How Todoist stands out in a sea of productivity apps: The Homepage
This is the 1st instalment in a two-part series of how Todoist nails their product messaging
The amount of content SaaS companies have on their homepage varies and has a lot to do with the product’s capabilities and the level of awareness of the website visitors. The last teardown I did, I talked about how Hopin does this beautifully for their product.
How Hopin lets you experience their product without bringing out your credit card
Usually, when a product can do a lot, there’s so much you want to say about it that the homepage ends up being super long. Which is why when I started this teardown for Doist’s product, Todoist, I was pleasantly surprised to see they do this a lot differently. They take the approach of saying the barest minimum about their product on the homepage, allowing the user to make the decision to learn more by visiting other pages.
It’s important to note also that Todoist is not a new player in the productivity space so, in some sense, they can pull this off at this stage in their lifecycle. A relatively new brand may not and will most likely need to do a lot more “selling”/pushing the value proposition on this page.
There really is no shortage of to-do list apps besides, the good ol’ fashion pen & paper still works too. So how does Todoist then promise to be the solution that sticks?
A. Visitors land on your homepage from all sorts of places and at different stages of awareness so it’s important to balance out the language and how you communicate about your product. For those who might be unaware of the problem or even problem aware, this hyperlink takes them to a page with helpful content on around productivity and creating a system that helps create a productive life. These visitors are likely fishing around and not yet ready to commit to the solution Todoist offers so why not direct them to valuable content since you already have their attention?
B. This their main value proposition. The first question you might be thinking is, “isn’t that what all productivity apps promise?”. Hold on. The point is, you’re intrigued enough to keep scrolling.
An aside: Their entire homepage is a fantastic display of how much copy and imagery complement each other so well making for richer product experience. With no words, from the images above, you can see how Todolist can work in your daily life from work tasks to household tasks to even travel tasks.
A. Here they go getting to the heart of the matter. This is the promise land for people who want to their break down their goals into manageable tasks. This is the benefit of using their product.
B. The subheading illustrates the “how?” of the benefit above and why this benefit is even relevant to you. It sets the context of what freeing up your mental space does.
Look how subtly they insert the value their product offers that it doesn’t feel like they are “selling” to you. When I mention the importance of placing the user at the centre of the story you're telling about your product this is exactly what I mean.
C. As a way of keeping the homepage as simple as possible, they insert other pages in the links giving the visitor the power to choose how much information/what type of information to consume.
A. When you have the numbers, it’s important you also let it do the talking for you. They have intentionally chosen to display their numbers from the platforms that have a huge amount of credibility.
B. This is another instance of the user remaining the hero of the story even when Todoist is talking about their product. They didn’t talk about how many downloads their product has but what it has helped their users achieve because this is ultimately what matters.
A. I’m a big fan of contextualizing social proof. How a freelance writer uses the product will be different from how a small business owner uses it or how a student uses it. And the point is, with context like this, different segments better see how this product can offer value to them. So you if you can get reviews/testimonials that apply to different use cases, make sure to do that.
You get a snippet of the whole story & decide if you’re interested in reading more. This helps in decluttering the amount of information shared with visitors so you don’t overwhelm them to the point they end up not taking action.
A. They use this section to sell you in on their story and the WHY of what they do. In this age where businesses die pretty quickly, being around for over 10 years is a testament that they must be doing something right. As much as visitors are primarily interested in finding a solution to their problem, giving them an opportunity to hear the story of why you are building is a good way to build affinity for your brand.
A. Here they go again with the desired outcome. This is the end goal of organizing your tasks. This hits directly on the psychology of why people buy so it makes absolute sense.
In the words of Katelyn Bourgoin,
People don’t really buy products.
They buy:
- Painkillers
- Lifestyle upgrades
- Status symbols
- Peace of mind
- More free time
In short? They are buying better versions of themselves.
Yep, this is really the entire homepage. And you know what? It absolutely works. I know what the product is, what it could possibly do for me & why I should care.
Because I’m curious enough and still need some convincing, I check out the features page which takes me on a masterclass on product messaging done right.
Note: You can read the 2nd instalment here which addresses the Features page.
How did they do? HIT!
What did they do right
- I love how uncluttered the homepage is and it gets straight to the point. They promise to help declutter your mind so you get things done and this starts from how the product is presented.
- Their illustrations are beautifully created that they amplify the copy.
- I have absolutely nothing to add or take away from the copy. It’s that good.
If you enjoyed this and found it insightful, don’t hesitate to share it with people 😉
