Your homepage gets approximately 3 seconds to convince a visitor to stay.
If it's unclear, cluttered or generic, they'll leave your site—and you'll never know what sale you just lost.
I've audited hundreds of Shopify stores, and I see the same homepage mistakes over and over. The frustrating part? They're easy to fix once you know what to look for.
In this post, I'll walk you through the seven most common homepage mistakes that hurt conversions, and show you exactly how to fix each one today.
Bookmark this and use it as your homepage audit checklist.
Mistake #1: Your headline doesn't tell visitors what you do
The problem:
Your headline says something vague like "Welcome to Our Store" or "Shop Now" or just your brand name with no context.
New visitors land on your homepage with zero context. If they can't immediately understand what you sell and why it matters, they leave.
Examples of weak headlines:
"Welcome to [Brand Name]"
"Discover Our Collection"
"Quality Products for Everyone"
These say nothing. They're generic filler that could apply to any store.
The fix:
Your headline should answer: What do you sell + Who is it for + What makes it different?
Better headline examples:
"Handmade ceramics for modern homes—designed to last a lifetime"
"Natural skincare for sensitive skin (actually works)"
"Designer lingerie that fits—finally"
Quick action step:
Rewrite your homepage headline right now using this formula:
[Product type] for [specific customer] — [unique benefit or differentiator]
Test it by reading it aloud. If someone hearing it for the first time would know exactly what you sell, you've nailed it.
Mistake #2: Your hero image doesn't show your product
The problem:
Your hero image is a beautiful lifestyle shot—mountains, coffee cups, aesthetic flatlays—but there's no product visible.
Artistic? Yes. Effective? No.
Visitors need to see what you're selling within the first 3 seconds. Abstract lifestyle images create confusion, not clarity.
The fix:
Your hero image should clearly feature your product (or products).
Options that work:
- Product in use (candle burning on a styled table)
- Product close-up (jewelry worn, skincare in hand)
- Curated product collection (3-5 hero products styled together)
- Founder + product (you holding/using your product)
Quick action step:
Look at your current hero image. Can you identify the product immediately? If not, swap it for an image where the product is the clear focal point.
Lifestyle context is great—just make sure the product is the star.
Mistake #3: You're asking visitors to do too many things
The problem:
Your homepage has:
- 5 banner promotions at the top
- 8 collection links in a grid
- 3 newsletter popups
- Multiple "Shop Now" buttons leading to different places
- Instagram feed
- Blog posts
- Testimonials
- Everything you've ever made
Result: Overwhelm = Paralysis = Bounce.
The principle:
More options = Fewer conversions. It's called "decision fatigue," and it's real.
The fix:
Your homepage should have one primary goal and a clear path to it.
Good homepage flow:
1. Hero section → What you sell + one CTA ("Shop [Main Collection]")
2. Featured products → 4-6 best sellers
3. About snippet → Who you are (builds trust)
4. Trust builders → Why they should buy (social proof, shipping, returns, quality)
5. One final CTA → Shop or Learn More
That's it. Remove everything else that distracts from the primary goal.
Quick action step:
Open your homepage. Count how many different CTAs (buttons, links, banners) you have. If it's more than 3-4 distinct actions, start removing.
Priority order:
- Main product collection
- About page (for trust-building)
- Contact (if needed)
Everything else? Delete or move to footer.
Mistake #4: No social proof above the fold
The problem:
New visitors don't trust you yet. You're a stranger on the internet asking for their money.
If there's no evidence that other people have bought from you and loved it, visitors hesitate.
The fix:
Add trust signals high on your homepage—ideally in the first scroll.
Options:
Review count + star rating: "★★★★★ Loved by 200+ customers"
Customer photo gallery: Real customers using your products
Press mentions: "As seen in [Publication]"
Customer testimonial quote: One powerful sentence from a happy customer
Trust badges: "Woman-owned" "Made in SA" "Plastic-free"
Quick action step:
If you have reviews, display your overall rating + review count near your hero section.
If you don't have reviews yet, add trust badges (handmade, sustainable, woman-owned, ships nationwide—whatever applies).
