Your coaching website’s header is the gateway to your online presence – the first point of contact your users have with your brand.
In fact, it plays a critical role in shaping their first impression of your website and business. A well-designed website header strikes a balance between clean aesthetics and navigation, guiding users to explore deeper pages of your website with ease.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll go over all the must have elements along with some of the best examples of the website header to make sure that you have a professional website.
- Website header and its importance
- Must-have elements
- Things to avoid when creating a website header
- Website header size
- Website header designs
- Best examples of a website header
Let’s get started!
Website header and it’s importance
Website header is the top most section of the website, it is a strategic section and should be paid the most attention given that it is the first impression of your brand.
There are certain elements it must have that we will discuss in detail below. Different researches show that humans do not read every word or pay attention to every small detail, in fact, they scan and look for something that can hook them before they go deep into it.
Not only this, your header sets the tone of your website as well as your brand. To sum it up, your website plays the following roles for your business and website:
- Navigation
- Marketing your brand
- Building trust with the audience
- Lead generation and sales
All of these are very important aspects for any business that is looking to grow online.
Must have elements in a website header
Having explained the importance of a website header, let’s take a look at some of the most important elements and the best way to incorporate them into your website’s header.
Navigation
Let’s start with the basics. Navigation on your website plays a very important role for users. The more clear and concise it is, the easier it will be for your users to navigate your website in the best way possible.
You can control what your users view by displaying the most important links in the navigation. Here are some of the must haves.
- Call to action
- Contact us link
- About/programs
- Services/shop
Here’s an ideal example of a navigation
Another angle to look at is to keep the options minimum to increase the click through rate.
Call to Action
Even if your website has the best products, features, and content, without a clear call-to-action process in place, your conversion rates may suffer.
Encouraging your customers to take action is essential for driving engagement and ultimately increasing sales. This is why it is not only important to have a call to action in the navigation bar but also in your header.
Here are a few examples that can be used:
- Buy now
- Book a free consultation
- Schedule a call
- Contact us
- Get started
- Get a quote
- So on and so forth
Here’s a good example of how to use CTAs in your header.
Logo
Your logo represents your brand and there is no better place for your logo than the top of your header. Your website header will be incomplete without the logo
Content
After covering the basics, the next most important thing is the content on your header. It needs to be powerful enough to not only have your users hooked but also encourage them to take action.
These are a few important things to cover in the content, if you address them with clarity, you are already ahead of the game.
- How do you make your customer’s life better?
How does your product or service make a difference in your customer’s life? - What do you offer?
What do you sell? Whether it’s website development, coaching program, or mobile accessories. - How can I buy your product or service?
Your call to action, whether you want them to book a call, enroll in a program or buy your product.
Your website header must answer the above questions within five seconds.
Here’s an example of an excellent header content wise.
Responsive
It is highly critical to make your header responsive for all screens whether they are desktops, mobile devices, or tablets. The screen variations are increasing with each passing day and most of the traffic comes from mobile devices.
It will be a rookie mistake to not make your website header responsive for devices. You can also review this post if you’re looking for a step by step guide to create a homepage.
Mistakes to avoid in a website header
It is very common to go overboard while creating your website header, it is indeed the first thing users see when they visit your website so people often try to include everything or too much information.
Doing this can complicate things and reduce your chances of conversion. Here are some of the things you should avoid adding to your header:
- Navigation: Having minimum links in your navigation bar has proved to increase the conversion rate. Rather than stuffing your navigation with quick links, it is recommended to place them in the footer.
- Social links: People often make this mistake of adding their social handles such as Twitter, Linkedin, and Facebook at the top of their website. It takes so much effort to bring someone to your website, it is highly not recommended to place your social handles in the header.
- Multiple CTAs: Having multiple CTAs on the header can confuse your audience and discourage them to take action, at least on the header you should have 1 clear CTA.
- Design: It is a need to have a modern design header as well as a website but it is often seen that the design is made too complex or the colour scheme is not readable.
- Content: It is important to display essential information as soon as possible and that is usually done through the header, but it is also important to keep the text within a certain range to improve readability.
What is a perfect header size?
The header size of a website largely depends on the design of the website, the type of content it displays, and the target audience.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that website headers should be visually appealing, easy to read, and provide users with a clear idea of what the website is about.
As a general guideline, it’s recommended to keep the header height between 10% and 20% of the total screen size.
Additionally, it’s important to ensure that the website header is optimised for all screen sizes, including desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. Responsive design is crucial to ensure that the website header looks good on all devices.
However, the most common size for a website’s header is still 1024 pixels wide, even though the screens are getting larger. Websites are built to be viewed at a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels.
10 best examples of website headers for inspiration
You will find hundreds and thousands of website header ideas that are all about design and visual appeal.
However, only having a fantastic design will not improve your visibility in search engines or conversion rate. There are many other factors that play an important role in this.
Here are 10 best examples that are not only great design wise but also cover all essential elements of a great website header that helps you convert visitors into customers.
5. Christophillis and Gallivan
6. Value Growth Consulting Group
10. Dana Rayburn
Conclusion
Your website’s header plays a crucial role in its success, as it comes in various shapes and sizes. Whether you opt for a traditional or experimental design, it’s essential to follow universal best practices.
A well-designed header can provide visitors with a clear and engaging navigation experience, leading them towards your ultimate business objectives.
If you’re looking to get started with your website header, you can download our free theme that contains all the elements of a converting header by clicking on the button below.
You can also request a free website audit where we manually review your website and share improvements to optimise your website for better conversion.
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