Homepage Redesign for Red Clover Inn (and Why it Works)
Your homepage is the most important page on your website. It gets web visitors to say “stay” or “leave” in a matter of seconds. Basically, when their searching for your site in search engines, they've got one foot on your website and the other is still back in the search engine. Your homepage should pull that search engine foot over into your website.
That’s why we were contacted by Red Clover Inn, a long-time Bluehouse Group client, to re-design their homepage and increase engagement with visitors. They’re a top inn in the Killington, VT area and they wanted to make sure their homepage communicated that message.
Why this homepage works so well:
1. One-sentence value proposition
Visitors like to know what websites offer in less than 3 seconds. That’s why the one-sentence value proposition works so well for Red Clover. “Stylish, secluded lodging. Exquisite Vermont food. Just minutes from Killington & Pico.” It tells you, through emotial copywriting what you’ll get with a stay at Red Clover Inn. Personally, who doesn’t want exquisite Vermont food in a secret setting? Yes, please.
2. Beautiful photography
Photography is captivating. It pulls visitors in better than 1,000 words ever could. Red Clover Inn has invested in professional photography to portray their inn as professional, clean, and appealing. When making a lodging reservation, pictures are important. No one would ever make a reservation without seeing the room they’ll be sleeping in, right? That’s why Bluehouse Group created a large slideshow to showcase this beautiful inn.
3. Clear calls to action
What do you want me to do here and why should I do it? Those are two questions you want to ask about your homepage. For Red Clover Inn, their ultimate goal is for a web visitor to make a reservation. That’s why they’ve got a clear, well-designed call to action on every page. Not quite ready to make a reservation? They’ve got a secondary call to action to signup for their newsletter. If they can’t get a reservation now, they’ll capture an email to promote to at a later date.
4. Social proof
What makes your business so great? How can I determine if this really is a cream of the crop inn? Through social proof. Red Clover Inn has garnered fantastic press from the Boston Globe, Foodies, and the Montreal Gazette. Visitors wouldn’t know that unless it was on their website. With the new re-design, we prominently displayed the testimonials to solidify the inn’s credibility for top-notch service and an amazing all-around experience.
Are you thinking about bringing your website next level? Contact Bluehouse Group to get started on your next web project.