The Best Home Pages Establish Identity and Purpose in a User-Friendly Interface

The home page is seen by most visitors, and for some it will be the only page viewed. First impressions stick and the home page impression should be one that builds credibility and trust.

Tough decisions and a clear idea of the site's purpose are needed to prioritize the many things we might want to squeeze onto the home page:

It must tell visitors what the site is, what it's for and why they should be there.
It must give an overview of what the site has to offer and establish the site's hierarchy.
Most sites need a search box that is easy to find and use.
The home page should give hints about what the rest of the site contains and promote new additions or featured content.
To stay current and entice visitors to return, it should have frequently updated content or at least links to new and timely information.
Space must be allocated to any advertising, co-branding or cross-promotional activities.
The home page must make it obvious how to get to the information the visitor is seeking as well as hint at data they didn't know they needed.
If the site uses registration, that needs to be clear and prominent on the home page.
The home page should give an easily identified place to start.

With all that we expect the home page to accomplish, and the pressure to include more and more, often the big picture gets lost.

This is the one thing, the purpose of the home page -- communicating the big picture. Before visitors will go looking through the site, they need to know they're in the right place and they must be able to easily find their way around. No matter what else is on a home page, the following help to establish the site's identity and purpose, and go a long way in reassuring visitors that they are in the right place:

Tag-lines and welcome statements

A well-worded tag-line placed near the site identity is read by visitors as a description of the whole site.
A welcome statement is a brief description of the site in a prominent position. Use both. Don't make the mistake of thinking anyone knows anything about the site or products or services offered.

Navigation

The site's navigation tells visitors what they will find on the site, where to start, how to search, where to register, etc. It cannot be vague, obscure or contradicted by conflicting multiple navigation systems.
Home page navigation may need to accomplish more than persistent navigation on other pages, through added detail or brief descriptions of sections, and may even be positioned differently. This is okay, but it shouldn't be too different. There should be enough in common that visitors recognize easily that they are two versions of the same thing.

The home page establishes the experience the user will have. Plan it carefully to include everything needed to make that experience a good one.

If something is hard to use it doesn't get used very much.

Would you like more leading edge tips and tools for effective graphic design, Web site development and search engine optimization, brand marketing and communication? Subscribe now to the free "Solutions" e-newsletter - http://pinscreative.blogspot.com/ or join our mailing list at Pinsonnault Creative - http://www.pinscreative.com and get my eBook "10 Best of 2006" free as my thank you.

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	Free Website Design Templates view actual page \| download view actual page \| download view actual page \| download The Best Home Pages Establish Identity and Purpose in a User-Friendly Interface By Cynthia Pinsonnault The home page is seen by most visitors, and for some it will be the only page viewed. First impressions stick and the home page impression should be one that builds credibility and trust. Tough decisions and a clear idea of the site's purpose are needed to prioritize the many things we might want to squeeze onto the home page: It must tell visitors what the site is, what it's for and why they should be there. It must give an overview of what the site has to offer and establish the site's hierarchy. Most sites need a search box that is easy to find and use. The home page should give hints about what the rest of the site contains and promote new additions or featured content. To stay current and entice visitors to return, it should have frequently updated content or at least links to new and timely information. Space must be allocated to any advertising, co-branding or cross-promotional activities. The home page must make it obvious how to get to the information the visitor is seeking as well as hint at data they didn't know they needed. If the site uses registration, that needs to be clear and prominent on the home page. The home page should give an easily identified place to start. With all that we expect the home page to accomplish, and the pressure to include more and more, often the big picture gets lost. This is the one thing, the purpose of the home page -- communicating the big picture. Before visitors will go looking through the site, they need to know they're in the right place and they must be able to easily find their way around. No matter what else is on a home page, the following help to establish the site's identity and purpose, and go a long way in reassuring visitors that they are in the right place: Tag-lines and welcome statements A well-worded tag-line placed near the site identity is read by visitors as a description of the whole site. A welcome statement is a brief description of the site in a prominent position. Use both. Don't make the mistake of thinking anyone knows anything about the site or products or services offered. Navigation The site's navigation tells visitors what they will find on the site, where to start, how to search, where to register, etc. It cannot be vague, obscure or contradicted by conflicting multiple navigation systems. Home page navigation may need to accomplish more than persistent navigation on other pages, through added detail or brief descriptions of sections, and may even be positioned differently. This is okay, but it shouldn't be too different. There should be enough in common that visitors recognize easily that they are two versions of the same thing. The home page establishes the experience the user will have. Plan it carefully to include everything needed to make that experience a good one. If something is hard to use it doesn't get used very much. Would you like more leading edge tips and tools for effective graphic design, Web site development and search engine optimization, brand marketing and communication? Subscribe now to the free "Solutions" e-newsletter - http://pinscreative.blogspot.com/ or join our mailing list at Pinsonnault Creative - http://www.pinscreative.com and get my eBook "10 Best of 2006" free as my thank you. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cynthia_Pinsonnault http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Best-Home-Pages-Establish-Identity-and-Purpose-in-a-User-Friendly-Interface&id=450127 More Web Site Design Articles: How to Create a Successful Web Page Layout Website Templates - Build Your Own Website Benefits of Using a Website Template Website Designing – Things To Keep In Mind A Website Checklist 8 Must Have Graphic Design Skills in Today's Market Freelance Web Designer - Why You Should Use One! The Importance Of Getting The Best Web Design Team Involved In The Project Finding and Using a Free Web Site Template 7 Tips for Improving Your Website Design How To Think Like A Web Designer Planning An Effective Web Site Design Web Site Design: Setting the Wrong Backgrounds and Reducing Readability The Best Home Pages Establish Identity and Purpose in a User-Friendly Interface Website Creation Checklist Considering A WebSite Or Unhappy With The One You Have? 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