Writing a great homepage
What to say on your homepage, what order to say it in, and common mistakes to avoid.
Your homepage is usually the first page a potential client sees. It has one job: quickly convince the right person that they are in the right place and that they should take the next step.
This guide walks you through what to include, in what order.
Quick summary
A great homepage answers three questions within the first few seconds: What do you do? Who is it for? What should I do next? Keep it focused, clear, and action-oriented. Every section should move the visitor toward your goal.
The five essential sections
Most high-performing homepages contain these sections in roughly this order:
- Hero — the opening statement
- Problem or pain point — show you understand the visitor
- Solution — how you help
- Proof — testimonials, results, logos
- Call to action — the next step
You do not need ten sections. Five good ones beat ten weak ones.
1. The hero: your opening statement
The hero is the very first thing people see before they scroll. You have about three seconds to earn a few more.
Your hero needs:
- A headline that says what you do, clearly
- A sub-headline that explains who you help or how
- A button (a call to action) that tells people what to do next
Example headline: "We design websites that win clients for professional services firms."
Avoid vague, self-congratulatory headlines: "Innovative solutions for a changing world." These say nothing.
2. The problem: show you get it
Before you talk about yourself, briefly show the visitor you understand their situation. One short paragraph or three bullet points is enough.
Example: "Most business websites were built years ago, look dated, and don't bring in enquiries. Your site should be working harder for you."
This earns trust by showing empathy before making a pitch.
3. The solution: what you offer
Now explain how you help. Focus on outcomes, not features.
- Outcome-focused: "You'll get a website that generates enquiries every week."
- Feature-focused: "We build custom WordPress sites using Elementor."
Your customer wants the outcome. They don't care about the technology.
4. Proof: show don't tell
Proof turns claims into facts. Use:
- Testimonials — one to three quotes from real clients, with name and business
- Case study teasers — "We helped [Client X] increase enquiries by 40% in 3 months"
- Client logos — especially recognizable or respected names
- Results numbers — specific numbers are far more credible than adjectives ("award-winning")
Use real proof only
Never invent testimonials or statistics. If you're new and don't have them yet, skip this section and add it once you have real examples.
5. The call to action: what happens next
End with a clear invitation. One action. Not three.
Good calls to action for a homepage:
- "Book a free consultation"
- "Get a quote"
- "See our work"
The call to action is explored in full in Writing effective calls to action.
What to leave off your homepage
The homepage is not the place for:
- Your entire company history
- Long paragraphs about your values
- A list of every service you offer
- Industry jargon or technical language
Save detailed information for inner pages. The homepage's job is to direct traffic, not contain everything.
Common questions
Related guides
- Writing for the web
- Writing service pages that convert
- Writing effective calls to action
- Writing headlines that work
- Finding your brand voice
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