Homepage Design Checklist: 15 Things Every Business Homepage Needs

Your homepage is usually the busiest page on your site, and visitors decide within seconds whether it's right for them. A good homepage doesn't try to say everything. It says the important things clearly, then sends people to the right place.

Use this 15-point checklist to review yours. It pairs well with our five-second test.

Say who you are

1. A clear headline. In plain words, what you do and who it's for. Skip abstract slogans.

2. A short supporting line. One or two sentences that add the key detail: the benefit, the location or the specialism.

3. A recognisable name and logo, linking back to the homepage from every page.

Show you're credible

4. Proof near the top. A client name, rating, award, number or short quote.

5. Real work or products. Show examples, not stock photos.

6. Real people. A face or a name builds trust, particularly for service businesses.

Make it easy to move

7. Simple navigation. Five or six clear items. Use words visitors would use, not internal jargon.

8. One main call to action. A visible button above the fold, such as "Book a consultation". Repeat it down the page.

9. A route for each audience. If you serve different people, help each find their way quickly.

10. Contact details where people expect them. A header link and a footer with email or phone.

Reduce doubt

11. A short "how it works" or process. Three steps is enough. People feel safer when they know what happens next.

12. Answers to common questions. Price approach, timing and what's included.

13. A sense of scale or experience. Years in business, clients served or results, if you can state them honestly.

Make it work well

14. Speed and mobile. Test on a real phone. Slow pages and tiny buttons lose people.

15. Accessibility basics. Readable text size, strong contrast, alt text on images and a layout that works with a keyboard. See our accessibility checklist.

Layout that works

A reliable order for a service business:

1. Headline, supporting line and button
2. Proof strip
3. What you do (three or four services)
4. Selected work
5. How it works
6. Testimonials or results
7. A short FAQ
8. Final call to action

Common mistakes

• Welcoming people with a vague slogan
• A carousel that hides key messages
• Too many calls to action competing with each other
• Auto-playing video or pop-ups that block the page
• Writing about "we" instead of what the visitor gets

How to improve yours

Pick the weakest point on this list and fix it first. Then measure whether more people get as far as your contact page. Our guide to why your website isn't converting gives a fuller diagnosis.

Frequently asked questions

What should be above the fold?

Your headline, a short supporting line, a clear button and ideally one piece of proof.

How long should a homepage be?

Long enough to answer the main questions, and no longer. Most work well at six to eight sections.

Can you review our homepage?

Yes. Book a consultation or see our website design service.