Reframing .NET aroundwhat developers can build.

A product description wasn’t enough

The .NET homepage was the front door to a widely used developer platform, but it did not quickly answer the questions that mattered most: What can I build? Why should I use .NET? What should I do next?

The existing hero—“Free. Cross-platform. Open source.”—was accurate but product-centered. Eleven capability cards spread across three rows diluted the core story, while repeated “Learn more” links gave different destinations the same label.

Content decisions across two iterations

I led content design and writing for the homepage. I rewrote the hero and section copy, reorganized the page around developer questions, clarified the CTA hierarchy, consolidated the capability model, and created a reusable blueprint with messaging guidance and character limits.

Product, design, brand, and Developer Relations partners contributed to the final experience. Visual design and implementation were shared team responsibilities.

Lead with capability

For .NET Conf 2022, the hero moved to “Build any app with .NET.” The headline preserved the platform’s breadth while shifting the focus from what .NET is to what developers can do with it.

For Microsoft Build 2023, the hero became “Build. Test. Deploy.” The short sequence reflected a familiar development workflow. Supporting copy carried the product attributes so the headline could create momentum.

Answer “What can I build?” sooner

I moved build capabilities directly below the hero and consolidated 11 cards into four broader groups. Related capabilities were combined; specialized items became links to their own product pages.

Give each action a job

I separated primary and secondary actions, then replaced repeated “Learn more” labels with language that described what came next. “Download” became the primary hero action, “Get started” remained the learning path, and supporting links used labels such as “Browse beginner videos” and “Read customer stories.”

The goal was not more buttons. It was a clearer relationship between content and action: download the platform, begin learning, review examples, or connect with the community.

A homepage—and a repeatable system

• Two homepage iterations prepared around .NET Conf 2022 and Microsoft Build 2023
• Capability cards consolidated from 11 to four
• Build capabilities moved directly below the hero
• Primary and secondary hero actions differentiated
• Supporting CTA labels made more descriptive
• Reusable page blueprint created with messaging guidance and character limits

The strongest decision was choosing the question that should organize the page: “What can I build?”

With analytics access, I would compare primary CTA engagement, scroll depth to the capability section, and movement into learning and customer-story content across the two iterations.