Quick answer: In the first few seconds on your homepage, visitors want to know three things: what you offer, whether it is for them, and what to do next. A good homepage answers all three above the fold with a plain headline, a short supporting line, a clear main call to action and visible signs that you are a real, trusted business. Everything else on the page should help visitors either take that action or find the section they came for.
Your homepage is often the most visited page on the site, yet it is the hardest to get right because it has to serve everyone: new visitors, returning customers, job seekers and people who just want your phone number. The answer is not to say everything at once. It is to make the first screen extremely clear and the rest of the page easy to scan.
What visitors are asking
When someone lands on your homepage, they are quietly asking:
- Where am I? Is this the right company?
- What do you do? In words they understand.
- Is it for me? Do you serve people like them, in their area, at their budget?
- Can I trust you? Are you established and credible?
- What next? Where do they click?
If the page cannot answer these quickly, many visitors leave, or go back to search results and click a competitor.
The headline
The headline does most of the work. It should say what you offer in plain language.
Clear beats clever
A slogan such as “Imagine the possibilities” tells the visitor nothing. “Commercial roofing repairs across Yorkshire” tells them exactly what you do and where. You can still have personality, but clarity comes first.
Talk about the outcome
Where possible, describe the result the customer gets rather than the activity. “Bookkeeping that keeps you ready for tax time” is stronger than “We provide bookkeeping services”.
Support it with one line
Use a short line under the headline to add detail: who it is for, what makes you different or how it works. Keep it to one or two sentences.
The main call to action
Decide what the most valuable action is for a new visitor. It might be booking a call, getting a quote, starting a trial or browsing products. Make that the main button.
- One primary button. A second, lighter option is fine, such as “See how it works”. Five buttons of equal weight confuse people.
- Specific wording. “Get a free quote” says more than “Submit” or “Learn more”.
- High contrast. The button should stand out from everything around it.
- Repeat it. Place the call to action again further down the page for visitors who scroll before deciding.
Navigation
The menu is where visitors who did not come for your main offer will go. Keep it short and use words your customers would use.
- Group services into a few clear headings.
- Put contact details or a contact link where people expect them, usually top right.
- Avoid vague labels such as “Solutions” if “Services” or a specific service name is clearer.
- Make sure it works well on mobile. Many visitors will see your menu as a single icon, so the page itself needs clear paths too.
Signs of trust
New visitors need reasons to believe you are legitimate and good at what you do. Useful trust signals include:
- Real testimonials with names and, where possible, photos or company names.
- Recognisable client or partner logos, used with permission.
- Accreditations and memberships, such as trade bodies.
- Reviews from independent sites.
- Contact details, including a physical address and phone number where relevant.
- Photos of your team or premises, rather than generic stock images.
Place at least one trust signal near the top of the page, and more further down.
Structure for the rest of the page
Below the first screen, a simple structure works for most business homepages:
- Key services or products, each with a short description and a link.
- How it works, in three or four simple steps.
- Proof, such as testimonials or examples of work.
- Answers to common objections, for example price, timing or location.
- A final call to action.
Each section should be easy to scan, with a short heading and a few lines of text. Visitors skim. Help them.
Things that work against conversion
Sliders and carousels
Rotating banners are popular but often unhelpful. Visitors may see only the first slide, the movement distracts from the message, and each slide competes with the others. A single strong message usually works better. If you must use a slider, make the first slide your most important message and let users control it.
Auto playing video and audio
Sound that plays without warning drives people away. Video can work, but let visitors choose to play it.
Pop ups that appear instantly
An email sign up box that covers the page as soon as it loads interrupts visitors before they even know what you do. If you use pop ups, delay them or trigger them when someone is about to leave.
Slow loading
A homepage weighed down by large images and scripts loses visitors before they see anything. Our WordPress speed guide covers the most common causes.
Visual clutter
Every element on the page competes for attention. Remove anything that does not help visitors understand, trust or act. A clean layout can help, as long as buttons still look clickable.
Different visitors, different paths
Not everyone wants your main offer. Make it easy for others to find what they need:
- Returning customers: a visible login or account link.
- People looking for support: a help or contact link.
- Job seekers: a careers link in the footer.
- Visitors from a specific campaign: consider sending them to a dedicated landing page instead of the homepage. Our guide to landing page optimisation explains why.
How to check whether your homepage works
The five second test
Show the homepage to someone who does not know your business for five seconds, then hide it. Ask what the company does and what they would click. If they cannot answer, the page is not clear enough.
Analytics
In Google Analytics, look at the homepage’s bounce rate, exit rate and the pages people visit next. The Behavior Flow report shows where visitors go. If most people head straight for a page you did not expect, consider putting that content on the homepage.
Click and scroll maps
Heatmap tools show where people click and how far they scroll. They are useful for spotting ignored buttons or important content below the point most people reach.
A/B testing
Once traffic is high enough, test changes to the headline or call to action rather than guessing. Our A/B testing guide explains how to run tests that give trustworthy answers.
FAQ
Should the homepage have a lot of text?
The first screen should be brief. Below that, enough text to explain your offer helps both visitors and search engines. Keep paragraphs short and use headings.
How often should I update the homepage?
Update it when your offer, audience or results data suggests a change. Small, tested changes are better than a full redesign every year.
Do I need a video on the homepage?
Not necessarily. A short, well made video can explain a complex service, but a clear headline and good images often do the job.
Want a homepage that turns visits into enquiries?
We review homepages against real visitor behaviour and rework copy, layout and calls to action so more people take the next step. See how we help businesses turn visitors into customers.
