Not every visitor that comes to your
website will enter through the home page — they may first land on a product page,
blog post,
case study, etc. That’s why having a Start Here page provides immense value because it gives a clear, central location that directs visitors to where they want to go instead of them bouncing from your site.
See how a Start Here page can benefit your site and the seven essential elements to drive more engagement and conversions!
The Difference Between Start Here and About Pages
Often confused with the About page, the Start Here page serves a completely different function and its design should reflect that purpose. Visitors go to the About page when they want to learn more about the brand’s story and journey.
The Start Here page, however, helps new visitors better navigate the site to ensure they have the best possible experience. Although different, both pages provide value to visitors and enhance your
search engine optimization (SEO).
Benefits of a Start Here Page
A Start Here page is a fast, effective way to create a bond with new visitors to your site. Adding this page to your site offers a variety of benefits such as:
- Gives visitors a clear direction
- Reduces bounce rates
- Increases conversions — purchases, signups, downloads, etc.
- Drives traffic to other content — guides, videos, reviews, etc.
- Moves visitors along the buyer’s journey (awareness > consideration > decision)
To reap these benefits, it’s crucial that you prominently display your Start Here page in the navigation menu, home page’s call-to-action (CTA), and welcome email for new subscribers. With these different signals, visitors will be more encouraged to actually start with your Start Here page rather than wander aimlessly around your site, or worse, bounce from it.
7 Elements of Successful Start Here Pages
Start Here pages look differently from site to site, however, there are seven elements you should include to make yours more successful. By incorporating most or all of these on the page, it will provide more value to visitors and increase conversions.
1. Provide a clear, concise statement about your business
Succinctly explain who you are and who will benefit from your product or service. Your business won’t be for everyone, so having this statement will help weed out those that aren’t looking for what you’re offering. If they keep reading, then it’s a strong sign that they’re your target customer.
2. Add one or two helpful definitions
Every market has a few keywords and phrases that first-time visitors may not be familiar with. Including a couple of definitions of niche acronyms or terms can help visitors better understand your business and offerings.
3. Link to your best content
Encourage prospects to learn about your solution and stay on the site longer by linking to your best content. However, be careful not to overdo it because too many links will overwhelm and confuse visitors. Instead, strike a balance between value/information and the page’s flow.
4. Mention your products/services
You don’t need to go into great detail about your products or services since each should have a dedicated page, but they should be mentioned on your Start Here page to direct visitors if they want more information.
5. Ask prospects to sign up for emails updates
Include an email signup form below the fold of the page to keep in touch with leads through newsletters, promotions, and updates. Asking new visitors for their information right away can be a turn-off because you haven’t yet demonstrated your value or expertise. However, if you completely leave it off the page, you’ll miss out on
growing your email list.
6. Place a contact form at the bottom of the page
Another element that should be included towards the bottom of the Start Here page is a contact form. Having it right there on the page instead of directing visitors to your contact page will eliminate a needless step in collecting their information.
7. Have a clear page format
Most visitors will scan the page, which is why your Start Here (and any other page for that matter) should be easy to read. You can do this with subheadings, bullet points, and graphics, as well as breaking up large chunks of text into smaller paragraphs to improve readability.
Enhance Your Marketing System with Start Here Page
The Start Here page is perfect for welcoming new visitors while improving your site’s user experience and SEO. Plus, it provides strategic marketing opportunities to attract prospects, which can lead to more business. That's why Start Here pages are an excellent complement to websites and make
marketing systems stronger.
Schedule a free consultation now to get a marketing system that drives sales for your business!
Editor's Note: This post was originally published in October 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.