Your homepage is usually the first page people see, and often the only one they look at before deciding whether to call you. A good small business homepage doesn’t need to say everything. It needs to tell visitors quickly that they’re in the right place and show them what to do next.
Here’s what tends to work, and a few things that get in the way.
The first screen does the heavy lifting
The part of the page people see before they scroll matters most. Within a few seconds, a visitor should be able to answer three questions:
- What does this business do?
- Do they work in my area, or for people like me?
- How do I get in touch or take the next step?
If your top section only shows a big photo and a slogan like “Excellence in everything we do”, visitors have to work to find those answers. Many won’t bother.
What a small business homepage needs
A clear headline
Say what you do in plain words. “Family-owned plumber on the Gold Coast” beats a clever tagline every time. You can still show personality, but clarity comes first.
One obvious next step
Decide what you most want visitors to do: call, book, request a quote or drop in. Make that one button stand out, and repeat it further down the page. When we built a new website for Dash Security Group, a Lismore security, CCTV, audio visual and network integrator, an easy way to book a site assessment was a big part of the plan.
Contact details that are easy to find
Put your phone number in the header and make it tap-to-call on phones. If customers come to you, show your address and opening hours too.
A quick overview of your services
List your main services with a short line about each and a link to its own page. This helps visitors find the right thing, and separate service pages give Google a clearer picture of what you offer.
Proof you’re real and trusted
Reviews, years in business, licences, memberships and the areas you service all help. Keep it genuine: a couple of real Google reviews are worth more than a wall of vague praise.
Real photos
Photos of you, your team and your work tell people who they’ll be dealing with. Stock images of smiling strangers don’t. Our article on real photos vs stock photos explains why that matters.
What to leave off
A homepage gets cluttered fast. Some common things that get in the way:
- Sliders that rotate through several messages. Most visitors only see the first one, so put your main message there and keep it still.
- Long blocks of text. Save the detail for your About and service pages.
- Pop-ups on arrival. Asking for an email address before someone even knows what you do tends to annoy people.
- Everything at once. If every section is shouting, nothing stands out.
- Old news. A “latest news” section with a post from three years ago can make the business look closed.
A simple homepage layout that works
There’s no single right layout, but this order suits most local businesses, from tradies to clinics to cafés:
- Header: logo, menu and a tap-to-call phone number
- Top section: a clear headline, one sentence about who you help and where, and your main button
- Services: three to six short summaries, each linking to its own page
- Why choose you: a few honest points, such as being local, family-owned or licensed
- Reviews: two or three genuine customer reviews
- About snapshot: a real photo of you or your team with a short introduction
- Final call to action: repeat your main button and contact details
- Footer: address, hours, service areas, social links and your Privacy Policy
Treat this as a starting point, not a rule. A café might lead with opening hours and a menu, while a builder might lead with recent projects. The aim is the same: answer the visitor’s first questions and make the next step easy.
Your homepage should match your brand
Your homepage is where your logo, colours and photos all come together. If your logo was designed separately and doesn’t sit well on the site, it shows. That’s one reason we suggest having your logo and website done by the same team, so everything looks like it belongs together.
If your branding needs attention first, our branding and logo design service starts from $395 + GST for a logo, with 2 to 3 custom concepts and two rounds of revisions.
Check how your homepage is working
Once your site is live, you don’t have to guess. Google Analytics shows how many people land on your homepage, where they go next and whether they reach your contact page. If lots of people arrive and leave straight away, the first screen probably isn’t answering their questions.
A simple test helps too. Show your small business homepage to someone who doesn’t know your business for five seconds, then ask what you do and where. If they can’t tell you, the page needs work.
If you built your own site, this test is a good, low-pressure way to see it through a customer’s eyes. Small changes to the headline and the main button can make a real difference to how clear it feels.
Every website we design starts with these basics. Custom WordPress websites start from $1,595 + GST, are mobile-responsive and include on-page SEO foundations, security and an SSL certificate.
Want a fresh pair of eyes on your homepage?
Book a free website health check and we’ll review your small business homepage along with your site’s performance, design and SEO, then suggest practical improvements in plain English. It’s about 30 minutes with no obligation. Get in touch or call 02 6610 9202.
