You asked for it, so here it is – my 6-step formula for writing a website home page 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 HOME PAGE COPY.
Now this post is in response to many of your requests so I hope you find it helpful — and keep those suggestions coming guys! I do pay attention to each and every one of your comments and personally respond to as many as possible
Now, whether you’re writing copy for your own website, or sprucing up the home page for a client, you want to make sure to GET IT RIGHT.
Because even though your home page may not be your “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.
Think about it…
You may be scrolling through Instagram and see a brand name or person you want to know more about, so what do you do? You Google them.
Or maybe you’re on Facebook and you see an ad in your feed for some free e-course. You click, because it’s a great ad, but the resulting landing page is set up 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 new potential 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.
The goal of your home page 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 website home page as your PR page! It’s public relations at its finest…
Your home page is most often the first thing people and prospects see on your website…
So you gotta make that first impression count.
According to MarTech Today, a company’s home page accounts for up to 50 percent of a site’s total pageviews. And Crazy Egg, another website optimization source — estimates that you have under a 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 HOME PAGE, not an About Page or Landing Page.
Your About Page is separate from your home page 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.
Think of your home page as an “elevator pitch” about who you are and what you do and your About Page is where people go to get the full story.
Now a Landing Page, on the other hand, is designed to receive direct traffic from a specific source, such as an email or an ad. Hence the word “landing”.
Landing pages are conversion tools and focus on a single 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 home page, which acts as the permanent root to your .com.
And if you want to learn more about the latest copywriting techniques and proven formulas…
Check out my Copy Posse Newsletter! I pour a lot of love and hours every week into creating tutorials for aspiring and experienced copywriters and business owners like you based on my own experience of building a successful copywriting business over the past 8 years.
Alright, let’s get to it. Here are my 6 steps for writing your home page copy! Each one comes in the form of a question you must address in the minds of your ideal website visitor…
Q #1: What Can You Do For Me?
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 home page, above the fold, is the most important one. This is what determines whether someone stays and scrolls, or bounces on out of there….
This best header copy clearly states your business or brand name, and your unique selling proposition. Do not, 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 its headline and subhead to convey a powerful benefit and quickly summarize what it can do for you.
And, don’t forget to include other elements in your header that may or may not directly involve copy but are focal to your brand, such as your logo and a clear, easy-to-navigate menu.
If you want to see 10 more brands that are nailing it with their home page
s header copy, check out my video tutorial here on 10 Brands With A Killer Slogan.
Okay next up. Your prospects will ask…
Q #2: Why Should I Listen To YOU?
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 home page, 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 home page.
Or you could do a quick dive into your origin story to be real about your journey, like my friend Connor Beaton, an 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 question…
Q #3: What Makes You Legit?
It’s important that your home page builds trust and credibility. So showcase as much social proof as possible!
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 home page, 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, lol, but you get the idea.
If you or your client don’t have any of these credibility boosters 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 platforms which gives your business more visibility and therefore credibility.
And, no matter what you share, ALWAYS make sure it’s fact-checked and authentic, okay?
Alright, moving on to the next question on everyone’s mind…
Q #4: What Do You Do?
Many brands and businesses have made the mistake of leaving this critical piece of information elsewhere on their site, such as the About page or a dedicated “Work With Me” page.
While it’s 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 of what your service or product really is!
Even if you’ve mentioned it briefly on other parts of your home page, make sure you 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 clever job of this with a “Why” section that both establishes how they work and the benefits a client would experience by working with them, along with their services.
Ok, now that you’ve got that covered, it’s time to answer this question…
Q #5: Where Do I Start?
Don’t make people guess the next steps! Let them know how to get in touch, experience your product, or potentially work with you!
If you do have a lead capture on your home page, make sure that it is visible at multiple points throughout the copy. Don’t just rely on a single call to action button on the header or footer alone.
Feature it midway on your home page page. Or use a floating signup bar in a way that doesn’t disturb your visitors… A great tool I’ve seen before is hellobar. It allows you to add a subtle and slick call-to-action banner on your site – similar to the 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, call or strategy session – via a contact form.
It all depends on your brand and business, but here’s a tip…
Your CTA should be highly relevant to the USP you specified in your header.
Ok and now we’re down to our last question…
Q #6: Why Should I Stick Around?
Ultimately, the goal of your home page 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 home page should make it easy for your audience to visit other parts on your site. This could be done by linking your home page to other featured pages, for example: your About Page, Work With Me Page, and Blog.
Sharing your social media and content platforms is also a great way to get visitors to explore your brand. So make sure you have visible icons or plug-ins on your home page to make it easier for them to connect and engage with you on say, FB, LI, IG and YT. (I hope 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 home page which includes a link to his latest free training, events, blog post, podcast, and other social networks.
So those are the 6 questions you need to answer to create massive authority with your home page copy. And 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?
As always leave me a comment below if you found this post helpful!
And if you to go further, check out my mini-course—the Look Legit Website Toolkit! You’ll get everything you need to create a website that sparks authority, trust & serious sales.
And thanks a lot for reading! Till next week, I’m Alex. Ciao for now!
Watch This Instead
