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Give your home page a clear message

Too often, businesses will write their home pages as if readers arrive there with endless amounts of attention, good will and time.

In fact, readers show up with two paramount questions in mind: “What’s this about?” and “Is this relevant to me?”

Hence, enigmatic headlines and storytelling that only slowly gets to the point drive people away instead of enticing them.

Give your ideal customers multiple quick signals that they should stick around and explore, including:

* A content-rich headline (not “The One Thing Your Home Desperately Needs” but “Increase Your Home Security, Comfort and Market Value for Less Than $20 a Month”)

* Subheads down the page that reinforce and expand on the themes in the headline – important cues for skimmers

* Stories that begin only after you’ve gotten across your main message in the first one or two paragraphs

Do not imagine your reader as someone who has already settled in around a fire with you, anticipating goosebumps or an edifying tale. Your visitor is more like someone who pokes a head in the door before committing to walk inside. 

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