What Most Homepages Get Wrong (and How to Fix Yours)
Ever get to the bottom of a homepage and still don’t fully understand what the business actually does?
Or find yourself scrolling through what feels like an endless sales pitch?
I know I have.
Sometimes businesses just say too much, or try to be a bit too clever with the wording. Either way, the message gets lost completely.
And when you’re so close to your own business, it’s genuinely hard to spot these issues yourself.
The good news is that most homepage problems are fixable without tearing your whole website apart and spiralling into a redesign crisis at 11pm.
Here are some of the most common homepage mistakes small service businesses make, and how to improve them.
Clutter and page overload
One of the biggest homepage issues is simply having too much going on.
That can look like long paragraphs of text, a confusing navigation, endless scrolling, or too many colours, visuals, or animations fighting for attention.
If everyone shouts, no-one gets heard. (Or is that just something I say to my kids?)
Basically, if people find the page unclear or overwhelming, they will bounce straight to the next search result.
A good homepage should be easy to scan, with clear sections, short paragraphs, and logical links that help people move forward without having to think too hard.
Outdated design
First impressions really do count.
If you’re using naff stock imagery, clipart-style graphics, low quality photography, or fonts that are hard to read, people might assume the rest of the business is a bit behind too, even if your services are bang up to date.
That doesn’t mean your website needs to be flashy or trend-led. It just needs to feel professional, aligned, and cared for - consistent with your brand and appropriate for your audience.
Good spacing, readable typography, clean layouts and thoughtful use of colour go a very long way in building trust quickly.
And there’s really no excuse for bad imagery - there are loads of royalty-free stock imagery sites where you can find something decent to align with your subject matter and audience. Check out sites like unsplash, pexels or pixabay (just watch out for file size so you don’t slow your site down).
Lovely motivational picture to break up the text and keep you going. Phew, thanks guys 👍🏻
Vague or overly creative wording
This is a big one, especially when it comes to the hero section at the top of the page.
If people land on your site and can’t immediately tell what you do, they’re unlikely to stick around.
Your heading and subheading should work together to quickly answer:
what you do
who you do it for
why it matters
(also, where you work, if location matters)
For example:
From: “Helping you reconnect with possibility.”
To: “Career coaching for professionals feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or ready for a change.”
Don’t let clever get in the way of clarity.
People need reassurance, fast, especially for service businesses where people are deciding whether you feel like the right fit over someone else.
Copy that reads like a CV
Think of your homepage as your shop window. No offence, but no one wants a window full of you.
They want to know what problem you solve for them.
If your homepage reads like an autobiography - your qualifications, your years in business, your founding story, your list of achievements, and so on….you’re less likely to make a meaningful connection.
For example:
From: “I’ve been a reflexologist since 2010 and trained with…”
To: “Helping stressed clients feel more balanced, grounded, and supported through personalised reflexology.”
One is about you. The other is about the solving their problem.
The same goes for copy that feels AI-written or overly generic. If it doesn’t sound like genuine, have a point of difference or reflect the personality behind the business, it won’t feel trustworthy.
Focus on who your client is, what they’re struggling with, and how you can help. Most importantly, make it clear, helpful and human.
No obvious next step
Sometimes people land on a homepage, scroll around a bit… and leave because they’re not quite sure what to do next.
Don’t leave it to people to figure out. No-one has time for that.
The next step should feel obvious throughout the page. That could be:
Book a consultation
View services
Get in touch
Download a guide
Keep your Calls-To-Action (CTAs) and links clear and specific so people always know what they’ll get when they click through. Each section should point naturally to the rest of your site, and your navigation should include one clear primary button.
Treating the footer like an afterthought
I love a good footer design. It might seem small, but it’s actually a powerhouse for SEO, UX, and trust, especially for small service-based businesses.
Think of it as a secondary navigation where people can:
Find important pages quickly
Get in touch
Check your location, offices or service area
Visit your social profiles
Understand your business better
Access the important legal bits
It’s also a perfect place to reinforce your service area and contact details, which can support local SEO too.
If someone scrolls all the way to the bottom of your homepage, they’re still engaged.
Don’t waste that opportunity!
Forgetting about mobile
This one still catches loads of businesses out.
Over 60% of traffic is mobile, so if your site doesn’t look great on your phone, you’re losing clients!
You want to make sure it loads fast, looks clean, and buttons are easy to tap. Tiny text, cramped sections, and awkward buttons are instant turn-offs.
Test it on your own phone and fix anything that feels frustrating.
Simple homepage checks you can do today
If you’re looking at your own homepage and wondering whether it’s doing enough, here’s a quick test.
Ask yourself:
Can someone tell what I do within five seconds?
Is my headline clear?
Is the next step obvious?
Does the page feel easy to scan?
Have I explained who I help?
Does it look and work well on my phone?
Do I sound human and trustworthy?
Could someone contact me quickly if they wanted to?
If the answer to any of those is “not really”, it might be putting people off.
Helpful next steps
If your homepage feels cluttered, vague, or like it’s trying to do seventeen jobs at once, simplify it. Clarity goes a long way.
The good news is that most homepage improvements don’t require a full redesign. Small changes can make a homepage feel more polished and effective very quickly.
For small service-based businesses, that usually means giving people a simple, confident introduction to what you do and making it easy for them to take the next step. It also helps Google understand your page properly, which matters as much as making sense to your customers.
If you want to build the right foundation first, have a read of:
What makes a good homepage for a service business?
You might also find these helpful:
And if you need a hand shaping your homepage, tightening your messaging, or a website design tidy-up, I’d love to help.
