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Common Mistakes Home Page Design
he home page of a Web information on the home page
site, Intranet or portal is limits the space available for
the most important page. It valuable links. Further, it
should tell site visitors, what increases the risk that site
they can do precisely deeper in visitors do not even start
the site or at least inform them, navigating the site, as they do
what they may be able to expect. not find their specific entry
However, in most cases, the home point to start their specific
page is just a compromise to action or scenario. There are two
satisfy internal politics and types of pages, which apply to
neglecting site visitors' needs. any Web applications such as Web
To set up an effective home page sites, Intranets and portals.
that matches corporate objectives Those are navigation pages and
and user's expectations the destination pages. Navigation
following pitfalls should be pages allow site visitors
avoided: discovering the options to
navigate. Destination pages
1) Too much information instead provide the information, which
of links: Many home pages provide site visitors are looking for.
detailed information such as The home page is the ultimate
complete news, company navigation page. It needs to
description, etc. or are provide as much as possible links
overloaded with images. Site to the various Web sections. The
visitors do not want to read Web strategy determines the links
information on the home page nor from the home page to the site
guessing what might be hidden sections. There are two major
behind an image. They want to linking approaches:
find a link to start navigating
to the information, which they - Individual link, which relates
came for. Providing detailed to one link for a complete Web
section. designers know that animations
- Category links, which is one are more destructive than
link to a complete Web section, increasing site effectiveness.
followed by links to further Web designers need to clearly
detail this section (sub-category explain the differences between
links). offline and online media. In
offline marketing, publicity
Provide category links for needs to attract the attention of
strategic Web sections that you prospects. For example, if you
want your target audience to are walking on a street,
browse and navigate to (for advertising such as ad posters
example for IT companies provide must attract your attention, as
category and sub-category links you are not walking down a street
to product and service overviews, to discover ads. In online media,
customer engagements, download site visitors already decided to
section). Use individual links go to a Web site with a specific
for Web sections that target goal in mind (e.g. finding
secondary audiences (for example contact, product or support
company profile or recruitment). information, etc.). Hence, the
Web site does not need to attract
2) Animations / animated links: the visitor's attention. There
Even though that usability are successful concepts to
research clearly shows that replace animations such as the
animations such as rotating so-called hooks. Hooks are static
banners, animated text, etc. images or graphics with a minimum
distracts site visitors, it is of text to tell site visitors
still used on many business what they can expect by clicking
sites. In most cases, marketing on them. Hooks are not limited to
managers request Web designer to the home page but can be used on
implement animations although all navigation pages. Effective
hooks target the page audience visitor frustration and to
(best practice sites: increase site effectiveness.
www.cisco.com, www.ups.com).
Place hooks on the home page that 4) Missing the home page basics:
target the prime Web audience, on There are a few usability
subsequent navigation pages, practices, which Web designer
refine hooks accordingly to the should implement on the home page
page audience. such as:
3) Not telling what site users - Home page length less than two
can do on the site: Site visitors screens at a resolution of
do not go unintentionally to a 800x600, best would be to fit
Web site. They have a specific within one screen. Place
action in mind such as finding strategic links on the first
pricing information, applying for screen (upper half of the home
a job, downloading the annual page, if the home page exceeds
report, etc. Using action verbs one screen), as site visitors
such as download, apply, compare, generally do not scroll on
discover, etc. facilitates site navigation pages and hence would
visitors to find immediately the miss the important links.
link to start their scenario.
Action verbs define further links - Links to site support tools
(for example a link named such as site map or site search.
"product" can be misleading as it About 30 percent of site visitors
does not tell what kind of prefer finding their information
"actions" will be available such using site search. Therefore it
as downloading, comparing, is crucial that Web sites provide
ordering, test driving, etc.). search functionality (e.g. the
Complementing links with action search box) directly from the
verbs helps to reduce site home page.
on the home page but from any
- Link to privacy policy from the other pages within the site.
text navigation at the bottom and
link to the company profile - Navigation consistency with the
(navigation bar and text rest of the site. Ensure that the
navigation bar). navigation on the home page is
consistent with the rest of the
- Company logo available in the site to avoid user confusion.
upper left corner. However, it
should not provide an active link
About the Author:
Nicolas Bürki is the founder of effinfo (http://www.effinfo.com) , a European based usability and Strategic Web Marketing company. Our consulting engagements are delivered in English, French and German language. - Benefit from our freely availabe Web publications (http://www.effinfo.com/index.cfm?do=research)
Read more articles by: Nicolas Buerki
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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