Homepage Design Essentials: 5 Things You Must Include

Your homepage is your website’s (and often your brand’s!) first impression—so make it count! It’s where visitors decide whether to stay, explore….or simply bounce. But well-crafted homepage design isn’t just about looking good; it’s about guiding users effortlessly, building trust, and inspiring action. Following core website design principles ensures your homepage is both visually appealing and highly functional.

Think of it like a storefront: If it’s cluttered, confusing, or slow, people will walk away. But if it’s welcoming, easy to navigate, and engaging, visitors are more likely to stick around and convert.

So, what goes into a high-performing homepage? Whether you’re launching a new site or refining an existing one, here are the five must-have elements that make all the difference, plus bonus homepage design best practices that you’ll want to keep top of mind.

What Are the Benefits of Good Homepage Design?

Designing your homepage is perhaps the most important part of website planning, as it plays a fundamental role in user experience, conversions, and brand perception. Here’s why good website homepage design matters:

• Better User Experience – A clean, intuitive homepage layout makes it easy for visitors to find what they need, keeping them engaged and reducing frustration.
• Lower Bounce Rate – When users quickly find relevant content and have a seamless experience, they’re more likely to stay on your site longer.
• Higher Conversions – Not surprisingly, if users stay longer, it’s more likely that they will click through on clear calls to action (CTAs), and take key steps like signing up, purchasing, or contacting your business.
• Stronger Credibility – A professional, visually appealing homepage builds trust and reassures visitors that your brand is reliable and authoritative.
• Improved SEO – A well-structured, mobile-friendly homepage with fast loading times helps improve search rankings and attract more organic traffic. 

How to Design a Homepage

A homepage is your homebase, your front door, and your chance to make a good first impression— and it can also quickly determine whether a customer decides to stay or leave. 

A well-designed homepage should immediately communicate who you are, what you offer, and why it matters to your audience. It should be visually appealing, easy to navigate, and structured to guide users toward taking action.

To achieve this, your website homepage design needs a strategic mix of elements that enhance user experience, establish credibility, and drive conversions. Applying fundamental web design principles ensures your homepage is both visually compelling and highly functional. 

Below are the essential components of an effective homepage and how to implement them successfully.

1. Design a Strong Hero Section

The hero section is the large, prominent area at the top of your homepage. Think of it as your website’s first impression—it sets the tone, grabs attention, and quickly tells visitors what they need to know. If you don’t nail it, site visitors might not even bother checking out anything else. 

With that in mind, here are the key elements of an effective homepage hero section:

• Use a clear, concise headline that highlights your unique value proposition (not sure how to come up with one? These ChatGPT prompts for marketing can help).
• Include a supporting subheadline that provides additional context or key benefits.
• Feature a strong call to action that guides users toward the next step, such as signing up, shopping, or learning more.
• Keep it visually engaging with a high-quality image or video that complements your message.

Nike keeps it simple but powerful with their homepage hero section, which includes an evocative and animated shoe, along with a straightforward call to action to buy their “just in” product.

2. Use Consistent Branding

Your homepage design should build and reinforce your brand identity, creating a cohesive experience that makes your business memorable and trustworthy.

• Use consistent colors, typography, and design elements that align with your brand.
• Ensure your logo is clearly visible in the header.
• When writing web content, be sure to maintain a consistent tone and voice in your messaging to reflect your brand personality.
• Keep your design clean and uncluttered to prioritize user experience and ease of navigation.

Few do brand better than Magic Spoon. They’ve chosen unmistakable colors, a consistent font, and other playful design elements (like scattered cereal pieces) that are sprinkled throughout their homepage.

3. Create Compelling CTAs

Calls to action (CTAs) guide visitors toward taking specific actions. Without them, users might get distracted, or just not be sure of what to do next….and then, sadly, quickly leave your site. So it’s extra important to get them right—how they look, what they say, and where they’re placed. Here are some key points to keep in mind: 

• Use clear and action-oriented language, such as “Get Started,” “Shop Now,” or “Book a Demo.”
• Ensure CTAs are visually distinct, using contrasting colors and bold buttons to make them stand out.
• Place CTAs strategically, ensuring they are above the fold and repeated throughout the page where necessary.
• Limit the number of choices to avoid overwhelming users—focus on one or two key actions.

The Dollar Shave Club does a solid job of creating a very clear and prominent call to action. It’s informative, hard to miss, and straight to the point. And instead of just a boring “buy now,” they state the exact price and product, making the CTA extra actionable. 

4. Add Engaging Visuals

Visual content plays a major role in how users perceive your website and brand—partly because they establish who you are, but also because they create interest and invite users to explore further. As such, high-quality images, videos, and graphics help make your website homepage design more engaging and professional.

