The homepage of your website should communicate what you do right from the very first look your client has of it. Websites for real estate agents should look like they sell real estate from the first look as should a lifestyle page. The homepage has to be interesting enough to capture the attention of the person visiting your website for the very first time. It should be user-friendly and represent what your brand stands for.
Below are 8 things you can add to your website to make your homepage interesting enough for a potential client to read through it.
A Logo
Your company or brand logo should be the very first thing your client sees once they access your website’s homepage. The logo should introduce you and what you or your brand or your company portrays. The logo should be placed on the top left corner of the page where someone visiting will notice it and can describe the logo even when they forget the name of the company. Websites for real estate agents must exude confidence and faith in your business and a logo on your home page is the best place to start.
Let the logo be on its own. Let it capture your visitor’s attention. You can use it as a home navigation button if it seems like too much for it to stand alone.
Navigation Links
Links are an important thing to have on your website. Visitors to your real estate website should be able to easily access any page they want to on your navigation links and menu. Add dropdown or expanded menus. Make things easier to access for people who have never been on your website. Make everything about you and your real estate business available.
The Hero Image
The main background image of the website homepage is what we call a hero image. This image should represent what you are offering to clients. If it is real estate you show images of properties you have sold or your meeting with happy clients who did business with you.
The hero image may be a slideshow representing what you offer or maybe a single image to present it. The hero shot should create an emotional connection between the visitors to the website and the message the website is trying to sell.
Headline
The headline is by far the most important line on your website. It should impact the reader and help swing their opinion in your favor. It has to be meaningful but short and powerful enough to keep the visitors to your website entertained and interested. Follow this with a description of you or your company. Discuss your motivation and what you offer and what you hope to achieve with your website. Make sure whatever you choose to say can be relatable to your audience. You can hire a copywriter in case you do not feel up to the task in making the headline stand up to the competition. It will bring up an extra cost but it will be worth investing in. A headline can make or break your real estate business, so give it serious consideration.
Portfolio
Your portfolio should show the visitors of your website what you can do for them. It must show them what you have provided before and what you can provide for them if they work with you. You can present the portfolio in galleries or case studies or by providing stats about your service. By showing the portfolios to the clients, you show proof of expertise and give them faith in what you can produce. This is especially true in the real estate industry as past success speaks volumes about what you can do for current clients.
Call to Action Buttons
This helps generate new leads. They allow users to interact with you proactively. Ensure you correlate the content of the website with the action you want them to take. Limit these to strategic points on your homepage and provide click-through continuity. Write your call to action text with clear action words that use an approachable tone to communicate with.
Social Proof
Establish trustworthiness by offering social proof. These are things like testimonials from clients, awards, certifications or accolades. Mention affiliations and partnerships as well as things like media features and press.
The best method of presenting social proof includes placing direct quotations and excerpts from publications about you from influencers in the industry. Make them more relatable as you give an overview of the work you have done professionally.
Newsletter Signups
As you finish up on the website, offer something valuable for your visitors. Keep an ongoing relationship with your audience. Some people give free newsletters or eBooks while real estate agents can offer market advice or free consultations. Find something reasonable that you can offer and offer that at the end of your home page.