Your home page is the most common entry point to your site. It is the first thing most visitors see. This is your chance to establish credibility and trust with visitors. Your Home page is your first impression, just as a storefront sets the tone for brick-and-mortar businesses. You will have a chance to make any sales pitch, or share samples of your work on the other pages of your site. The home page establishes trust, and invites the visitor to further explore your site.

It is important that visitors to your site can find the information they want quickly and easily. Most people will not stay long if they dont find valuable information right away. Clearly outlining who you are, what you do, and what you have to offer will add credibility and put visitors at ease. Let visitors know what they expect to find on the rest of your site. Do you offer work samples, testimonials, products for sale, helpful information, or special offers? Your home page is the perfect place to share this information.

Make sure the information you display on your Home page is clear and concise. A large block of text on a home page is likely to scare off visitors. However, do not leave out important information. Remember, your home page is your chance to make a first impression. Do count on a visitor going to another page on your site to read about you. Clearly state anything you want to share with visitors first.

Some things you may want to include on your Home page are:

• A statement of purpose (Consider the purpose and audience of your Web site).
• Who you are
• What you have to offer visitors to your site
• Why should someone give you business
• What visitors can expect to find on your site
• Information that adds credibility (Length of time in business, professional recognition, certificates and licenses)