eCommerce homepage design best practices
The key to decreasing the bounce rate of your homepage is to keep it minimal (but not simplistic) in nature, and avoid common mistakes. All website owners and creators can easily apply a number of the following practices to make their homepage as attractive and user-oriented as possible.
Minimal layout with visual hierarchy: A comprehensive layout with distinctive elements will create a visually smooth, slick interface that keeps the visitor engaged and makes for convenient navigation.
Color palette: Colors evoke emotions, so go for something that will not be tiresome for the user; take into consideration your buyer persona, your competition, and your branding. A useful tip is the use of an accent color, one that will create a contrast with the other two primary colors and will highlight important information.
An effective CTA that stands out: Aim for no more than five words to avoid over-stuffed phrases and use direct, clear messages. Use only one CTA and place it at a visible place, to keep your customers from getting distracted.
High-quality photos/videos: Consider investing in original photos instead of stock photos that other sites might also use. Your products must be displayed in the best possible quality since your visitors do not have the chance to see their preferred items up close. For a fully detailed presentation opt for high-resolution photos, 3D models, and videos.
Consistent font and design: Use the same font throughout the page and keep the theme the same to avoid confusion. A coherent aesthetic is important and should encompass every aspect of your brand, your homepage included.
Things to avoid: For starters, overcrowded graphics, visuals, and text can quickly turn off would-be customers. Bad typography, poorly designed navigation, no white space, or limited color contrast are also some very important ingredients that should be avoided. They will surely give a first bad impression to the user, along with a terrible headache.
Homepage UX best practices
While eCommerce homepage best practices in design are an important factor in capturing users’ attention, usability ensures that a user actually stays on a website and engages with it. A brick-and-mortar store with a beautiful storefront and nice interior quickly become less attractive to a customer if they can’t navigate the store, find what they are looking for, or lack assistance from shop clerks. The premise is exactly the same for websites. A homepage that is optimized for UX should include the following parameters.
Easy navigation and filtering. A homepage should be easy to use, should guide the visitors, and make everything easily findable; reducing your customer’s options will prevent them from getting lost in labyrinths of information.
Follow simple but important conventions: a sticky brand logo that will always redirect your users to the homepage; a catalog with a filtering system that will aid consumers to find what they are looking for faster and with no hassle; a visible search bar.
Predictive search functionality that brings customers to the most commonly suggested products or services.
The page must load fast, run smoothly and not lag. Customers tend to not be particularly patient. (Tip: keep in mind that Google Web Vitals are also very important for SEO as well)
Make your contact information easily accessible.
Clear linking and link access. Despite the SEO benefits, providing links to your most successful posts acts automatically as a strong selling point.
Mobile responsive design is a must; users will definitely abandon an online shop that does not respond well to portable devices.
Read all the 54 eCommerce Homepage Best Practices here.