If you’re running a business that drives e-comm sales, it’s pivotal you develop a streamlined, effective. homepage. There’s nothing worse than landing on an e-comm brand’s homepage and being overwhelmed by products and messaging, so world-class brands also often curate their homepage to deliver select products rather than surfacing them all. Successful brands develop specific zones with defined roles that deliver value to their audience whilst landing the brand’s value proposition and key messaging.

Ultimately, your website layout should provide a valuable user experience that guides potential customers to purchase. After reviewing a wide range of e-comm sites, a clear pattern emerges of the sections you need to create to deliver a streamlined approach.

1. Header

The header is the top section of your website, and it's the first thing visitors see when they land on your page. It should be designed to make it easy for users to navigate your website, search for products, and access essential information. A well-designed header should include your logo, main navigation menu (often called the ‘Global Nav’), search bar, and any important announcements or promotional messages. A good example is Apple, which has a clean, minimalistic header that makes it easy for users to navigate through their products.

2. Hero Section

The hero section is a large, visually striking banner or image that highlights your unique value proposition, promotes your current promotions or best products, and includes a call-to-action button or other conversion element. Your hero section should be designed to capture the user's attention and encourage them to explore your website further. A good way to think of your hero section is an editorial spot that can be changed depending upon your business goals. A great example is Nike, which often uses a visually striking hero section that showcases their latest products or launches.

3. Categories/Featured Products

This section typically features some of your best-selling or newest products or categories. It should include images, descriptions, prices, and call-to-action buttons to encourage users to explore further. A good example is the cycling brand Rapha, which uses a clean, organized layout to showcase their various categories and products in a carousel.

4. Testimonials/Social Proof

Including customer reviews, ratings, or testimonials can help build trust and credibility with potential customers. This section should be designed to showcase the positive experiences of your existing customers and provide social proof of the quality of your products. The make up retailer Sephora leverages social proof across its site, including customer reviews and ratings for each product, as well as a section dedicated to showcasing customer photos and videos.

Think carefully about what reviews you include. If you’re lucky enough to have a number of reviews or testimonials to choose from, ensure you’re selecting ones tht speak to the essence of your brand, or align with your brand goals.

5. About Us

This section should convey an aspect of your brand's story, mission, and values and may include photos or videos of your team or production process, depending on how much you want or need to divulge. A well-designed about us section will link to an about page and aims to create an emotional connection with the audience and differentiate your brand from its competitors, explaining why you do what you do. A great example is the e-commerce website of Warby Parker, which includes a comprehensive about us section that tells the story of how the brand was founded and showcases its social impact initiatives.

6. Blog/News

Including a blog and/or news section on your e-commerce website can help establish your brand's authority and expertise in its niche and provide valuable information and resources to users. This is where you can also publish editorial and merchandising content. The bulk of your blog content will likely live on another page, but promoting your top posts on the homepage gives you an opportunity to highlight offers, trends or new options. Fashion brand H&M includes a blog section that features the brand's latest fashion trends, sustainability initiatives, and behind-the-scenes content.

7. Footer

The footer is the bottom section of your website. It’s often a functional holding pen of links to your contact information, social media icons, legal disclaimers, careers page and the like. The footer should be consistent across all pages of your website and serves as a navigational aid and a trust signal. Retailer Zara uses a clean and organized footer that includes essential links, contact information, and social media icons. By designing a footer well you can reduce the links in your primary navigation at the top of the page, enabling a more streamlined experience.

THE TAKEAWAY

Optimizing your e-commerce website layout is essential to providing a great user experience that guides potential customers to purchase your products. By following zonal design and developing relevant roles for sections you can easily create a simple streamlined experience.

GO DEEPER

Dive into our Website Structure guide here.