The best introductory text on a page gives the visitor a brief summary of the information that follows.
A common problem, particularly on home pages happens when the author adds an irrelevant introduction typically “Welcome to our site, we hope you find the information on our newly redesigned site useful“.
Authors wrongly assumes this “welcome mat” will create a feelgood factor for the visitor. In reality the only function this sort of introduction has is to delay the user from finding the information they needed to solve their problem, which they find annoying.
Visitors read very little on websites, so the “welcome mat” text has wasted its word count on something that doesn’t get the key message across.
Tips for Getting Rid of the Welcome Mat Problem
- Review your text regularly and remove any “padding”. Get rid of words that do not convey meaning.
- Write an introductory paragraph that a summarizes the information on the page by describing what is on the page and why visitors will find it useful
- Train new authors in your team of writers to trim any needless words and phrases from their writing
- Always keep an introduction, even if visitors skip it, they may return to it if they find the main text a bit difficult to comprehend when they jump straight in.
- Convey your message clearly with your home page introduction, since users may have entered your site by following a search result and may subsequently visit your home page to find out what else your site has to offer.
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