Mistake #5: Your featured products section is boring
The problem:
Your "Featured Products" section is just a grid of products with no context.
No headline. No intro. No reason why someone should care.
The fix:
Frame your featured products with a benefit-driven headline.
Instead of: "Featured Products"
Try:
- "Customer favorites (these sell out fast)"
- "New arrivals—fresh from the studio"
- "Best sellers—the ones everyone loves"
- "Start here—our hero products"
Add a 1-2 sentence intro that gives context:
"These are the products our customers reach for again and again. Simple, beautiful, and built to last."
Quick action step:
Go to your homepage featured products section. Rewrite the headline to tell visitors why these products are featured.
Then add one short sentence of context before the product grid.
Mistake #6: Mobile experience is an afterthought
The problem:
Your homepage looks great on desktop. On mobile? Text is tiny, images are cut off, buttons are too small to tap, and the whole experience feels cramped.
Reality check: 70%+ of your visitors are on mobile. If your mobile experience is broken, you're losing the majority of potential sales.
The fix:
Audit your mobile homepage and fix these common issues:
Text:
- Headlines should be readable without zooming (minimum 24px)
- Body text minimum 16px
- Line height should be generous (1.5-1.6)
Images:
- Hero images should be mobile-optimized (vertical crops, not horizontal)
- Product images should be large enough to see details
Buttons:
- Minimum 44px tall (thumb-friendly)
- Plenty of space around them (no accidental taps)
Navigation:
- Hamburger menu should open smoothly
- Menu items should be easy to tap
Quick action step:
Open your store on your phone right now. Try to:
- Read the headline
- Tap the CTA button
- Browse products
- Add something to cart
If any of these feel clunky or difficult, fix it today.
Mistake #7: There's no personality or story
The problem:
Your homepage feels like a catalog. Clean, professional, but... soulless.
There's no sense of who is behind this brand or why these products exist.
People don't just buy products—they buy from people they connect with.
The fix:
Add an "About" snippet on your homepage that gives a glimpse of your story.
This doesn't need to be long. 2-3 sentences is enough:
Example 1 (Handmade ceramics): "I started making ceramics in 2019 because I was tired of buying things that broke after a year. Every piece in this collection is handthrown in my Cape Town studio—made slowly, with care, and designed to last a lifetime."
Example 2 (Natural skincare): "After years of struggling with sensitive skin and harsh products, I created a line that actually works. Simple ingredients, thoughtful formulations, and nothing your skin doesn't need."
Quick action step:
Add an "About" section to your homepage (usually placed after featured products).
Write 2-3 sentences about:
- Why you started this business
- What makes your products different
- What you believe in
Include a photo of yourself or your workspace. Link to your full About page.
Bonus: Your homepage is too long
The problem:
Visitors have to scroll forever to see everything. By the time they reach the footer, they've forgotten what you sell.
The fix:
Your homepage should be 3-5 scroll sections max on desktop. Any more and you're losing people.
Ideal structure:
- Hero (headline + image + CTA)
- Featured products (4-6 items)
- About snippet (who you are)
- Trust builders (shipping, reviews, values)
- Final CTA (shop or learn more)
That's it.
Quick action step:
Count how many sections your homepage has. If it's more than 6, start removing the least important ones.
Save those extra sections for inner pages (About, FAQ, etc.) where people are actively looking for more info.
Quick win: Test one change today
Don't try to fix everything at once. Pick the mistake that resonated most and fix it today.
Easiest wins:
- Rewrite your headline (5 minutes)
- Swap hero image to show product (10 minutes)
- Remove excess CTAs (15 minutes)
- Add social proof (20 minutes)
Make one change. Check your analytics in a week. If it improved conversion, make another change.
Small, tested improvements always beat massive redesigns.
Need a fresh pair of eyes?
If you're reading this thinking "My homepage probably has all of these mistakes," you're not alone.
That's exactly why I created the Shopify Essentials Package—strategic design that fixes these issues from the ground up.
✨ Professional homepage design (conversion-focused)
✨ Mobile-optimized
✨ Built in 3-4 weeks
✨ R25,000 / $1,600 USD
Learn more about the Essentials package.
