What a business home page needs

The home page is your business's front door online. What is more, visitors decide in a few seconds whether to stay or go back to Google. It does not need to impress: it needs to answer three questions fast: what do you do? Is it for me? How do I contact you?

At the top of the home page: the essentials

A headline that says what you do

Specific, no empty catchphrases. "Sports physiotherapy and rehabilitation in Leeds" beats "Your wellbeing, our passion".

A supporting line

Who you work with or what sets you apart: "50-minute sessions with the same physiotherapist from start to finish".

One visible main action

A clear button: "Book an appointment", "Get a quote", "Message on WhatsApp". But only one highlighted: with five identical buttons, none stands out.

A real image

Your premises, your team, your work. That is why an honest photo beats a perfect stock image that could be anyone's.

Further down the home page: what builds trust

• Services, one line each with a link to its page.
• Why choose you, with facts: years, training, method, guarantees.
• Real reviews or a link to your Google reviews.
• Indicative prices, if you can give them. They reduce fear and filter enquiries.
• Examples of your work, if relevant.

At the end: the practical stuff

• Phone, WhatsApp and email, tappable on mobile.
• Address with a map, if clients visit you.
• Opening hours.
• FAQs.
• A short form.

What to leave off a home page

• Sliders with five photos changing on their own that nobody looks at.
• Long welcome texts ("Welcome to our website…").
• Pop-ups as soon as you arrive.
• Music or videos that play by themselves.
• Big social media icons at the top that send people away before they read.

The five-second test

First, show your home page to someone who does not know you for five seconds and take it away. Then ask what you do and how they would contact you. If they do not know, simplify.

The home page on mobile

After all, on a phone only part of the page is visible at a time. The headline, the supporting line and the main button should fit on the first screen. More in responsive websites.

An example

See how I apply this on real websites in work, and on this website: the home page says what I do, what it costs and how to get in touch before anything else.

To improve the rest of your pages, continue with calls to action that work and how to write an about page.

How to tell if your home page works

There is no need to guess. Look at how many people tap the main button and how many move on to a service page: if almost nobody does, the message at the top is not clear. Also notice the enquiries you get: if people ask things already on that page, perhaps nobody sees them.

On the other hand, the Nielsen Norman Group lists the most common mistakes in its homepage usability guidelines, such as vague headlines or too many messages at once. Then change one thing at a time and compare a few weeks later. To improve your buttons, continue with calls to action that work. A home page improves with what visitors do, not with what you like.

On a related note, you may also find colours and fonts useful.

Frequently asked questions

Does the home page have to be short?

Not necessarily. Not always, since it can be long if it is well organised and every block adds something. In any case, what matters is that the essentials are at the top.

Should I put prices on the home page?

If you can give indicative prices, yes: it is one of the things people look for most and it filters out unsuitable enquiries.

Video at the top, yes or no?

A short video can work if it shows something real, as long as it does not autoplay with sound and does not slow loading.

How much does a well-built home page cost?

At Nueva Página, a one-page website costs €349 + VAT where applicable and one with up to five pages €499, as a one-off payment. See the cost calculator.