7 Mistakes to Avoid With Your Homepage

Most coaches, consultants, & creators do not have a homepage that connects with their ideal client.

Hopefully this is encouraging to hear as it means there is opportunity for you to make progress.

Here are a common problems that I see all the time:

1. Overloaded with crammed content

Too much content? Is that even possible?

Yes. In fact, many homepages fall into this category.

Let me be clear, I’m talking about too much of the wrong content (unclear), or too much content in a single section (distraction).

The actual size of the homepage could be quite long (most homepages I create are 8 to 12 sections). Each section should have a purpose, instead of simply putting words on the screen.

But have you ever tried to listen to someone as a few others fought for your attention? It’s very difficult to listen and understand without getting distracted.

This is exactly what happens with homepages that are crammed with content.

So much is attempted to be communicated that they end up not communicating a single thing.

Get clear on what you want to communicate, and lose everything else - it’s fluff.

2. It’s all about ME

You make yourself the hero of the story.

I call this the ME-MONSTER and it wages terror on websites near and far.

People get bored hearing about other people, especially people they don’t care about.

(Psst, you fall into this category with folks who have never worked with you.)

Instead, you should talk about THEM! 

Talk about what your ideal client is facing, the problems they have, and what life could look like on the other side for THEM.

3. Look how good we are

This ties in with the ME-MONSTER, but it also points to how some people think about marketing and sales. 

“If only they knew how good we are, then they would want to work with us”

But that is not how human psychology works.

More goes into the buying process than purely how good one claims they are.

Plus, you’ve been in business, and been a customer, for long enough to know that it rarely comes down to who is “better”.

4. Don’t think, just buy

This is on the opposite side of having too much content - too little.

People don’t want to be overwhelmed, but they still have questions and points of concern that need to be addressed.

Don’t skip on identifying your client’s problems. Show them that you understand their situation, explain what life could look like on the other side of working with you, and give them a plan towards success.

5. Confusing next steps

Have you ever landed on a website and struggled to find how to get in touch with the business?

It happens all the time.

Make your call-to-action/s very clear and easy to find. At the bare minimum there should be a distinct button in the navigation bar.

You might also consider a secondary call-to-action that allows the visitor to download a guide or get access to a newsletter.

Sometimes business owners fear that they will come across as pushy if they place multiple CTAs on their website - NOT THE CASE.

6. WHO do you work with?

It can be scary to take a stand and clearly state who you work with, but I promise, it will help you more than hurt you.

Give people a reason to say “Oo! Yes! These folks work with people who are exactly in my situation!”

Isn’t that so much better than the lackluster reply we so often give, “I pretty much work with anyone!”

Wonk.

Take a stand, define your market, and enjoy the rewards.

7. What’s the plan?

You can promise someone you're the AAA best player, show them the proof of your past work and success, even speak to their problems, but without giving them the plan on how you’re going to take them from here to there, it can be hard to believe the hype.

It can be really easy to just talk about the good, but make sure you also speak to the fears and uncertainties.

This is where creating a simple 3-5 step plan comes in.

Want to create a homepage that you’re proud of?

I created something to help! The homepage blueprint.

If you are wanting a step-by-step guide that shows you how to create a homepage that connects with your ideal client, the homepage blueprint is made exactly for you.