How Your Homepage is Like a Job Interview

Understanding that your homepage is like a job interview with a potential employer is a great way to ensure you get that second in-person interview.

So here is your “website interview” at work.

1) Your Greeting

• Your greeting will be the first impression with your potential employer, or in this case your potential customer
• Present your most important information and what you have to offer above the fold with a clear UVP
• Ensure that you know your buyer personas so you can say the right things impress them

2) Your Handshake

• Follow up your greeting with a solid handshake, or in this case a solid supporting statement to communicate what you do

3) Your Appearance

• A great first impression can be instantly because of an interesting fashion statement
• Let your employer see your talents rather than distracting them with a creative appearance
• Same goes for your website; don’t let background imagery take over (visitors may miss the point of why they are there)

4) Ask Questions

• Your greeting should be welcoming and encourage your interviewer to probe more
• On your website, make sure to give your visitor a vehicle to enter into deeper conversation with you (ex. a contact us form or an email subscription sign up)

5) Invitation to Begin the Interview

• Do you have a strong call-to-action? Make sure you have a way for a visitor to commit to a more in depth conversation with your company
• Merely asking them to learn more isn’t enough, you need action-oriented verbiage on your CTAs in order for them to commit

6) Small Talk

• Not everyone will be immediately ready to jump into an interview, so a bit of small talk around what you do and why you do it may be needed
• Make sure you provide them with enough supporting information to make their decision

7) Your References

• Name-dropping is encouraged in these sorts of interviews; good idea to talk about past companies you have worked for if you think they will make a mark
• The same thing goes for your homepage. Build confidence and trust with your potential clients by showing them other recognizable brands who trust you

8) Background Check

• Before, after, or even during your interview, your potential client may want to learn more about your background
• Provide menus to help visitors get all the added information they may need to make their next decision

Not all homepages are alike. You need to know your industry, personas, and communication preferences of your potential clients. Using our break down as a guide you should be able to optimize your own homepage to improve your first “interview” with visitors.

Want to learn more about lead generation? Get your FREE Introduction to Lead Generation Guide here.

This blog is part of Your Definitive Guide to Conversion Rate Optimization blog series.