Homepage Usability Checklist

So you chose the best website designer in town, and spent many hours and probably many $$$ optimizing and designing your homepage, however, did you consider the homepage usability or did you just design it based on what looked good and what you thought was important?

It is one thing to get visitors to your website but a whole other challenge to actually get them to convert.

Ask yourself the following questions and optimize your homepage accordingly:

1. Can a visitor landing on the homepage of my website realize, in less than 3 seconds, exactly WHAT I am offering?
2. Can a visitor understand WHY they should choose my product/services rather than my competitors?
3. Can a visitor to my website realize in less than 4 seconds HOW to apply for, or receive what I am offering?
4. Have I offered my visitor multiple means to contact me such as phone number, email, mail address and a form?
5. Do the graphics explain what I am offering or are they just images that I chose to add some color to the page?
6. Are all my images clickable?
7. Does each image have a description if the meaning is not clear?
8. Is the general homepage design professional?
9. Will a visitor find it attractive enough to explore the website further?
10. Are my product categories clearly visible?
11. Is all my corporate information grouped in one section?
12. Do my images have ‘alt’ tags just in case they don’t load?
13. Is my logo and company name clear and noticeable?
14. Does my logo have a value proposition (tagline)
15. Do I use terms such as ‘click here’ or do I explain to my visitors exactly why they should click a link?
16. Are my links obvious?
17. Are all the essential items that I want my visitor to notice above the fold?
18. Is the navigation clear?
19. Is the navigation logical with the most important items towards the top?
20. If my website is large is there a search box?
21. Have I tested the search and made certain that the results are relevant?
22. Is there a sitemap link?
23. Can my visitors choose whether to play videos etc or are they going to be surprised (or embarrassed) by the sudden noise blaring out of their speakers?
24. Have I asked someone to test the page who has never seen it before?

It would be really wonderful if you would share your homepage changes with me. Take a screenshot before and after and keep a track of the results. You can complete the form on my website and I will contact you for more information and write a follow-up post.

Good luck!