Municipal Homepage Design Best Practices: Creating User-friendly Experiences

By Rebecca Christoforidis - February 05, 2025

Your municipal website is a critical touchpoint for residents, businesses, and visitors. The homepage, in particular, represents the face of the municipality online. However, in an attempt to provide comprehensive information, many municipalities fall into the trap of overcrowding their homepage with too much content. A cluttered homepage can overwhelm visitors and detract from its usability.

This blog post will discuss the importance of maintaining a focused homepage, share some of the common mistakes to avoid, and provide a list of the homepage design best practices to strike the perfect balance between visual appeal and usability.

Make Your First Impression Count

The homepage is often the first interaction a user has with your municipality’s website. Research shows that visitors form an impression within seconds of landing on a page. This brief window is crucial to capture their attention and convey the purpose of your site. If visitors encounter a confusing layout or irrelevant information, they’re likely to leave—with no plans to return.

To make a strong first impression:

  • Clearly communicate your municipality’s purpose and services upfront.

  • Use a concise tagline or mission statement that encapsulates the community’s identity.

  • Highlight key services and resources residents frequently search for, such as bill payments, event updates, and service requests.

Prioritize User Needs

Understanding your audience’s needs is the foundation of an effective homepage design. Start by identifying the most common reasons people visit your site. This could include checking local news, finding community events, or accessing online services. Design the homepage to build a citizen-centric design while avoiding the temptation to include every detail about your municipality.

A focused homepage not only enhances usability but also ensures users can find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Use analytics and user feedback to continually refine the content and structure to better serve your community.

Key Homepage Elements

Here are some homepage design best practices that will give you a well-structured, navigable municipal website homepage experience for your users:

Clear Navigation

An organized menu bar is crucial for guiding users to the site’s main sections. We recommend having four to six menu options prominently placed at the top of the home page. If you have more than six menus your website menu can start to look cluttered and it becomes harder for users to decide which menu will contain the information they are looking for. 

Prominent Search

Not all users will navigate through your website using the menu navigation. As a result, a prominent in-site search capability is essential. This allows users to bypass the navigation and go directly to relevant content.

Calls to Action (CTAs)

Guide users to your most viewed pages directly from the home page with specific and actionable CTAs. This helps reduce the number of clicks a user has to make in order to access your key services. Instead of generic phrases like “Learn More,” use tailored language like “Sign Up for Community Alerts” or “Pay Your Water Bill.” Any page that is linked from a CTA on the home page should also live within your website menu and navigation. Not all users will navigate your website in the same way.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the best intentions, municipalities often make mistakes that detract from their homepage’s effectiveness. Here are some hazards to avoid:

Missing homepage links

When your users explore your website, they may get lost and want to return to the Homepage. If there is not a direct link that is both implicit and explicit, your user may fall off and disengage, or become frustrated in navigating your site.

Unpredictable homepage URL

Having a clear URL for your homepage can make the world a difference for your users in case they need to return to your website. For towns or cities that have a long name and choose to abbreviate this in the URL, consider setting up redirects to include the long-form name to help more users find your website.

Misleading homepage design

Does your municipality homepage standout from the other pages? This can be a great landmark to make different than the rest of your site, when your homepage stands out. Make it memorable, unforgettable and a place they can recognize as “home.” Just remember, don’t overdo it.

Hiding key services

Your homepage is the gateway into the rest of your website. Be sure to prioritize key services and information at the top or near the top of the homepage so that users don’t have to scroll and scroll to find information that’s relevant. For example, consider what Town of Parry Sound has done and put your “Fire Danger Ratings” above the fold of your home page so users can easily find out if they can have a campfire that evening.

In addition, don’t forget about these other general best practices that can be addressed across your municipal website:

  • Broken links
  • Visual clutter
  • Irrelevant content
  • Out-dated information
  • Stagnant information
  • Poor grammar and misspellings

Homepage Design Best Practices

A homepage isn’t just about functionality—it’s also an opportunity to create a visually appealing gateway to your municipality’s online presence. Here are some design tips to enhance usability and aesthetics or read up on our sister blog “Top 5 Trends in Government Municipal Website Design”:

Responsive Design

With more users accessing websites via mobile devices, a responsive design is non-negotiable. Ensure your homepage adjusts seamlessly to different screen sizes, from smartphones to tablets to desktops. A mobile-friendly homepage boosts usability and accessibility.

Visual Appeal

Use high-quality images and engaging graphics that represent your community’s unique character. For instance, photos of local landmarks, parks, or community events can create a welcoming atmosphere. Be mindful, however, to balance visuals with functionality—too many graphics can slow down the site and detract from the user experience.

Accessibility

Ensure your homepage adheres to accessibility standards. Use descriptive alt text for images, provide keyboard navigation options, and ensure sufficient color contrast for readability. An accessible homepage serves all members of the community, including those with disabilities.

Examples of Effective Homepages

Here are examples of some of the best municipal websites that have managed to strike the right balance:

  • Corpus Christi, Texas: Their recently redesigned homepage offers a clean layout with prominent CTAs for paying utility bills, reporting issues, and exploring community news. The use of vibrant imagery and responsive design ensures an engaging experience across devices.

  • Haldimand County Tourism, Ontario: The homepage emphasizes the community’s unique brand, highlighting key features for things to do and explore with visually appealing graphics, expansive animated images and videos, and appealing layouts that draw users deeper into the site.

  • Woolwich, Ontario: The homepage effectively balances functionality and aesthetics with a straightforward menu, quick links to popular services, and rotating banners featuring current events and announcements.

A Case Study: Corpus Christi’s Homepage Redesign

When Corpus Christi partnered with Govstack, they set out to create a homepage that balanced usability and visual appeal. By prioritizing key user needs such as bill payments, issue reporting, and news updates, the redesigned homepage provides a seamless and engaging experience. High-quality imagery showcases the community’s coastal charm, while a responsive design ensures accessibility across all devices. The result? A future-forward digital presence that meets the evolving needs of its residents.

In conclusion, an effective municipal website homepage is more than just a landing page—it’s a gateway to your municipality’s digital presence. By prioritizing user needs, avoiding common mistakes, and adhering to homepage design best practices, municipalities can create experiences that are both visually appealing and highly functional. Remember: not everything needs to go on the homepage. By keeping it focused and user-centric, you can ensure a positive experience for all visitors while supporting your community’s goals.