Are you imagining that visitors dutifully enter through your front door, admire your carefully crafted welcome message, and then meander through your site like they are browsing a department store?
Yeah, that isn’t always happening.
The great homepage exodus
Here’s what’s actually happening: your visitors aren’t coming through the front door, they’re climbing through your windows.
The data tells an interesting story. Search engines have long been directing users to the most relevant page for their query, not your homepage. People are bookmarking your products page, not your homepage. They’re sharing links to your pricing page, not your beautifully crafted “About Us” section.
Meanwhile, the rise of AI search tools is amplifying this trend by directing users to exactly the page that answers their question, which is rarely your homepage. When someone asks an AI assistant “What’s the best approach to accessible web design?” they don’t want to start with your company’s origin story. They want the answer delivered directly.
Why this isn’t a crisis (it’s an opportunity)
Think about your own browsing behaviour. When you’re researching a service, do you really want to start with someone’s homepage hero section about “innovative solutions” and “cutting-edge approaches”? Or do you want to jump straight to the meat? Their products, their prices, their actual experience and who they have worked for?
This shift away from homepage-first navigation isn’t killing websites. It’s killing the illusion that we can force people into a single conversion funnel.
Every page is now your homepage
It’s worth bearing in mind that when people can enter your site anywhere, every page becomes a potential first impression. Your services page? That’s someone’s first encounter with your brand. That case study? That’s their introduction to your expertise.
This shift demands a completely different approach to web design. Instead of designing one perfect homepage, you need to ensure each touchpoint is giving a good first impression of your company.
Each page needs to:
- Stand alone as a complete thought
- Clearly communicate your expertise
- Provide next steps that make sense from that specific context
- Build trust without relying on other pages to provide context
Moving forward, consider…
- Stronger internal linking strategies that connect related content logically
- Consistent branding and messaging across all pages since any could be someone’s first impression
- Page-specific SEO that doesn’t rely on homepage authority
- Analytics that track micro-conversions rather than just traditional funnel metrics
So, what now?
We believe that every page should be designed like it’s someone’s introduction to your brand, because it probably is.
The homepage isn’t dead, it’s just not the only front door anymore. And in a world where people want information delivered efficiently, that’s actually brilliant news for everyone.
Ready to design a website that works the way people actually browse? Let’s talk about your project.
