Go Big or Go Home Page

In the late 90s and early 2000s, web design was cluttered and suffocated by too many blaring banner ads and loud pop-ups. There was so much white backgrounds and black text, it could make your head spin. And don’t even consider embedding video or large images. We’ve come a long way, writing the rules for an age of simplicity, of saying what you mean straight away (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the latest Apple press conference).

Compelling, fullscreen images currently dominate the web design world. It’s about filling the page with stunning photography, digital art, animated gifs, or cinematic video. Top that off with a single word or line of text that conveys a brand’s message. It’s an epic, cinematic look that’s all about aesthetic. Even the page navigation is often hidden or reduced to a small sidebar or icon. Essentially, this is your elevator pitch simplified into one punch. 

And they’re practical, too

An added bonus is that from a development standpoint, these simplified homepages can be quicker to code, potentially saving you some development dollars. There’s no complicated reworking when configuring a site for desktop, mobile, or tablet since sizing large scale down to smaller is virtually a no-brainer. Design trends come and go over the years, but this one has stuck in webland for the majority of 2015 and likely won’t be going anywhere in 2016. Even PayPal is joining in on the fun.

Identity

Most importantly, making a bold and simple statement can clearly set your brand apart from your competition. Within seconds of visiting a site, users get the brand, know what it does, and what it can do for them. It’s our job as marketers to craft an accurate and effective image that sticks in the public’s mind.

This doesn’t mean that every company should follow the large-scale homepage format, but it’s a nice tool to keep in your back pocket. In general, it’s important to be able to say what you do in one sentence, and even one word. If you’re at a social event, could you make every single person (regardless of age or background) understand what you do within five seconds? Always keep your audience in mind, and position your brand on their terms. They’ll reward you.