Seven things every small business homepage needs
Your homepage has a few seconds to tell a visitor they're in the right place. These seven things do most of the work, with examples for South African businesses.
Adam BergerWeb designer and developer- Published
- Reading time
- 3 min
Most visitors decide within a few seconds whether a homepage is for them. They don't read; they scan for answers to three questions: Is this what I need? Can I trust them? What do I do next? A homepage that answers those quickly turns visitors into enquiries. One that doesn't loses them to the next search result.
These are the seven things I put on every small business homepage I build, in roughly the order a visitor needs them.
1. A headline that says what you do and where
Not a slogan. "Excellence in every detail" could be a bank or a bakery. "Family dentist in Fourways, open Saturdays" tells the right person they've found what they were looking for, and tells Google the same thing.
Test: could a stranger say what your business does after reading only your headline?
2. One clear next step, everywhere
Decide the one thing you want visitors to do (call, WhatsApp, book, ask for a quote) and make it the most obvious button on the page. Repeat it after each section, so nobody has to scroll back up to act.
On phones, a tap-to-call or WhatsApp button that stays in reach does more for enquiries than almost anything else on the page.
3. Proof, early
People trust what they can see. Put proof near the top:
- Real work: photos of finished jobs, before-and-afters, your menu, your showroom.
- Reviews: a few short ones with names, or your Google rating.
- Numbers that mean something: years in business, jobs done, areas covered.
Stock photos of smiling strangers in suits don't count as proof. A slightly imperfect photo of your actual team does.
4. What you offer, in plain words
List your main services or products in short, scannable blocks: what it is, who it's for, and what happens next. Link each one to its own page if there's more to say. Avoid insider language; write it the way customers describe it when they phone you.
5. Prices, or at least a starting point
Nothing loses a visitor faster than having to ask what something costs. You don't have to publish a full price list, but "from R450" or "most jobs cost between R1,500 and R3,000" answers the question everyone has, and filters out people who were never going to buy.
6. Where you are and when you're open
Your area, your hours and how to reach you belong on the homepage, not only on a contact page. If customers visit you, add a map. If you go to them, list the areas you cover. Keep these details identical to your Google Business Profile.
7. Speed, on a phone
Most South Africans browse on their phones, often on mobile data. A homepage that takes eight seconds to load has lost most visitors before they read your headline. Large unoptimised photos, sliders and pop-ups are the usual culprits.
Test: open your site on your phone on mobile data, not Wi-Fi. Count how long until you can read the headline.
What to leave off
- Sliders and carousels. Hardly anyone waits for slide three. Pick the one message that matters.
- Pop-ups the moment the page opens. Let people see what you do first.
- Walls of text about your history. It belongs on the about page.
- Your mission statement. Customers care what you'll do for them.
How long should a homepage be?
Long enough to answer what you do, why someone should trust you and what to do next, with each section short and scannable. Length matters less than how quickly a visitor finds what they came for.
Should I put my prices on my homepage?
A starting price or typical range is enough for most businesses. It answers the first question many visitors have and saves you calls from people who were never going to buy.
Do I need a video on my homepage?
No. A short video can help some businesses, but it slows the page and many people never press play. Clear words and real photos come first.
The short version
Say what you do and where, show proof, make the next step obvious, answer the price question and make it fast on a phone. Get those right and the rest is detail. If you'd like to see what your own homepage could look like, I'll design it for free before you pay anything.
