Homepage mistakes

MINE:

Your homepage is the first page of your online brochure. Make it sharp.

Avoid clutter. Include only essentials critical to your visitor's experience and your branding efforts. Show you know what they came for, and how you're the solution. Some well-placed language, your logo, maybe your picture, perhaps a well-placed testimonial. Don't forget your contact information. That's it.

Avoid external links. You want your site to be a resource to visitors, but not by cluttering the homepage with links to other sites. Place links on an internal "Resources" page. This also keeps visitors on your homepage before they jump ship to one of your resource links.

Avoid distraction. Don't bog your homepage down with TMI (too much information). Brand yourself on the homepage, then fill the rest of your site with your knowledge store (without giving away the farm - especially if you're a consultant who makes money by selling what you know).

Simplicity on your homepage is essential.