What should be on the first screen of a contractor's website on a phone?
Six things belong on a contractor's first phone screen, three don't. With numbers from 230 Mississauga sites and a two-minute test.
When a homeowner taps your site from a search, the first screen on their phone does most of the work. It is about 390 by 844 pixels on a typical iPhone. Whatever is in that window has to answer three questions fast: is this the right kind of contractor, do they work where I live, and how do I reach them?
We loaded the homepages of 230 Mississauga contractors at exactly that size (the full results are here). The numbers below come from that check.
Six things that belong on the first screen
1. What you do and where, in plain words. "Basement renovations in Mississauga and Oakville" beats "Building dreams since 1998". The visitor should know in one line whether you are the right kind of business in the right place.
2. Your phone number, and it should call when tapped. On 25% of the sites we checked, there was no phone number on the first phone screen. 10% had no tap-to-call link anywhere on the homepage. A number someone has to copy by hand is a call you may not get.
3. One button. "Get a free quote" or "Book an estimate". 23% of sites had no button or link like that on the first screen. One clear button works better than three competing ones.
4. A real photo of your work. Your own job, not a stock kitchen. People can tell, and a real finished job says more than any headline.
5. One line of proof. Pick the strongest true thing you have: your Google rating and number of reviews, years in business, "licensed and insured", or a WSIB clearance. One line, not a wall of badges.
6. Text big enough to read. Body text of at least 16 pixels is a good rule. 21% of the sites we checked showed text under 14 pixels on the first screen.
Three things that don't
A slider. 65% of the homepages had a slider or carousel. On a phone it usually means a headline that changes before anyone finishes reading it, and a first screen spent on one slide of five.
A pop-up. A newsletter or chat pop-up that covers the screen on arrival hides everything above. If you use a chat widget, make sure it does not sit on top of your call button.
A long menu. On a phone the menu should fold into one button. The first screen is for the six things above.
Keep the phone number on screen
The first screen is only the start. As people scroll through your services and photos, they should not have to scroll back up to call. A header that stays at the top with your number in it, or a small "Call" bar along the bottom of the screen, keeps it one tap away the whole time.
The two-minute test
Open your own homepage on your phone. Do not scroll. Take a screenshot, then check it:
- Can you tell what the business does and where, in one line?
- Is there a phone number, and does tapping it start a call?
- Is there one obvious button to ask for a quote?
- Is the photo your own work?
- Is there one line of proof?
- Can you read every word without zooming?
Six yeses and your first screen is doing its job. Every no is something a visitor has to work around, and some of them won't.
For what search engines and AI assistants read below the first screen, run the free AI visibility check on your site.
If you'd like us to look at yours, or build it, the websites page has the details.
FAQ
What font size should body text be on a phone?
At least 16 pixels is a good rule for body text. On 21% of the 230 Mississauga contractor sites we checked, the first phone screen showed text under 14 pixels, which is small enough that many people zoom or give up.
Should a contractor website have a sticky call button on mobile?
We would keep the phone number one tap away the whole time, either in a header that stays at the top of the screen or in a small "Call" bar along the bottom. People scrolling through your services and photos should not have to scroll back up to call.
Are pop-ups bad on a mobile website?
A newsletter or chat pop-up that covers the screen on arrival hides everything else on the first screen, which is the part that does most of the work. If you use a chat widget, make sure it does not sit on top of your call button.
What trust signals should a contractor website show?
On the first phone screen, one line of proof is enough: the strongest true thing you have, such as your Google rating and number of reviews, years in business, "licensed and insured" or a WSIB clearance. Put it next to a real photo of your own job, not a stock kitchen, and keep it to one line, not a wall of badges.
