Most people land on a website, look at the first thing they see, and decide in seconds whether to stay. On a phone that first view is small. So what you put there matters enormously.
For a trade business, the first screen has to do five jobs.
1. Say what you do and where
A clear headline with your trade and your area. Not “Welcome to our website”. Something like “Roofers in Warrington and Cheshire” or “Gas Safe heating engineers in Leeds”. The visitor should know within a second that they are in the right place.
2. Give them a way to ring you
A big, obvious call button, easy to tap on a phone. Many visitors, especially with urgent jobs, want to speak to someone straight away. Do not make them hunt for your number.
3. Prove you are real
A line or badge that shows you are genuine: your accreditation, your years in the trade, a review rating, or your insurance. We cover what to show in trust signals.
4. Show your work
At least one strong photo of a finished job, ideally your own. Customers want to see what they will get. Stock photos of smiling people in hard hats do the opposite of building trust.
5. Offer a clear next step
Besides ringing, give a simple route for people who prefer to message: a short quote form or a button to request a callback. Keep it short.
What does not belong up there
- A slideshow that auto-plays
- A long paragraph about the company history
- A welcome message
- A huge menu of every page on the site
- Pop-ups before they have read anything
Test it on your own phone
Open your website on your phone and look at only the first screen without scrolling. Can you tell what the business does, where it works, how to ring and why to trust it? If not, there is work to do.
If a customer cannot tell what you do, where you work and how to ring you in three seconds, you are losing jobs.
Built in from day one
Every site we build starts with a first screen like this, whether you are a builder, a plumber or any other trade. See what is included.