Your homepage is a filter. It should make the right buyer feel understood in seconds and make the wrong buyer realize they should not book a call. That is not aggressive. That is respectful.
A homepage should read like a clear invitation, not a generic agency ad. If a visitor cannot tell who it is for, what outcome you deliver, and what the next step is, the page is not doing its job.
Lead quality starts with the first screen
The first screen is not a slogan. It is a decision moment. The headline should describe the outcome you deliver and the buyer you serve, in their words. WCAG guidance on headings and labels says they should describe the page’s purpose and help users find content. Headings and labels. That same idea applies to your hero copy.
If you are unsure what that looks like, compare your hero to your service page anatomy. The homepage should point to a service page that answers the deeper questions.
Use buyer language that gives off information scent
People choose links based on how likely they think the destination will answer their question. That is information scent. It is not abstract theory. It is how users decide where to click. The Interaction Design Foundation summarizes information scent as cues that signal whether a path leads closer to a goal. Information scent.
If your homepage has labels like “Solutions” or “Capabilities” without context, the scent is weak. Swap those for outcomes buyers recognize, then route them to a focused services hub page or a specific business websites page.
Set expectations early to filter misfit leads
You do not need to publish full pricing on the homepage, but you should signal scale. A simple “projects typically start at…” or “best for teams who need…” can cut low-fit inquiries. If you want to be explicit, connect that signal to your pricing approach.
This is also where social proof belongs. A short, credible line that matches your audience can do more than a wall of logos. If you want to show proof without bloating the homepage, route to your case studies and let those stories do the work.
Keep the path to action simple
A homepage should not force a buyer to guess the next step. You can offer a structured route like the project brief for serious inquiries and a lighter option for quick questions via the contact flow. The contact page guide shows how to keep that step focused without making it feel like a form trap.
If you are deciding how deep the homepage should go, revisit the one-page vs multi-page guide. In most cases, the homepage should qualify and route, not try to explain every detail.
The homepage has to feel like your reputation
A strong homepage is consistent with everything else. The U.S. Web Design System describes design as a way to earn trust by being reliable and consistent. USWDS design principles. If your homepage promises clarity but your service pages feel vague, trust breaks.
If you want to align the whole story, pair this with your about page strategy and your services overview. When those three pages agree, you get fewer misfit leads and more conversations that start with the right expectations.