• Use high-resolution images that align with your brand and message.
• Consider embedding videos that showcase your product, service, or company story to boost engagement.
• Ensure visuals load quickly and are optimized for both desktop and mobile devices.
• Avoid generic stock photos—authentic images that are true to your business and brand will help build more trust and connection.

Recess’s homepage below is a complete brand experience thanks to punchy images that transmit the essence of the product’s calm, cool, and collected vibe.

5. Include Convincing Social Proof

Social proof reassures visitors that they can trust your business, making them more likely to take action. It provides validation that your product or service delivers real value.

• Include customer testimonials or reviews that highlight positive experiences.
• Showcase logos of well-known clients or partners to build credibility.
• Display user-generated content (UGC) or social media mentions to show real-life engagement.
• If applicable, highlight awards, certifications, or media features to reinforce trust.

In the below homepage design, Bearaby includes rotating quotes and logos from respected and well known media outlets, adding an instant layer of credibility. 

Homepage Design Best Practices

Great homepage design isn’t just about looking good—it should also be easy to navigate, fast, and user-friendly. By applying proven website design principles, you can create a homepage that balances aesthetics with usability and performance. 

Here are four essential homepage design best practices to ensure your site delivers a seamless experience:

1. Implement Intuitive Homepage Design

A well-structured homepage should guide visitors naturally, making it easy for them to find what they need without confusion.

• Follow a clear visual hierarchy—important elements like headlines, CTAs, and key information should stand out.
• Keep navigation simple and accessible, ensuring users can easily find their way around.
• Avoid clutter and distracting design elements that overwhelm visitors. Stick to a clean and balanced homepage layout.
• Use consistent fonts, colors, and spacing to create a professional and cohesive look.

Check out how Warby Parker keeps it clean and simple with a crisp navigation menu, a fresh but uncluttered hero image, and calls to action that are direct and clear.

2. Stick to What Works

When it comes to homepage design, creativity is great—but usability is essential. Users expect familiar homepage layouts and navigation patterns, and straying too far from these can create confusion and frustration.

• Don’t reinvent the wheel—stick to design conventions that people are already comfortable with (that is, logo in the top left, navigation at the top, a clear call-to-action).
• Prioritize usability over novelty—while unique design elements can be eye-catching, they shouldn’t come at the cost of user experience.
• Make navigation intuitive—visitors should instantly understand where to click and how to find what they need.
• Limit excessive animations or unconventional homepage layouts—they can slow down the site and distract from the main goal.

A simple, well-structured website that follows homepage design best practices will always outperform a confusing or overly complex design. Keep things clean, familiar, and easy to use.

We love Oatly, but a homepage design like this is a big swing that few can pull off. It’s bold and fun, but also, what are you supposed to do next? How does the sideways scroll work? This type of homepage design forces users to overcome an initial touch of confusion just to figure out how to navigate the site—and this is why, for the average Joe or JoeAnn, it’s wise to stick to what visitors are used to.

3. Make Sure It Loads Quickly

A slow-loading homepage can frustrate users and cause them to leave before they even see your content. So optimizing your website for speed is non-negotiable.

• Compress images and use next-gen formats (e.g., WebP) to reduce file sizes without losing quality.
• Minimize unnecessary scripts and plugins to improve performance.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN) to ensure fast load times for users across different locations.
• Choose a reliable hosting provider that offers speed-optimized infrastructure.  
• Enable browser caching so returning visitors don’t have to reload all elements from scratch.

4. Keep Visitors Moving Through Your Site

Not every visitor is ready to make a purchase the moment they land on your homepage—but that doesn’t mean they should leave. A well-designed homepage encourages exploration, keeping users interested and moving them further down the funnel.

To accomplish this: 

• Use Strategic CTAs – Offer multiple entry points beyond just “Buy Now” or “Sign Up.” Try alternatives like “Learn More,” “See How It Works,” or “Explore Our Collections” to guide visitors through your site and based on their intent.
• Highlight Related Content – Recommend blog posts, case studies, or product comparisons to educate visitors and keep them interested.
• Create Clear Navigation Paths – Use intuitive menus, breadcrumbs, and internal links to make it easy for visitors to explore different sections of your site.

By giving visitors a reason to explore, you increase the chances that they’ll find what they need, build trust with your brand, and eventually convert when they’re ready.

Oura’s homepage design below successfully moves people through the different pages of their site—Why Oura, How It Works, and For Business—with strategically placed calls to action that invite users to learn more.

Bringing Your Website Homepage Design to Life

A well-designed homepage doesn’t just look good; it works hard, guiding users seamlessly, keeping them engaged, and nudging them toward action. The best part? Creating a homepage that’s clear, compelling, and conversion-friendly isn’t rocket science. By following smart website design principles, you set the stage for success.

And getting started is easier than you think! With SiteGround’s Site Builder, you can craft a polished, professional website without the headaches. Customizable templates, user-friendly tools, and reliable hosting mean you can launch a stunning site in no time—no coding required.