Good Web sites meet the readers’ needs. To create a site that does this, it’s crucial to realize how people use the Web. Most of us are rapidly searching for information. We aren’t initially interested in reading long blocks of text. When we get to your home page, we’re wondering if we’ve come to the right place, if your organization does what we think it does. So make it easy for us. Give us this information up front.

     Your home page is probably the one seen most often by most people. Many people won’t go past it. Consider this page to be the most valuable piece of real estate in your entire site.

     This is probably not the place for your mission statement or a letter from the president. This is the place to state what you do and what your competitive advantages are, as briefly as possible.

     Point-form lists are great. Whenever you have a list of products or services to name anywhere in the site, it’s a good idea to use bullets. If you have more to communicate about each one, consider providing a click-through link so that readers can jump to more detail if interested. Make it easy for us to get what we want.

     Another way to break up text and make it easier for skimmers to read is to use descriptive headings and sub heads. Our eyes leap to things that stand out, and good headings convey the essence of information. If we only read sub heads, we should get a good idea of your most important points.

     As we become more interested in your organization, we may explore your site further. In-depth descriptions, sales pitches, articles, news releases, newsletters and other materials have a place under specific categories of the site. Let readers seek them out as they settle in to read all about your organization.

     If you keep your home page simple, to-the-point and complete with the basic information, your Web site will be able to return your investment in its valuable real estate.