In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve made a new addition to my blog recently – a Start Here page! (Update: I removed my Start Here page in exchange for a more detailed homepage, but check out this post and decide for yourself! ;))
I haven’t always been sold on the idea of adding a Start Here page, but the more I thought about it the better it sounded. Previously I didn’t understand why a Start Here page was needed if I already had a dedicated homepage.
If your homepage is designed correctly, do you really need something extra?
But actually, the two have very different goals. A homepage is meant to catch someone’s attention, give a good idea of what you do, and draw people in. Your visitors are meant to see this page over an over. On the other hand, a Start Here page is a great way to lead your first-time readers in the right direction and draw attention to your best content.
If a little direction is something you’d like your first-time visitors to have, a Start Page is probably a great option for you! In this post we’ll go over how to decide what to include on your Start Here page, several content options, and some great examples.
How to decide what your Start Here page should include
Your Start Here page should align with your blog strategy. After all, if adding this new page would distract you or your audience from your goals is it really something you want to spend time creating?
There are two questions to ask yourself when deciding what items to include on your Start Here page.
- What do I want first-timers to learn about when they discover my website?
- What can I include to let new readers know they are in the right place?
After answering those questions, go through the items you’ve defined and ask these two follow-up questions:
- Do each of these things add value to both myself and my audience?
- Can I make all of these items flow together and look nice?
If you answer “no” to either of the above questions it’s likely that you’ve identified an item that doesn’t belong on your Start Here page.
For example, here is the list of items I had after answering the first question:
- My services
- My free course
- My favorite posts
- A little about me
- Upcoming events
And here’s what was added after answering the second question:
- A description of what I do and who I help
- Categories
That gave me quite a long list, which I knew needed to be narrowed down. That’s where the next two questions came in.
After thinking about which items didn’t add as much value as I wanted, I ended up removing my About section. After all, that information is in my footer and everyone knows to go to my About page if they want to learn more about me.
After thinking about putting everything together and making it flow nicely I decided to leave out the description of what I do and who I help. I wanted my Start Page to encourage people to look around and explore my website and I felt like a wall of text didn’t support those kinds of actions. The exact items I was left with: upcoming events, my free course, popular posts, categories, and links to my services!
Now that you know how to decide what to put on your Start Here page, let’s go over a few of the best options.
Featured Opt-In
Your featured opt-in is a great item to lead off your Start Here page with. What better way of saying, “Welcome!” than to give away free value?
In case you aren’t sure what I mean by “featured opt-in”, I’m simply referring to your most valuable opt-in offer. For me it’s my free course, but for you it could be something like an eBook, workbook, or art print!
A great way to draw attention to your opt-in is to use a graphic or clickable button, which will convert much better than a wall of text. You can bet that Lily Liseno will grab the attention of her target audience with this image of her free WordPress theme!
Upcoming Events
Your upcoming events are the perfect thing to display on your Start Here page. Inviting your newest readers to a live online or in-person event is a great way to create a relationship and give them high-value information right from the start.
When my Start Here page features an upcoming event I like to include:
- An eye-catching graphic
- The most important information in a bulleted format, and
- A clickable button linking to the event’s landing page
Popular Posts
Your popular posts are a great thing to make easily available to first-time visitors. This way you’re able to show off your best content and new visitors are able to quickly decide if your content is right for them.
An alternative to popular posts would be a list of posts that are most helpful for someone just starting to learn about your topic. You could include several foundational posts that would give new visitors the information they need to truly understand and appreciate your best content.
Here’s how I display my popular posts on my Start Here page:
Categories
On a related note, categories are another great option. Rather than displaying a few of your most popular posts you can let your new readers decide what is most relevant to them by showing off posts from several categories.
Jordanna from The House of Muses does this beautifully on her Start Here page:
About Section
Since many people on your Start Here page may not have been properly introduced to you yet, this is a great opportunity to introduce yourself!
You can tell them a bit about who you are to build up the trust factor that is so important in this world of blogging and small business. You can also take the opportunity to explain who you help and how you help them. That way your ideal audience can be sure that they’re in the right place.
This is exactly how Holly Meyer begins her Start Here page. Her ideal audience will definitely know they’re being spoken to when they run across her gorgeous website.
Social Media Links
I know one of the first things I do when I find a new blogger I love is follow them on Twitter. Why not make it as easy as possible for new visitors to follow you on multiple platforms by linking to your favorite social media accounts right on your Start Here page?
Holly invites new followers to connect right under the photo you see above with these branded social media icons.
Products & Services
The last item I’ll recommend including is an introduction to your products and services.
