A useful homepage headline tells visitors what the business helps them do, with enough detail to recognise whether it is relevant. Start with the offer and the customer, then remove words that add no meaning. Let the supporting sentence explain scope, location or approach instead of cramming everything into one line.
Say what a stranger needs to know
Imagine someone arriving from a recommendation with only your company name. They should not need to decode a slogan before learning what you sell. A line such as “Built around you” could belong to a builder, accountant or furniture shop.
Write a plain answer to the question: what do you do for whom? It may sound unremarkable at first. That is useful. You now have something specific to improve, rather than a collection of impressive adjectives.
For an illustrative bookkeeping business, “Bookkeeping for owner-managed businesses” explains more than “Your future, accounted for”. The latter might suit a campaign, but it needs context to carry the homepage on its own.
Choose the most useful distinction
You cannot describe every service, audience and benefit in the headline. Decide which distinction helps the right visitor recognise the offer fastest.
That could be the type of customer, the particular job or the way the service is delivered. A regional service may need its coverage nearby. A national specialist may need to explain the specialist problem instead.
Write several factual options. For example, an imagined commercial fit-out business might consider “Office fit-outs for occupied workplaces” or “Plan and deliver your office refurbishment”. Each emphasises a different buying concern. Neither needs to promise a result the business cannot substantiate.
Make the supporting sentence earn its space
The sentence beneath the headline can carry the details that would make the headline unwieldy. Explain what is included, who it suits or what connects the services.
Do not repeat the headline in more words. If the headline identifies the service, the supporting sentence might clarify the scope. If it states a customer problem, the sentence should explain the actual offer.
Try reading the two together without the design. They should form a clear introduction. If they depend on a background video to explain the business, the words are not yet doing enough.
Remove claims that need evidence you do not have
Words such as “leading”, “best” and “trusted” ask visitors to accept a judgement without showing why. A specific fact is usually more useful. Describe an evidenced specialism, a published process or a real service boundary.
Do not replace a broad boast with an unsupported number. If you mention a result, make sure the evidence, time period and context exist and can be shown. The homepage is a poor place for a claim that needs several hidden qualifications.
A simple editorial check is to underline every adjective. Ask whether it changes the meaning or merely asks the reader to feel impressed. Keep the words that help them decide.
Check the headline in its actual layout
A headline that works in a document can become awkward when it wraps into five lines on a phone. Review the real design, including the longest words, supporting copy and primary action.
Do not solve every wrapping problem by shrinking the text. Sometimes the sentence needs editing. Sometimes the layout needs more room. The aim is a readable introduction, not a particular screenshot.
Keep the visible headline and page title consistent in meaning, even when their wording differs. Google’s guidance on title links explains that headings and other prominent text can contribute to the title shown in search.
Use a comprehension test
Show the top of the page to someone unfamiliar with the business. Ask them what it offers, who it seems to be for and what they would expect after choosing the main action.
Do not ask whether they like the headline first. A line can be appealing and still leave the offer unclear. Collect their wording before explaining your intention.
Record three things in the review:
- What they understood correctly.
- What they inferred that you did not intend.
- What essential detail they could not find.
Use that feedback to revise the whole introduction. A headline cannot compensate for unclear navigation labels or a service page that never explains the work.
Our service page checklist helps with the detail after the homepage. If both need planning together, see our website design service.