How to Make a Homepage Outline Before You Write Your Copy

Most homepages are hard to write because people start with the words. A better start is an outline: a short list of the sections your page needs, in order, with one sentence for each. Once the outline is right, the copy comes much faster, and you waste less time rewriting paragraphs that did not belong on the page.

What a homepage outline is, and what it is not

A homepage outline is a plan for the page. It lists the sections from top to bottom and says what each one will tell the reader. It is not a design and it is not the final copy. Think of it as the skeleton that holds the page together.

Having an outline also makes it easier to work with other people. A designer, a developer or a copywriter can all read the same plan and know what is expected.

Start with three answers

Write short answers to these before you outline anything:

Who is this page for? One kind of person, not everyone. "Owners of small restaurants who do their own bookkeeping" is a good answer. "Businesses" is not.

What do they want? In their words, not yours. Listen to how customers describe the problem. Use the same words.

What should they do after reading? One action, such as booking a call, buying a starter pack or joining a list.

If you cannot answer one of these in a sentence, the page will feel muddy however well it is written.

The six sections most homepages need

1. The headline and first line. Say what you offer and who it is for. A visitor should know within five seconds whether they are in the right place. Put the main button here too.

2. The problem. Describe what the visitor is dealing with. If they nod while reading, you are on track. This is the section most homepages skip, and it is the one that makes people feel understood.

3. Your offer. What you sell, in plain words. Two or three sentences, not a paragraph of features. If you have more than one offer, show the main one and link to the rest.

4. How it works. Three steps is a good number. It shows the path from interested to done and makes buying feel less risky.

5. Proof. Customer quotes, results, numbers, logos, or a short story about someone you helped. If you have no customers yet, use your own track record and be specific about it. Vague claims do not help.

6. The next step. One clear button. Repeat it near the top and again at the bottom. Add a line for people who are not ready, such as a free guide or a way to ask a question.

Some pages also need a short section for common questions and a footer with contact details, but the six above carry the page.

Write one sentence per section

Under each heading, write a single sentence that says what the section will tell the reader. This is the outline. For example:

Headline: We do monthly bookkeeping for small restaurants so you can stop worrying about taxes. Problem: Restaurant owners spend weekends sorting receipts and still miss tax dates. Offer: A flat monthly fee covers your books, sales tax and a short report each month. How it works: Send us your receipts, we sort them, you get a report on the fifth. Proof: Two owners explain how much time they got back. Next step: Book a free fifteen-minute call.

Do not write the paragraphs yet. Keep each line short enough to fit on a card.

Check the order

Read only the sentences from top to bottom. Does the story make sense? Does it answer the questions a visitor would ask, in the order they would ask them? A new visitor asks: what is this, is it for me, can I trust it, what does it cost, what do I do next. Move sections around until the page answers those in order.

Then cut anything that does not help the visitor decide. A section about your company history can usually move to an About page.

Then write the copy

Write each section in the same order, starting with the one you know best. Keep sentences short. Use the words your customers use. Cut any line that would fit on any company's website.

When the copy is done, read the page from the top and check it against your three answers. If something does not serve the person, the want or the action, remove it.

Common mistakes

Starting with design instead of content. A beautiful page with a muddy message still does not sell. Writing for everyone. Pick one person. Putting proof at the very bottom. Visitors who do not scroll never see it. Having several competing buttons. Choose one main action.

A tool that does the outline step

STUDIO has a free Homepage Outline Builder. You enter your audience, offer and proof, and it gives you an outline to write from. Nothing you enter is saved or sent.

Related reading: once the outline is done, How to Write a Welcome Email Sequence (Step by Step) helps you follow up with the people who join, and the Digital Decided guide on brand voice examples, before and after shows how to make the copy sound like you. Open the Homepage Outline Builder