Now, this one has some rules. Remember, people who land on your website for the first time aren’t likely to buy from you. Only after they become familiar with your valuable content and get to trust you as a person will they choose to hire you or purchase a product.
Because of this I recommend adding your products and services at the very bottom of your Start Here page. If you do choose to include them, keep it short and sweet. Don’t use up a ton of space laying everything out with detailed explanations. Let new visitors know that you have a few things to offer and let them take it from there.
Here’s how I introduce my new audience members to my services. Nothing complicated, but now they’ll have me in mind the next time they need help with some WordPress development or a blog strategy!
Now that you know some of the best items to include on your Start Here page, let’s learn a little more from the ladies we’ve seen in this post!
Start Here Page Examples
I had the opportunity to talk to 3 lovely ladies about the contents and decisions behind their Start Here pages. If you’re thinking of making a page of your own prepare to be inspired!
Lily Liseno
What is the #1 thing you want first-time visitors to learn about when they land on your website?
That I can offer them support through tips, design, and encouragement – both emotionally and technically speaking.
What made you choose the items you’ve included on your Start Here page? Do they specifically relate to the goals of your blog and business?
I think what my start here page does is give visitors a sense of trust because I offer a lot of stuff for free – since I am coming from a place of wanting to help and support fellow creatives. I offer my best tools and posts for starting a blog, blogging and biz tips, and emotional support.
I broke it into sections so that it is easier to navigate and I have a clear explanation of what I do in just a few words. I also offer paid services that I have linked to my start here page, but most of the paid services are not on that page.
My business goals are to grow a community and earn income from my services and courses, and I think my start here page allows a good starting position for that.
Is there a specific tactic you used to decide the ordering of the items on your Start Here page?
I had a hard time deciding the order, which is why I put everything on my page as links at the top that jump to that section when you click the link. I love it because it lays everything out in one place!
Have you noticed any difference in traffic, bounce rates, or email subscribers since adding it?
I’ve actually had a few more email subscribers a day on average, and I like to think that my start here page contributed to that!
Are there any helpful tools or plugins you used?
I use an HTML code for the page jumps, and a plugin (Column Shortcodes) to use columns for my different offerings. I also display my helpful posts using the gallery option on WordPress and using a plugin to create links for my gallery images (WP Gallery Custom Links).
You can find Lily and learn more about her work here!
Holly Meyer
What is the #1 thing you want first-time visitors to learn about when they land on your website?
I want my visitors to see the value in hiring a professional designer. That I not only have professional experience, but am incredibly passionate about providing them with branding + web design that catapults their business into new heights.
What made you choose the items you’ve included on your Start Here page? Do they specifically relate to the goals of your blog and business?
I made sure to include a newsletter opt-in and social icons so visitors can easily connect with me and learn more about what I do and how I can help. Having thoee available on the page helps me grow my social following and e-mail list.
Is there a specific tactic you used to decide the ordering of the items on your Start Here page?
I wanted to be sure to invite my visitors in, so the first thing on the page is my message to them. Underneath, I included fun facts so they can get to know me a little more personally. Then, I placed calls to action to guide them through the site.
Have you noticed any difference in traffic, bounce rates, or email subscribers since adding it?
Since adding the page, I’ve noticed it’s become one of the most visited on my site.
You can find Holly and learn more about her work here!
Jordanna Rowan
What is the #1 thing you want first-time visitors to learn about when they land on your website?
The number one thing I want visitors to know about is what becoming a part of The House of Muses’ community can do for them— it’s not really about us. I want them to be sure that this is the place for them.
What made you choose the items you’ve included on your Start Here page? Do they specifically relate to the goals of your blog and business?
I built my start here page in order of importance, really. The number one thing I want people to do once they know a little bit about us is to sign up for the newsletter, so they can get the best in-depth content, and free resources. They’re the first people to know about new features, and they get to directly participate in the creation of new courses and content. I mention my blog coaching services, because that is another large part of what I do at The House of Muses, as well as direct them to a number of popular posts in various categories. After coming into contact with our Start Here page, I think they would have a good idea of what the community is all about.
Have you noticed any difference in traffic, bounce rates, or email subscribers since adding it?
The reduction in bounce rates has been wonderful, and I notice that it’s a great way to direct people to areas of the website they might not otherwise visit. More people check out the services we offer. The most significant advantage is the Start Here page’s ability to drive traffic back to old blog posts— the ones that are no longer being featured prominently due to their release date, but which are still packed full of valuable content. My current most popular post is over 8 months old.
Are there any helpful tools or plugins you used?
My favorite plugin that I use for crafting all of my blog posts is Page Builder, by Site Origin. I love the entire Site Origin Widgets Bundle.
You can find Jordanna and learn more about her work here!
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