Write a homepage that helps people choose
Build a clear homepage introduction, useful route choices and honest reassurance. Includes a complete fictional repair-workshop draft and annotations.
A homepage should quickly explain what the business does, who it can help and where each visitor should go next. It does not need to contain every answer. It needs to make the important routes easy to recognise.
Start with the main offer in ordinary language. Add enough scope and context for the reader to decide whether they are in the right place, then link to the detail that supports their next decision.
Decide who needs a route from the page
For the fictional Alder & Grain furniture workshop, three visitors need different things:
- A new visitor wants to check whether a wooden chair or small table is within scope.
- Someone already interested wants to understand assessment and approval.
- Someone ready to enquire needs to know what information to prepare.
Those tasks suggest a short offer statement, links to repair scope and the process, and a preparation step. A long account of the founder's passion would not resolve any of those tasks on its own.
Diagnose the vague opening
Fictional weak draft:
Welcome to Alder & Grain, your trusted destination for exceptional craftsmanship. We are passionate about delivering bespoke solutions that exceed expectations. Our friendly team brings your vision to life, combining quality, care and outstanding service. Discover the difference and get in touch today.
The draft never says what is repaired, where work takes place or what the reader should prepare. “Trusted”, “exceptional” and “exceed expectations” also ask the reader to accept claims without evidence.
Do not solve this by adding more adjectives. Replace the missing information.
Complete revised homepage draft
Fictional teaching copy: the following is an example homepage for an invented business. The action labels are suggested wording, not active service links.
Wooden chair and small-table repairs
Alder & Grain is a workshop for wooden dining-chair joint repairs and minor repairs to wooden tables. We help you understand whether your item is suitable for assessment before any repair work is agreed.
Bring your furniture to the workshop by arrangement. We do not provide upholstery, home visits or national collection.
Main action: See the repairs we consider
Second route: How assessment works
Start with the condition of your item
A loose joint, damaged edge or other problem needs its own assessment. Send an overall photograph, a close-up of the affected area and a short description of what has changed.
Photographs help us decide the next step. They cannot confirm the final scope or price of a repair.
Agree the work before it begins
Where an item appears suitable, we arrange an inspection. We then explain the proposed work and provide a written quote. Repair work starts after you approve that scope and quote.
Once the work is complete, collection is arranged with you. Timing depends on the item and the agreed work; it is confirmed during assessment.
Find the right information
Furniture repairs: check the work we consider and the exclusions.
How assessment works: understand the steps from photographs to collection.
The workshop: read the current workshop information and visiting arrangements.
Ready to ask about an item?
Prepare your photographs and description, then use the contact details on the workshop's contact page. Arrange a visit before bringing furniture in.
Next action: Prepare an assessment enquiry
Why those sections earn their place
| Section | Decision it supports | Editorial reason |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | “Is this the kind of business I need?” | Names the items and the type of repair before presenting a general promise |
| Exclusions | “Can I use this service?” | Prevents upholstery and collection expectations from developing |
| Preparation | “What should I do first?” | Gives a concrete task rather than a generic invitation |
| Approval process | “What happens before work begins?” | Explains the sequence without claiming a guaranteed result |
| Route choices | “Where is the detail I need?” | Lets visitors choose by task |
| Closing action | “Am I ready to enquire?” | Repeats the useful next step at the point a reader may be ready |
The draft deliberately does not invent an address, email, review, price or photograph. A real homepage would need confirmed contact and visiting details in its linked pages before launch.
Add evidence where it answers a question
If the business has genuine photographs of its own work, use them to explain scope, materials or process. Confirm permission and describe what the image actually shows. If it has relevant qualifications or a documented history, state those facts accurately and provide context.
Without that evidence, clear process information is still useful. An invented testimonial would make the page less trustworthy, not more complete.
Keep the page useful on a small screen
Review the first screen with the final copy, not just short design placeholders. The offer, scope and route should remain understandable when the headline wraps. Use descriptive links so a visitor does not have to compare several identical “learn more” labels. That follows W3C's guidance on writing accessible content.
Read only the section headings and action labels. If they do not communicate the page's structure, improve them before adding decorative content.
Check the next page as well
A clear homepage can still send people into a confusing service page. Follow every primary route and check that the destination fulfils the promise of its link.
Use the service-page guide for the next part of this example. The complete local-service website shows how the homepage, scope and page map fit together.
The source notes
Sources and further reading
- W3C: Writing for Web Accessibility Checked 4 November 2026