The short answerShow your homepage to someone who has never seen it for five seconds, then hide it and ask three questions: what does this business do, where does it work, and what should I do next? If they hesitate on any of them, a real customer is hesitating too, and then leaving.
How to run the test
- Find a friendly stranger: a neighbor, a cousin, the person at the next table. Not someone who knows your business.
- Open your homepage on a phone. That is where most people will see it.
- Show it for five seconds, then lock the screen.
- Ask: what do they do, where do they do it, what would you click first?
The checklist, with jokes
- Say what you do in the first line. "Welcome to our website" tells a visitor nothing. They know where they are; it is on the screen.
- Say where you work. A town or service area beats "serving the region" every time.
- One main button. "Call now" or "Send photos for a quote", not nine equal-sized buttons competing like toddlers.
- A tappable phone number at the top, not a photo of a phone number.
- Real pictures of your work. A generic photo of two people in hard hats shaking hands has never convinced anyone.
- Proof that is true: your real reviews, your real years in business, your real licenses. Nothing invented.
- Fast enough on mobile data. If it takes a coffee break to load, the customer has already called someone else.
Where Bots on Staff fits
We build websites for local trades around exactly this idea: the first screen says what you do and where, and gives one clear next step. You can see it for your own business before you decide anything. We build a free home page and send you the link; no card needed.
Questions people ask
How long should a homepage be?
As long as it takes to answer a customer's main questions and no longer. The first screen matters most, because that is what decides whether they keep reading.
Do I need a video on my homepage?
No. Clear words and real photos of your work do more than a video that loads slowly. Add one later if you have a good one.
How often should I update my website?
Keep your hours, phone number, services and photos current. A few real new photos now and then is plenty.
Why does mobile matter so much?
Many customers look for local services on their phone, often in a hurry. A site that works on a small screen is part of being easy to hire.
