to include a live feed of your current posts on your site Home page. DO NOT do this if you do not use social media very regularly (at least twice weekly).

6.  Prioritize Brand Design – Use a consistent brand design across your entire business. Brand design includes your logo, colors, even the type fonts you use in letters, signs and print communications. Your business should “look” the same at your store/office, on stationery and business cards, in advertisements, on brochures and flyers, and on your web site (this includes Facebook and Twitter pages).

7.  Use A Featured Image With Your Home Page – This image will appear whenever you or someone else posts a link to your site in a social media site like Facebook or Twitter. It can be your logo, or you may create images for each product/service you offer. This really helps build awareness and visibility. A professional web designer/developer may be required.

8.  Be Creative! – You only get one chance to make a first impression. The more creative it is, the more memorable and favorable the impression will be. Go outside the box. Professional designers can be really helpful in this area. And by the way, you’ll know really great creative when you see it.

9.  Connect With Visitors - Collect visitor contact information right on the Home page. Offer value for registration – like email news and updates. Invite visitors to contact you and request information, submit comments, questions, or make other inquiries. Provide a link to a page (or links to pages) where visitors can connect with you. Make it easy.

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