Question

Topic: Website Critique

Homepage Click Through: By Audience Or By Product?

Posted by nichelle on 9/29/2015 at 11:09 AM ET 250 Points
I'm re-designing a client's homepage and I am second guessing whether the clickthrough should be by audience (consumers vs business) or by product.

My gut says by audience, since the relevant product features would be different for each.

I am meeting some resistance with that idea - the client wants to put the products front and centre and then filter to audience later in the content.

Is there an easy way to settle this?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by jstiles on 9/29/2015 at 4:12 PM Accepted
    Maybe use two main feature boxes and main nav items for user types (consumers, businesses) then add smaller feature boxes underneath or in sidebar for product links. Users can choose what they want, some may already know what product they are interested in and others may need other content for their user type.

    Best of luck!
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 9/29/2015 at 5:38 PM Accepted
    Yes - look at what Amazon does. They continually evolve their website, copy, placement, offers, and pricing and what you see is what they've determined works best to-date.
  • Posted by nichelle on 9/29/2015 at 6:26 PM Author
    Thanks guys, of course - the best of both worlds!
  • Posted by modza on 9/30/2015 at 6:16 PM Accepted
    Another way is to set up an A/B test, and see which works best. I assume you've already tried the classic line about Black & Decker, I believe: They don't sell drills, they sell holes.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 9/30/2015 at 6:18 PM Accepted
    Your instincts are right. But the client is paying the bill.

    Offer your most persuasive argument to the client. If they still refuse to listen, do it their way, with the disclaimer that you don't want to be responsible for the ultimate success of the effort, though you'll be a good soldier and execute to the best of your ability.

    You might ask them how they will ever know whether their approach is the right one.
  • Posted by nichelle on 9/30/2015 at 6:32 PM Author
    @mozda - I have never heard the black and decker line before but it's a good one! I'll keep it in mind. An A/B test is a good idea but I don't know how we'd pick a winner if we're not comparing apples to apples. % click-throughs vs bounces?

    @mgoodman - thanks. This is one of the things that continuously stumps me as a freelancer - doing what the client wants vs doing what I know will serve them better. If there was a handbook on the topic I would buy it in a NY minute.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 9/30/2015 at 7:36 PM Moderator
    The NY minute is here: https://bit.ly/k3Z7m

    Lots of good stuff for consultants and freelancers, plus a free report on consulting that features a round table interview with 5 experts from this forum.
  • Posted by nichelle on 10/1/2015 at 8:01 AM Author
    Rasputin! Now there's a guy who got stuff done.
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