Why it matters for a small business site
It’s the only part of the page every visitor sees. In a few seconds it has to tell them what you offer, who it’s for and what to do next. Anyone it doesn’t convince may never scroll down to the parts that would have.
How to check yours
- Open your home page on a phone and on a laptop, and look only at what shows before you scroll.
- Ask someone who doesn’t know your business to look at that screen for five seconds, then tell you what you sell and what they would click.
- Check that your main button is visible without scrolling on both.
What good looks like
One clear headline that says what you do, a line that says who it’s for, one main button, and a picture or proof that backs them up, all readable on a phone screen.
Common mistakes
- Spending the first screen on a big photo or slider with no words on it.
- A headline about you (“Welcome to our website”) rather than what the visitor gets.
- Several buttons of equal weight, so none of them is the obvious next step.
- Checking only on a large monitor. On a phone the fold comes much sooner.