Homepage section headings that carry the message

Key takeaways

Homepage section headings should tell your story on their own, so a visitor who only scans still understands the offer. Replace labels such as 'Our Services' and 'About Us' with claims or questions like 'Three ways we cut your admin'. Good section headings do the persuading for the many readers who skip body text.

• Read only the headings: do they tell the story?
• Replace labels with claims or questions.
• Keep each heading under about 10 words.
• Use real heading tags, in a logical order.

Why do section headings matter so much?

Section headings matter because scanning is the default on the web. Nielsen Norman Group's reading research shows users pick out headings and first words rather than reading every line. On a homepage, headings carry the argument for those people. Generic labels waste the most-read words on the page.

• How to create a high-converting homepage for an SME
• How visitors read a homepage: scanning, not reading

What makes a good homepage section heading?

A good heading states what the section means for the reader. It should make a claim, answer a question or name a benefit. Compare the pairs below. The second version of each tells a scanning visitor something useful, and it would still make sense if it were the only line they read.

• 'Our Services' becomes 'What we take off your plate'.
• 'About Us' becomes 'A Leeds firm, run by two engineers'.
• 'Testimonials' becomes 'What 200 local homeowners say'.
• 'Process' becomes 'From first call to finished job in three steps'.

• Write a homepage benefits section buyers will read

Should headings be questions or statements?

Use statements for claims and questions when the visitor is actually asking one. 'How much does it cost?' works well near pricing, because it matches a thought already in the buyer's mind. Mixing the two is fine. Too many questions can sound like a quiz, so use them where they match real doubts.

• The five questions every homepage visitor needs answered

How do headings help search and accessibility?

Use real heading tags in a logical order, with one H1 and H2s for sections, rather than bold text. Screen reader users often navigate by headings, and search engines use them to understand a page's structure. WCAG 2.2 expects headings to describe the topic or purpose of what follows.

• The homepage H1: what it should say
• Page titles and headings: the navigation visitors forget
• How screen reader users navigate your site

What mistakes should you avoid?

Avoid clever puns that need context, one-word labels, all-capitals text and headings that promise more than the section delivers. Avoid repeating the same sentence structure in every section, because it becomes a drone. Do not choose heading sizes for looks alone, since the tag and the visual size should broadly agree.

• Homepage heading sizes that guide the eye

When is a plain label fine?

Plain labels are fine for functional sections people look for, such as 'Contact', 'Prices' or 'Opening hours'. In those places, familiar wording helps visitors find what they want. Reserve descriptive headings for sections that must persuade, and keep labels for sections that only need to be found.

• Consistent wording: call each thing by one name

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern worth testing on your own page: copy only the headings into a blank document. Most homepages read as Welcome, Services, About, Testimonials, Contact, which could be anyone. Rewriting that list until it makes a case usually improves the whole page, because the body text then has something to support.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Homepage headings checklist

• Copy your headings into a blank document.
• Check that they tell a story alone.
• Replace labels with claims.
• Keep each under about 10 words.
• Use one H1 and logical H2s.
• Keep plain labels for functional sections.

• Draft homepage copy with AI, then make it yours
• Write a homepage benefits section buyers will read

Next step

Do the blank document test on your homepage now. If the headings could belong to any company, rewrite them before you touch anything else.