The Art of the Homepage
First impressions are important. Whether it be the landing page or the homepage, the design determines the success of connecting with the visitors as well as the continued success of the business.
One of the design challenges I enjoy is finding websites of companies that are in industries of interest, and redesigning the homepage to match visitor needs with the delivery of company content in a digestible way. Knowing the statistical data of what people want to see when they first visit your site can provide a comprehensive checklist of what is needed for a successful first impression.
One of the industries making it’s way through the noise is the cannabis industry. New growth, dispensary, and transportation businesses are popping up everywhere, and some companies that have been dormant due to policy and law are now trying to revive and rebrand to keep up with the competition. This makes room for providing new B2C and even B2B solutions to align with the projected $100 billion growth by 2030.
Toke is one startup I found that seeks to provide those solutions. Now, I am not affiliated with this company at all, but I found that their homepage made me examine if the first impression provided for the wants and needs of potential visitors and customers. From the chart above, the 3 main areas of visitor importance are:
- Products & Services
- Contact Information
- Company Information
The Original
What I found was that even though the 3 main areas were included, the overall layout still made the digestion of the information difficult. Another obstacle I perceived is that if you don’t necessarily look to the right side of the screen to choose whether you’re a Dispensary Representative or a Cannabis User, you will have to continuously scroll until you find information pertaining to your visit.
The Solution
With the 3 areas of visitor importance, clarity and navigation is needed to provide a successful first impression. Attention spans are short these days, and the goal is to capture it and keep it coming back. In this case, we cannot neglect the power of having a Top Navigation Bar. This is known to increase page visits not only because of aesthetics, but because of organization.
Content layout, typography, hierarchy, iconography, and photo treatments were also arranged to clearly digest the Product and Services offered.
Through this design challenge I learned of the importance of comprehensive layouts and organized navigation in solving for the 86% of visitors needs when they visit any site. Keeping this in mind before you go directly into designing can save you time and energy with extensive iterations, and it will assist in making your first impression a lasting one.
