Even though the home page on any well designed website is usually the highlight of the site, its purpose is actually somewhat martyr-istic.

Think of it like a handshake. You can really get a good idea of a person based solely on their handshake. The 3 to 5 seconds your hands are clasped is all that is required to instill an impression of them, whether good or bad. After that, the handshake severely looses its purpose and is overtaken by the wave, the two-finger salute, and other welcoming hand gestures.

It is the same for the home page. It exists to create an instantaneous appealing impression onto your brain so that you are inclined to explore more of the site. Its generosity to its fellow pages is admirable, because once you take one step deeper into the site, the home page dies a little.

Basically, all that is showcased on the home page is reiterated in greater detail throughout the rest of the site. It is a collection of the best of what the site has to offer in a small and streamlined space. In other words, it’s a teaser of more good stuff to come.

We could all learn a lesson from the home page. Its selflessness is inspiring and its pure design efficiency sets the foundation of all the other pages, who eventually steal the show, much like attention hogging younger siblings.

But despite this fate, the home page is the one that creates the pull, the draw to discover more. It snaps a picture behind your eyes that makes you want to come back.

So make it count.