The Grunt Test, popularized by Donald Miller in his book Storybrand, is a simple way to evaluate how clear and effective your website is in communicating its purpose. The idea is that even a caveman—someone with no prior knowledge—should be able to understand what your site is about in just a few seconds.
This typically happens when you start to cram a little bit of everything into the top part of your website. This is sometimes called "Front page creep." Where you keep adding, "One more thing," followed by, "Just one more thing." Leaving a website that causes confusion.
Passing the Grunt Test
To pass the test, your homepage should answer these three key questions at a glance:
- What do you offer? (Is it clear what this website is about?)
- How does it help me? (Does it communicate why this matters to the visitor?)
- What do I do next? (Is it obvious how to take action or engage further?)
How to Make Your Website Clearer:
- Use a direct and simple headline that immediately conveys the website’s main purpose.
- Incorporate visuals or descriptions that highlight the key benefit of engaging with your site.
- Make the next step obvious with a clear call to action, whether it’s reading more, signing up, or exploring further.
Watch Someone Visit Your Site
The best way to evaluate your website is to have someone visit your website and think out loud. Ask them what they think the website is about and what the purpose of the site is. Then give them a task such as, "Follow my podcast," or "Sign up for the newsletter" and see how well they do.
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