What Should You Write On Your Website’s Home Page, Anyway?
When I was looking online to see what other folks have to say about what you should write on your website’s home page for your small business, I found a lot of comprehensive lists about what should be on your entire website.
I feel like that’s biting off an awful lot. So let’s just start at the beginning. What should go just on the home page?
It depends, of course. It depends what kind of business you run, who your audience is, what you sell (in general), what you’re pitching (in particular), what the structure of the page looks like, and, of course, who’s writing it.
Ask 10 copywriters what you should put on your home page and you’ll probably get 10 different answers. It’s not an exact science.
My lens
I’ve written quite a few sites for independent entrepreneurs and small businesses. These folks tend to have a limited line of products in a very specific category, such as small-batch tuna, or provide targeted services, such as graphic design branding and strategy.
A larger company or a nonprofit with multiple product or programs and a split audience will probably need a different approach.
Let’s go
So, then. What should you write on your small business’s home page?
Your home page should give your visitor key information that introduces them to multiple aspects of your work and invites them to click.
Your home page is an introduction. You don’t need to cram in every bit of information, just as you wouldn’t give your guests an exhaustive rundown of the entire meal you’re serving the minute they walk through the front door.
Compose your home page as a guide, a place to show the visitor where they can go next.
I’ve fallen into a particular pattern for home pages that’s been pretty successful for my clients. It’s also one that roughly follows the templates out there on DIY sites such as Squarespace.
Here’s what I include:
A brief introduction to your business
Just below the big image at the top of your site (it’s called the “hero image,” by the way), you should introduce people to your business. This should be a brief (two- or three-sentence) introduction that:
Names your business.
Says what you do and for whom.
Focuses on the benefits of your work.
This section should leave your visitor with zero questions about the basics of your business. After reading it, you want them to say, “Huh! How cool. I need to find out more!”
Got that? You want them to think, “Huh!” (I’m curious.) Not “Huh?” (I’m confused.) If this section is even a little bit of a head-scratcher, they won’t know why they’re on your site and, chances are, they’ll leave.
A brief introduction to the owner or founder
Your business is about humans. So show some faces. If you’re the solo owner, your face should be somewhere on the home page. Put in a formal head shot or an action shot that shows your face at a clear angle. Introduce yourself. Write this in first person if you’re a solo entrepreneur. If you’re introducing your small business’s founder or founding family, choose first person or third person, depending on the desired tone for your site.
Make your introduction:
Short. Think of this as the kind of quick intro you’d give at a networking luncheon.
Warm. The tone of the introduction to the folks behind your business should be welcoming, as if you’re opening the door for them and inviting them into your shop or waiting room.
Benefits-focused. Again, you want to talk about what you can do for the visitor. This isn’t the spot for your bio. (No mentioning your degrees or awards here, please.) Briefly say hello, talk about why you do what you do, and tell them how glad you are that they stopped in.
An overview of your services or products
Show them what you do with brief descriptions of your services or products. Sites with three or four horizontal icons with brief descriptions below them are an incredibly clear way to give your visitor an overview of services or to break out your products into categories.
Clear, descriptive titles. Don’t try to be cute. Make it clear.
Extremely brief descriptions. Beneath each title, say what this service or type of product is and tease them about why they should want to know more. Don’t worry about listing every single benefit. There will be plenty of space on other pages to highlight the heck out of each and every product or service.
A clear, above-the-fold welcome statement
The very first thing people see when they click on your site are the big words (or “hero copy”) that hover over the hero image.
It’s important. It should clearly state what you do while simultaneously drawing people in. Because this handful of words have such a big job, they’re notoriously hard to write. When I do a project, it’s the very last thing I draft. (Which is why I’ve listed it here.)
At minimum, your hero copy should state what you do and for whom. If you’re able to slide a why in there (as in, a core benefit of your work) so much the better.
Crystal-clear buttons
Because your home page is basically an invitation to explore more, it should have plenty of call-to-action (or CTA) buttons. Beneath each section, put in a CTA button to take people to the next stop, based on their own curiosity.
Beneath your introduction, you can invite them to learn more about your services.
Beneath the warm hello from your founder, you can invite them to meet the whole team.
Beneath the hero copy, you can invite them to find out more about your flagship offering.
Think this through as a team and decide where you want people to end up. Then plan your CTA buttons around those goals.
A way to contact you
Every home page needs several spots where people can contact you directly. This is more in the wheelhouse of your designer, but clear, engaging copy inviting people to click will encourage them to do so, such as “Let’s Chat!” or “Email Us.”
Often, sites will have a CTA contact button at the top of the page, a Contact section in the navigation bar, and at least one other CTA button in the body of the page. They all direct visitors to the contact page on the website.
Some designs incorporate a contact form into the structure of the page, usually in the footer or near the bottom of the page. No matter how it’s designed, just make sure it’s clear and easy.
Affirmations
If you like, you can also include short sections that affirm your performance and character. Some examples:
A cloud or slider featuring logos of the businesses you’ve worked with.
Testimonials from clients or customers who had positive experiences.
Quotes or phrases that reflect the philosophy of your work or the values of your business.
Writing your home page can feel daunting. But if you narrow down the scope of each section, it should feel like a doable project. It’s definitely one that pays off.
Want to know what to include on your About page? See 3 Things Your About Page Needs.
