Homepage Design: 4 Common Mistakes

0:00- The homepage is one of the most important pages of any given website. It is not only a primary entry point to a site, but oftentimes the only chance you have to persuade a potential customer. In this video, let's discuss four common homepage design mistakes and how to avoid them, so you can create a more effective homepage

0:22that elevates your website. Mistake number one, false floor, or illusional completeness. This happens when the visible content on the page appears complete to the user. And as a result, fails to guide them to discover additional content beyond the fold, the visible content on the screen without scrolling. This issue is increasingly common on homepages due to the growing popularity of showing bulk read images

0:50or videos in the background. For instance, Lemonade's website displays an animation video in the background, without showing any indication of additional content beyond the fold. While you can tell by the scroll bar on the side that there's more content below, the pink call to action button draws so much attention that people will likely overlook

1:13subtle visual cues like this. To avoid false floors on your homepage, make sure that additional content always peaks above the fold to lead people down the page. If you have a responsive website, check out your site on the most commonly used devices to ensure you don't run into false floors. Now, the false floor is not limited

1:35to the vertical dimension. You can also see it happen with horizontal scrolling patterns, like carousels. And this leads us to mistake number two, which is weak or absent scrolling signifiers. While carousels have become a very common design pattern on the homepage, many of them struggle to engage users to move beyond the initial screen.

1:58Take this website for example. The only scrolling cues on this screen are the small dots at the bottom, which are too small to be noticeable and lack clear contrast with the background. The weak scrolling signifiers can cause users to miss additional content in the carousel. Carousels by nature undermine the discoverability of content. Therefore, critical content should not live

2:24within a carousel to begin with. If you are considering doing a carousel for your homepage, make sure to include strong scrolling signifiers, such as content bleeding off page, or visually salient error controls. Mistake number three, deviation from standards. While it can be tempting to experiment with creative designs and layouts on your homepage, keep Jakob's law in mind. People spend most of their time on websites other than yours, and expect your website

2:56to work like websites they have experienced in the past. If you stray too far away from standards, it can slow down users and hinder their comprehension. For example, Uniqlo's homepage took a mobile-first design approach and placed navigation buttons at the bottom of the screen. While this design makes the buttons easy to reach, the unconventional design causes confusion and requires additional explanation,

3:24adding unnecessary cognitive load. Finally, mistake number four, lack of clear focal points. While homepages often contain a wide variety of content and links, there should be a clear visual hierarchy amongst the content. When there are multiple competing elements and no clear focal point, it can feel like your eyes are being pulled in different directions. In this example, there are multiple elements on this page

3:54that are similar in scale and color saturation. Everything is competing for my intention. As a result, the call to action button is buried in this busy background, and the page feels overwhelming. Do a screen test on your homepage. Make sure the most important content stands out from the rest of the page. Remember, when everything is emphasized,

4:20nothing really stands out. You see, homepage design can make or break a website success, so design your homepage with intention, and avoid these four mistakes. By prioritizing key content, adhering to standards, and guiding users to explore additional content, you can craft effective homepages that truly drive your website experience home. - Thanks for watching. If you wanna see more of our UX videos, take a look at these over here,

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