Why I Write the Homepage Last And What That Means for Your Business
Whenever I work with a client on website copy, they always think that because the homepage is seen first, that you write it first.
Not true!
Not for me anyway. It seems logical that it’s the first page you encounter, so it’s the first page you write, but honestly, you need to know so much before you can confidently write that one single page. It’s the shop window of your business, so it’s crucially important.
And if you get that wrong, everything else feels disconnected.
The Homepage is an Introduction and a Summary
It’s got to grab attention. Speak to the right people in the right way. Immediately make the feel like you’re ‘their people’, selling ‘their product or service’.
So it’s a summary or a distillation of the whole company. It’s strategic positioning. By the time I write the homepage, I’ve already:
Interrogated your offers or services
Clarified exactly who you’re for (and who you’re not)
Identified what’s actually driving buying decisions
Found the gaps that are costing you enquiries
Structured your service pages so they guide, not overwhelm
Only then can I distil everything down into those few impactful words that make the homepage so effective. They help filter who’s going to love your thing and who’s not. And if it’s not for them, they’ll happily move on, without wasting their or your time.
Clarity comes from legwork.
Interrogation of the product, the service and the company as a whole. Your values, your ethos and your tone all bundled up with who are you talking to and what problem are you solving?
Why Most Small Business Websites Don’t Convert
Here’s what I see constantly when I’m asked to ‘just refresh’ a homepage:
Vague statements like “We’re passionate about helping…”
Long explanations that still don’t clearly define the offer
Messaging that makes sense to you as a business owner, but not to your buyer
A lack of structure guiding visitors towards a decision
If your messaging isn’t clear, the homepage can’t be clear.
And if the homepage isn’t clear, people will head to a competitor. And nobody wants that.
What Happens During a Full Website Rewrite
A proper website rewrite goes far deeper than swapping out words.
It involves:
1. Clarifying Positioning
Who exactly are you for?
What problem do you solve?
Why should someone choose you over your competition? What do you want to achieve from the website?
Until that’s sharp, nothing else works.
2. Structuring for Decision-Making
Your pages aren’t just placed willy nilly. They should be in a logical order, guiding potential clients through a seamless journey to the end goal. Which is a sale, a subscription, a wait list sign up, or even a donation.
Problem → Solution → Proof → Action
When your services are structured well, your homepage becomes powerful because it’s anchored in clarity.
3. Distilling What’s in Your Head
As a business owner, you’ll know your company, its processes and its offers inside out.
The challenge isn’t knowledge.
It’s translating everything in your head into messaging that:
Feels simple
Sounds confident
Drives action
Only once I know what you want to achieve, or what the purpose of the site is, and exactly what your offers are can I then even begin to write the homepage. So by digging deep into all the other aspects of your business, I can fully understand the things that make it tick. The things that attract customers and the things that we need to say in the first instance to attract the right attention.
Only once I know the business from top to toe, can I write the homepage with confidence and clarity.
You Need a Website That You’re Proud Of
A website should feel like an asset. Showcasing all the things you need to tell clients about to resonate with them, their problems and their struggles. Your clear messaging helps them see themselves in your words and it resonates, so they see a company who understands them, is on their wavelength and ‘gets it’.
When your messaging is clear:
Sales conversations become easier.
Content creation becomes simpler.
Confidence increases.
The right clients recognise themselves immediately.
That’s what a strategic homepage does.
And that’s why I write it last.
If your website feels ‘fine’ but not powerful, it might be time for a re-think and a re-hash.
If you’d like to explore a full website rewrite, get in touch. Let’s make your words work as hard as you do.