What Every Homepage Should Include (And Why It Matters)
A homepage carries more responsibility than any other page on your website.
It’s the front door, the welcome mat, the first impression and the place where visitors decide whether they want to know more about your business.
A great homepage doesn’t try to say everything.
It includes the right things, in the right order, so visitors instantly understand who you are, what you do and how you can help them.
Visitors make decisions quickly (often within a few seconds), but this isn’t about racing their attention span.
It’s about giving them what they need when they need it, in a way that feels natural, trustworthy and effortless.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the essential elements every homepage should include, explain why each one matters, and show how they work together to create a homepage that feels clear, credible and genuinely helpful.
The Real Job of a Homepage
A homepage is not your entire website.
It isn’t supposed to explain everything you do or sell every service you offer.
Its true job is simple:
Welcome your visitor, orient them quickly, reassure them and guide them to the next logical place.
To do that confidently, your homepage needs certain key elements.
And it needs to present them in a structure that makes immediate sense.
The Ideal Homepage Structure: What Goes Where
The most effective homepages tend to follow a natural, user-friendly flow:
- Hero section
Clear headline, sub-heading and a primary CTA.
- Quick explanation of what you do
One or two short, jargon-free sentences.
- Signposting to key pages
Tiles, buttons or links taking users straight where they want to go.
- Proof / credibility snippet
A testimonial, logos, accreditations or a short credibility statement.
- “How we help” or service overview
Clear, scannable introductions to your core offerings.
- Optional: Additional proof or differentiators
Case study teaser, award, or unique selling points.
- Clear CTA + footer navigation
Show the next step, then give calm alternatives.
This order meets user expectations and ensures your homepage feels structured and reassuring.
Essential #1: Who You Are
Your visitor should never have to guess what kind of business you are.
Your headline should answer that instantly:
- “Marketing support for small businesses.”
- “Commercial plumbing and heating services.”
- “Beautiful blinds for homes and businesses.”
If your headline could apply to dozens of industries (“We create excellence through innovation”), it’s time for a refresh.
Clarity builds confidence.
Confidence keeps visitors reading.
Essential #2: What You Do – in Plain English
Your homepage shouldn’t feel like decoding a puzzle.
In a couple of sentences, your visitor should be able to answer:
“I know exactly what this company offers.”
This is where clear, simple language wins:
- Avoid jargon.
- Skip the buzzwords.
- Don’t overcomplicate what can be said simply.
Your homepage is not the place to impress – it’s the place to orient.
Essential #3: Who You Help
Visitors stay when they feel recognised.
A homepage should quickly answer:
“Is this business relevant to me?”
Use simple cues such as:
- Sectors you work with
- Types of clients (e.g., SMEs, homeowners, charities)
- Typical challenges you solve
- Geography (if relevant)
This is not about exclusion – it’s about instant relevance.
Essential #4: Why They Should Trust You
Credibility matters – and it matters early.
But you don’t need to overload the homepage with every success story.
A few select proof points are all you need:
- A short, genuine testimonial
- A small row of client logos
- Relevant accreditations or memberships
- A line like “Trusted by 200+ local businesses”
- A case study teaser
The goal is not to brag, it’s to remove doubt.
People take the next step when they feel safe and confident.
For a full breakdown of credibility signals every site should show, see our Credibility Clues guide
Essential #5: What They Should Do Next
A homepage without a call-to-action is like a shop with no till.
Your visitor needs to know:
“What do I do from here?”
Your primary CTA might be:
- Book a Consultation
- Request a Quote
- Get Started
Your secondary CTA might be:
- See Our Services
- Learn More About Us
Two CTAs, maximum.
More than that creates noise.
A little reassurance helps here too:
“No pressure – just a friendly conversation.”
People respond well to clarity and kindness.
Essential #6: Signposting – Getting Visitors Where They Want to Go
A great homepage helps visitors find what they need quickly and without fuss.
This is where signposting comes in.
Strong signposting might include:
- Clean service tiles
- “I want to…” style options
- Quick links to popular services
- Clear directional buttons
People should be able to get from your homepage to the right internal page within a click or two, without thinking too hard.
Good signposting reduces frustration, bounce rates and hesitation.
Essential #7: Design That Builds Trust Instantly
People judge your homepage before they read a word, based entirely on how it looks.
This doesn’t require flashy bells and whistles.
It requires restraint:
- Clean layout
- Consistent branding
- Comfortable spacing
- Readable fonts
- High-quality imagery
- Modern styling
- No chaotic clutter
Design is not decoration, it’s reassurance.
Accessibility: A Crucial Part of Credibility
An accessible website is a more trustworthy website, clear font sizes, strong contrast, logical structure all build confidence. For more detail on why inclusive design is good for business and SEO, check out our guide to Website Accessibility & Inclusive Design
Essential accessibility signals include:
- Clear font size
- Strong colour contrast
- Proper alt text
- Logical heading structure
- Buttons that are easy to click or tap
- Keyboard-friendly navigation
Accessibility isn’t complicated.
It simply means: everyone can comfortably use your site.
It’s also increasingly expected, both legally and socially.
SEO Essentials Every Homepage Needs
Your homepage plays a major role in how Google understands your business.
Make sure it includes:
- A clear, descriptive H1
- Optimised title tag + meta description
- Internal links to core service pages
- Fast load speed
- Crawl-friendly structure
- Schema markup (where relevant)
- Logical URL structure
SEO on a homepage isn’t about cramming in keywords, it’s about helping search engines and humans understand you quickly and accurately.
Mobile Experience: Your Real First Impression
For many visitors, your homepage is seen first on mobile.
It must work beautifully on a small screen:
- Headline readable without zooming
- CTA immediately visible
- Buttons easily tappable
- Layout uncluttered
- Images scaling correctly
- No frustrating pop-ups
If your homepage feels messy or cramped on mobile, it fails visitors before you’ve even had a chance to speak to them.
Journey Flow: Your Homepage as the Starting Point, Not the Destination
A homepage doesn’t convert.
It guides.
The goal is to lead visitors naturally from:
Homepage → Most relevant service → Proof → CTA
A strong homepage creates effortless pathways.
Ask yourself:
- Does the journey make sense?
- Does each click clarify rather than confuse?
- Does the visitor always know where they are?
A homepage is a map, make it intuitive.
Common Mistakes That Cost You Visitors
Here are the biggest homepage errors (all fixable):
- Vague, generic headlines
- Trying to say everything at once
- Overly long paragraphs
- No obvious CTA
- Outdated design features
- Impossible navigation
- Weak credibility signals
- Tone that feels corporate or cold
If your homepage feels like hard work, visitors won’t do the work.
The 5-Second Check
Although this guide isn’t about the five-second rule, it’s a useful sense-check.
Ask someone unfamiliar with your business to view your homepage for 5 seconds and then answer:
- What does this business do?
- Who do they help?
- Do you trust them?
- What would you click next?
If they hesitate, that’s where improvements begin.
The Last Word: The Right Elements, in the Right Order, for the Right Reason
A brilliant homepage doesn’t overwhelm.
It welcomes.
It reassures.
It guides.
When you include the right elements, your homepage becomes a confident first step into your business.
If your homepage isn’t quite doing everything you’d like it to, we’re here to help.
Get in touch with The Last Hurdle
Let’s make your first impression count, beautifully and strategically. Call us for a chat about your business on 01604 654545 or email [email protected] we are here to help.
