Index Page Help

[Serend]

So Im looking over my Google stats and I have a 76% bounce rate...wtf is my thinking. I thought my index page was sweet. haha.

So Im looking to get some good suggestions of what would entice more people to join.

Current index: http://www.gotlore.com

I took the basic and simple design from half of the games on top list websites at the time I created it. Most simply have a big image, login form and links/buttons to other pages. But all had very minimal content on the initial page. I reckon in our area of games - people already know what to expect I guess?

I also see most place up the details such as how many online, total registrations etc...but I also notice the numbers are much higher...than 2-3 online and 490 registrations so far. I think that may be fairly too low to mark on the index?

I was thinking of adding a larger image that takes up the majority of the left side of the page. Keeping my logo and maybe the shield. Adding the game story line to the main content page as well as the most recent members who have logged in and registered..maybe names, guilds and sprite?

But then I think maybe I should just ask.

[Harkins]

First, get set up to run A/B tests. That's the only way to know whether your changes are having an improvement. Google Website Optimizer is decent, but choose anything.

Things to try:
 * splash art images
 * screenshots (one or several)
 * gameplay video
 * player testimonials
 * basic game description text
 * a button to play now and fill in username/email/password later

[Chris]

You have no content on your homepage. How could a visitor know if the game is for him or not? No description, no screenshots, no manual...

[Serend]

You have no content on your homepage. How could a visitor know if the game is for him or not? No description, no screenshots, no manual...

The About link contains some of the details about the game. But I also agree on bringing those details to the forefront of it...so the index page is more so a snapshot of the game? Just worried about information overload.

[JGadrow]

Your home page serves a dual purpose (in most cases, at least, not everyone does things the same way).

The first purpose it serves is as the entry portal for your current users. Some might bookmark your login page but a majority will probably just bookmark your home page and login that way.

The second purpose is that it's your initial marketing page for new users. It should be designed in such a way that these new users think to themselves: "Whoa! I have to play this thing!" If there's no wow factor your audience probably just glosses over it and says: "Eh, maybe I'll just play some more Farmville and spam the hell out of my facebook friends with inane crap that they don't care about."

In your case, you've handled the first purpose well enough but you have completely left out the second purpose so it's no wonder you're not converting. Hope that helps!

[dbest]

Dude, your index page is a login page. Mix it up a bit more. Add some of the content from the About page to your index page.
Throw in a few of those screenshots too.

[Shrapnel]

I would agree with what everyone said here, but I would add that 99% of game pages fail to do this (at least the ones I have visited).  It could be just me, but when I check out a home page to see if I want to play a game, I want to know what the game is about.  I want to know what I will be and can be doing in the game.  I want to know what the features are.  I can't ever seem to find that.  All I find is pages talking about how great their game is but never why it's so great or different from any other game.  To me it just looks like another typical X genre game (replace X with your favorite genre).

[Nox]

but I would add that 99% of game pages fail to do this

Not sure if that high, but - the better for us, if we make great index and they don't have one, one great plus for us

To me it just looks like another typical X genre game

Yea, those I dislike the most Taking some game template, fiddle with a bit and voila... a new game so similar to 6831807125 of others is born

[Chris]

I took the basic and simple design from half of the games on top list websites at the time I created it. Most simply have a big image, login form and links/buttons to other pages.

- you do not have a big image, you have a small image
- you paid less than $500 for the image on the frontpage
- your game is not on the top of the toplist, so you can not expect players to register to "check why it is on top" (it's because they bought a bot voting service, but players do not know it
- you have not paid tons of money for promotion so players already heard about your game before registering
- these games are clearly defined and you know what these are about (war, sport, space empire, fantasy RPG) without reading anything

Taking example from the top dogs is useless if you have no money to back you up...

[shoespeak]

Add a bunch of screen shots under the log in and a paragraph about why the game is unique.