Your Website’s First Impression: Making it Count in the First Three Seconds
If you’re a business owner in Brisbane—whether you’re running a plumbing outfit in Coorparoo, a law firm in the CBD, or a boutique shop in Paddington—you know that first impressions are everything. When you walk onto a job site or meet a client, you dress the part, you show up on time, and you speak professionally.
But here is the hard truth: most Brisbane business owners are letting themselves down before they even pick up the phone.
I’m talking about what people see the very second they click on your website. In the industry, people call this "above the fold," but let’s just call it what it is: The Prime Real Estate. It’s the top part of your screen that shows up before someone has to start scrolling.
If that top section doesn’t tell a visitor exactly what you do, why they should trust you, and how to hire you, they are going to leave. Fast. I’ve seen hundreds of local businesses waste thousands of dollars on fancy designs that look pretty but don’t actually make the phone ring.
In this guide, I’m going to show you how to turn that top section of your website into a 24/7 salesperson that actually brings in cash. We’ll compare the different ways you can set this up, what’s a total waste of your time, and what actually works for real-world businesses.
The "Big Three" Things Your Website Needs to Say Immediately
Before we look at different designs, you need to understand that your website visitor is a bit like a person driving 100km/h down the M1 looking for a specific exit. They don't have time to read a novel. They have three questions in their head:
1. What do you do? (Are you a residential electrician or an industrial one?) 2. How will it make my life better? (Will you save me money? Get to my house today?) 3. What do I do next? (Do I call you? Fill out a form?)
If they have to hunt for these answers, they’ll just click the 'back' button and go to your competitor. This is a major reason why many find their website isn't making money despite having plenty of visitors.
Approach 1: The "Big Hero" Image (The Most Popular Choice)
You’ve seen this before. A big, beautiful photo of a team, a finished project, or a happy customer. When done right, this is the gold standard.
The Good: It builds instant trust. If I’m looking for a landscaper in Samford and I see a crisp, high-quality photo of a local garden you’ve actually worked on, I’m interested. It feels real.
The Bad: Most people use "stock photos"—those fake-looking pictures of people shaking hands or a random guy in a hard hat who clearly doesn't live in Queensland. People can smell a fake from a mile away. If you use fake photos, you're basically telling the customer you don't have any real work to show off. This is a fast way to ensure people don't trust your website from the get-go.
The Verdict: Only use this if you have high-quality, professional photos of your actual work, your actual team, or your actual office. If you don't, skip it until you can get a photographer out for a day. It's worth the $500–$1,000 investment.
Approach 2: The Video Background (The "Flashy" Choice)
Lately, it’s been trendy to have a video playing in the background as soon as the site loads.
The Good: It looks modern. It can show your team in action, which is great for tradies or service businesses. It proves you’re a real operation with real tools and real people.
The Bad: This is where things get dangerous. If that video is too large, it will slow your website down to a crawl. If a person is on their phone at a job site with a weak signal and your site takes 10 seconds to load because of a video, they are gone. Also, videos can be distracting. If the video is too "busy," people won't read your phone number or your "Book Now" button.
The Verdict: I usually tell my mates to avoid this unless they have a very high-end brand. A simple, fast-loading image is almost always better for getting phone calls. However, if you do use video, keep it short (under 10 seconds) and make sure it doesn't have sound.
Approach 3: The "No-Nonsense" Lead Form
This is where you put a "Get a Free Quote" or "Request a Callback" box right at the very top, usually on the right-hand side.
The Good: It’s incredibly effective for businesses where people are in a hurry. If someone's toilet is overflowing or their car has broken down in Chermside, they don't want to see a video of your history—they want to give you their details and get help.
The Bad: It can look a bit "salesy" or aggressive if your service is something more personal, like a family lawyer or a high-end wedding photographer.
The Verdict: If you are an emergency service (plumber, locksmith, tow truck) or a high-volume service (pest control, carpet cleaning), this is the best way to make money. Don't hide the form—put it right in their face.
Why Most Brisbane Websites Fail the "Phone Test"
Go to your website right now on your iPhone or Android. Can you see your phone number without moving your thumb? If the answer is no, you are losing money every single day.
In Australia, over 60% of people are looking for local services on their phones. They are often out and about, multitasking. They want a button they can tap with their thumb that immediately starts a phone call.
If you make someone scroll to the bottom of the page or—heaven forbid—click a "Contact Us" page just to find your number, you are losing customers who leave because you made it too hard for them.
The Fix: Put a big, bright "Call Now" button at the very top of your mobile site. Make it a colour that stands out, like orange or bright green. It shouldn't be subtle. It should be the most obvious thing on the page.
The Cost of Getting This Wrong
I’ve spoken to business owners who spent $10,000 on a website that looks like a piece of art but doesn't generate a single lead. Why? Because the designer cared about "vibe" and "aesthetics" instead of "phone calls" and "sales."
If your website isn't set up correctly at the top, you are paying a "hidden tax" on every dollar you spend on advertising. Whether you're paying for Google ads, Facebook ads, or just handing out business cards, you are sending people to a "leaky bucket." You might get 100 people to visit your site, but if 95 of them leave because the top of the page is confusing, you've just wasted 95% of your marketing budget.
How to Fix Your Website Top Section This Week
You don't need a total redesign to fix this. Here is a checklist of what you should do right now:
1. Change your Headline: Instead of "Welcome to Smith & Co Enterprises," change it to "Brisbane’s Most Reliable Roofers – 24/7 Emergency Repairs." 2. Add a Sub-headline: Tell them why you’re the best. "15 Years Experience, Fully Insured, and We Clean Up After Every Job." 3. The "Big Button": Add one clear button. "Get My Free Quote" or "Call 04XX XXX XXX." 4. Real Photos: Swap that stock photo of the smiling lady with a headset for a photo of you and your team in front of your van. 5. Speed Check: Open your site on your phone. If it takes more than 3 seconds to show the main image, your images are too big. Ask your web guy to "shrink the file size."
The "Trust Factor": Using Reviews Right at the Top
People in Brisbane trust other people more than they trust you. It’s just the way it is. If you have a 4.9-star rating on Google, don't hide that on your "Testimonials" page where no one will ever see it.
Put a little badge at the very top that says "Rated 5 Stars by 200+ Brisbane Locals." It’s a small detail, but it takes the "risk" out of the customer's mind. They think, "Well, if 200 other people liked them, they probably won't rip me off."
Is It Worth Paying a Professional?
Look, I’ll be honest. You can try to do this yourself using a cheap website builder. But most of those tools make it hard to get these specific "money-making" details right. They focus on making things look pretty, not making them work.
If your business makes $200,000 a year, and a better website gets you just two extra jobs a month, that website has paid for itself in eight weeks. If you’re serious about growing, don't treat your website like a digital brochure. Treat it like your most important employee.
At Local Marketing Group, we don't care about winning design awards. We care about making sure your phone rings. We’ve helped heaps of Brisbane businesses—from tradies in the bayside to professionals in the western suburbs—turn their websites into lead-generating machines.
If you’re tired of your website just sitting there doing nothing, let’s have a chat. We’ll look at what you’ve got and tell you straight—no jargon, no fluff—what needs to change to get you more customers.
Ready to get more calls? Contact us at Local Marketing Group and let’s get your website working as hard as you do.