A website is your brand’s calling card – a place on the internet where your potential customers can reach you. However, simply having a website isn’t enough. If your website ranks low in Google search results, it’s difficult for potential customers to find you. For this reason, it’s worth investing in website SEO.
Although SEO is most often associated with subpages or blogs, a well-optimized homepage can significantly impact the visibility of the entire website. The homepage is usually the first page a user lands on when visiting our site. It should contain basic information about who we are and what we do. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that this homepage is well-positioned.
That’s why below we present 5 basic steps that will help you take care of your homepage positioning.
Selecting and using the right keywords on your home page
Think about what you want to be associated with by Google searchers. This is the keyword, the phrase a user types into the free search engine when searching for a specific service, product, or information. If you want to reach a potential customer, your homepage should answer this user’s query.
How do you choose the right keyword? First, consider what you want to offer, to whom, and where. For example, if you’re a local service provider, you can use phrases that describe your city, such as “plumber Krakow,” “hairdresser Rzeszów,” etc. If you run an online store, you can use phrases like “sportswear online,” “running shoes store,” etc.
To determine which keywords to use, use a tool like Google Keyword Planner. This free tool is available in Google Ads. With it, you can:
- Check how frequently a given phrase is searched monthly,
- review other keyword suggestions,
- assess whether competition for a given term is high or low,
- compare the popularity of phrases in different locations.
Once we’ve found our keywords, where should we place them on the homepage? This keyword phrase should appear in several strategic places:
- The page title (title tag) is the text that appears in the browser as the title in Google.
- The H1 heading is the main title visible on the page.
- The meta description (meta description) is a short description displayed below the Google link. It influences click-through rates.
- The first paragraph of the content. Google pays particular attention to the beginning of the content, so it’s a good idea to place the keyword there.
It’s important not to overuse the keyword phrase on the homepage. Natural language is valued, so it’s best to incorporate keywords in a way that’s logical and understandable to humans, not just to the algorithm.
Proper header structure on the home page
One common mistake on homepages is chaotic content layout, such as large blocks of text not divided into paragraphs, random fonts, or incorrect use of headings. Meanwhile, it’s important to pay attention to the content layout on your homepage, as headings play a crucial role in SEO and UX (User Experience).
Therefore, your homepage should have a clear heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3) that guides users through the content. Headings help Google understand the page’s structure and the context of the content. They also make it easier for users to quickly scan and find the information they need. They also provide logic and hierarchy to the page.
What does the correct hierarchy of headings on a page look like?
The correct hierarchy of headings on a page should look like this:
- H1 – only one per page. This is the main title, e.g., “Custom furniture production in Gdańsk.”
- H2 – second-level headings. They divide the page into sections, e.g., “Our offer,” “Why is it worth it?”, “Customer reviews.”
- H3 – expansions of topics within sections, e.g., “Kitchen furniture,” “Bathroom furniture” (as subheadings under “Our offer”).
What are the most common mistakes when using headlines on your home page?
The most common errors include:
- More than one H1 on a page – there should only be one such heading.
- A lack of headings, meaning a wall of text that discourages users from reading the page’s content.
- Skipping the order, meaning, for example, going from H1 heading straight to H3, without an H2 in between.
To summarize this topic, headings are not only important from the perspective of the Google search engine. They are also an important element from the perspective of the user who visits our website. A user who finds it easy to read the content on the page will stay on it longer. This, in turn, improves SEO metrics such as session duration and bounce rate.
How to speed up your homepage?
Compress the images you include on your homepage. Large images mean long loading times. You can use free programs like TinyPNG for compression.
Enable “lazy loading.” Images and other resources on your website should load only when needed, not immediately. This saves bandwidth and speeds up the first view.
Limit the number of external scripts. Each additional script (e.g., Facebook Pixel, chat, analytics, fonts from Google Fonts) equals another request to the server. Choose only essential add-ons. If possible, load them asynchronously.
Optimize CSS and JavaScript. Merge and minify files. Use only styles and scripts needed on the homepage.
Use fast hosting and a CDN. Even the best optimization won’t help if your hosting is slow.
Adding internal links to your homepage
Your homepage isn’t just a showcase – it’s the command center for your entire website. This is where many users begin their journey with your brand. Therefore, it’s worth leading them further – to places that increase the chance of conversion or engagement.
At the same time, Google, analyzing your website, looks at how you link internally. This gives it a clue as to which subpages are important, how your site structure is organized, and what topics you focus on.
Where should you direct users from the homepage?
To your offer/services. The most important products or categories should be easily accessible – ideally through sections with buttons like “See more,” “Check offer,” or “Learn more.”
To product categories. If you run a store, show popular or promoted categories. You can use icons, photos, or tiles.
To a blog/knowledge/guide. Do you have expert content? Show 2-3 of your newest or most interesting posts. This increases trust and time spent on the site.
To the “About us” or “Why us” subpage. This is a good way to showcase your history, values, and experience – especially if you’re driving SEO traffic.
For a contact form or CTA (Call To Action). Encourage the user to take action – make an appointment, order, or write. You can link to a contact form, quote, or shopping cart.
The homepage is the most important starting point for your online presence – both for users and search engines. If properly optimized, it can significantly impact your entire website’s Google ranking and attract valuable traffic.
Create valuable and unique content
Many website owners forget that the content on the homepage also plays a key role in SEO. It’s not just a place to welcome users – well-written, unique, and relevant content helps Google’s crawlers better understand the website’s theme. The homepage should clearly communicate what you do, who your services or products are for, and why they should consider your offer. It’s important to incorporate keywords naturally, but don’t overdo it – the content should, above all, be useful to the user. It’s also good practice to update content whenever your offerings, business profile, or other important elements change.
Summary
SEO isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a process. But a well-optimized homepage is a solid foundation that will help you rise in search results and more effectively convert visitors into customers.
Need help optimizing your homepage or your entire website for SEO? We handle it professionally—from audit to implementation. Contact us about SEO for your website.
