The 10-Second Homepage Test: Is Your Website Costing You Clients?
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Quick question for you:
Is your homepage clearly telling people what you do or sell?
I know that sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how many service providers accidentally sabotage their offer behind vague headlines, ‘clever’ taglines and unrelated visuals.
Let’s do a fast diagnostic. I’m calling it the:
The 10 Second Homepage Hero Test
(And no I'm not referring to when you drop food on the floor.)
Open your homepage and pretend you’re a brand new visitor. Better yet, ask a friend who’s not all up in your biz to do this:
In the above the fold section of your homepage, in the first 10 seconds, can you answer:
What do you do?
Who do you help?
And can you click a link to find out more?
If you're not familiar with above the fold, it’s the section of a webpage on desktop or mobile that's visible without scrolling.
Your homepage hero section is the most important piece of website real estate you have - location, location, location!
Here’s a screenshot of mine for reference:
If your hero section's coming up short, you’re not alone. Most small business sites are missing at least one of those. But here’s the thing:
If what you do and who you do it for isn’t clear within the first 10 seconds of checking out your hero section, many visitors will bounce. (This is SEO speak for leaving your site.)
And a high bounce rate means you're losing potential clients - not because your services aren't top notch, but because your website didn't do its job.
The good news? This is fixable.
Make sure your homepage clearly shows what you do, who it’s for, and how to get started — all above the fold.
No more hiding the thing you sell.
Homepage Hero Section Headline Help
First step: start with a crystal clear headline.
Here’s one headline framework:
I/We help [ideal client] [solve problem / achieve result] by/with [service/action/product]
“I help home sellers get a higher price in less time through strategic staging”
"We help busy professionals save time in the kitchen with healthy, pre-prepped meal kits."
Want more help?
My free headline builder takes you through crafting a headline.
If you want to take it a couple steps further, my free Best Fit Buyer PDF will clarify your brand message and your ideal client, ensuring your homepage headline hits the mark.
Home Page Hero Imagery
Here's another place where a lot of websites go wrong. Do not throw up a random image just because it looks ‘aesthetic’. (Creatives, you’re getting the side eye here. 👀)
What's been shown to convert best?
Either an image of your service/product, or even better, an image of a happy client using your service / their transformation as a result of using your product/service.
If you’re an orthodontist, show a patient with a great smile.
If you’re an accountant, show a relaxed, happy client reviewing their financials
You get the gist.
Hero Section CTA - Call To Action
Finally, make sure to include a call to action button in your homepage hero section.
Your homepage should have more than one call to action button link. One of its primary jobs is to give people easy navigation to what they’re looking for. But make sure you include one in your hero section.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Want even more help? As in, the whole enchilada?🌮(taco - best I could do)
Words That Sell is my step-by-step copywriting template system for service providers who want to finally write clear, compelling website words that attract and convert perfect-fit clients.
Fill-in-the-blank templates, plug-and-play formulas, each with real examples for writing each page of your site, section by section, top to bottom
Messaging frameworks that clarify what you do and who you help (you’ll be shocked at how much you get out of this exercise)
AI prompts to get you going fast, even if you don’t “like writing”
You’ve got something valuable.
Let’s make sure people know it.
Talk soon,
Tina
P.S. - Let me know what you think in the comments below. Your feedback helps me create the best content to help you grow your business. 🙏🏻
