How to write a homepage that converts
A homepage has seconds to convince a visitor to stay. Good copy does that; vague copy loses them. Here is how to write a homepage that actually turns visitors into inquiries.
The first screen answers three questions
Within seconds the visitor decides whether to stay. The first screen must answer immediately: what do you offer, for whom, and why you.
If they have to figure it out, they leave. A clear headline plus one sentence of explanation beats a beautiful but confusing opening.
Write about the customer, not yourself
A common mistake is a headline about the company: we are a team of professionals since 2010. The visitor does not care yet.
They care what they get. Lead with the benefit and the outcome. Talk about their problem and your solution, not about your history. History can come later, lower on the page.
Show proof
Claims are weak; proof is strong. Add real work, client reviews, concrete numbers, recognisable logos if you have permission.
Proof turns I say I am good into here is evidence I am good. Without it, even the best copy reads as just another promise.
One clear next step
Every homepage should guide the visitor to one main action: send an inquiry, call, book.
If five buttons compete for attention, the visitor clicks none. One clear call to action, repeated down the page, works far better than a crowded screen of options.
Worked example: rewriting a first screen
Here is a hypothetical company that does bookkeeping for e-resident companies. The first draft of its homepage opens like this.
Headline: Professional accounting solutions. Subheading: We are a dynamic team offering a full range of services.
Nothing in it says who the service is for or what the visitor gets. A rewrite following the three questions:
Headline: Bookkeeping for your Estonian OÜ, handled in English. Subheading: Monthly accounts, VAT returns and the annual report for e-resident founders. Fixed monthly fee, replies within one working day. Button: Get a quote.
The second version names the customer (an e-resident with an OÜ), the outcome (the reporting is taken care of), a reason to choose this firm (English, fixed fee, fast replies) and a single next step. Every claim in it must be true for your business, so write only what you can keep.
Writing the same homepage in Estonian, Russian and English
A word-for-word translation of a good English homepage is usually a weak Estonian or Russian one. The three audiences in Estonia arrive with different questions.
- Estonian-speaking visitors tend to compare several local providers. Be direct and factual: what, where, how fast, from what price.
- Russian-speaking visitors often want to know first if they can deal with you in Russian at all. Say it on the first screen of the Russian version, not in the footer.
- English-speaking visitors are frequently foreigners or e-residents who do not know the local system. One sentence that explains a local term (what an OÜ or a bank link is) removes a reason to leave.
Keep the structure and the offer identical, and let a native speaker write each headline from scratch. Search wording differs too: people type different phrases in each language, and the headline should echo theirs.
Proof that works for a young OÜ
A company opened last year through e-residency has no long client list. It still has facts, and facts are proof.
- The full company name and registry code, which anyone can look up in the Estonian e-Business Register.
- A named founder with a real photo and a LinkedIn profile.
- A concrete description of how the work goes: steps, timing, what the client receives.
- One honest sample of work, even a self-initiated one, labelled as such.
Do not fill the gap with invented reviews or logos of companies you once emailed. A small, checkable set of facts converts better than a large set of claims nobody can verify.
FAQ
How long should homepage copy be?+
Long enough to answer the visitor's questions and lead to an inquiry, and no longer. If you can do it briefly, brief is better. Length is not the goal.
Should I write the copy or hire someone?+
You know the business best, so your input is essential. A copywriter or studio then shapes it for clarity and SEO. The worst option is generic copy with no real input from you.
How do I know if my homepage works?+
Show it to someone outside your business, give them five seconds, and ask what the company offers and what they should do. If they cannot answer, the copy needs work.
Should the homepage of an Estonian company mention Estonia at all if the clients are abroad?+
Briefly, yes. An EU-registered company with a public registry entry is a trust signal for foreign buyers. One line near the footer or the about block is enough. The headline should still be about the customer's problem, not about your jurisdiction.
Do I show prices on the homepage?+
A starting price or a price range helps visitors decide if they are in the right place and filters out inquiries that would never fit. State whether VAT is included. If every job is quoted individually, say what the quote depends on.