This translation has not been editorially reviewed yet. The German version is authoritative. Deutsche Fassung →
Responsive
Why does the most important button belong on the first screen?
The most important button belongs on the first screen, since that's where visitors can act without scrolling — inquire, call, book. Anyone who first has to search for the next step bounces more often. The audit service checks, in the smartphone profile at 390 pixels wide, whether a call to action sits in the visible area, clearly standing out from running text.
A call to action leads visitors to the next step
A call to action is the button that moves the visitor from reading to acting: "Book an appointment", "Request a quote", "Call now". For a business, it's the moment a visitor becomes a prospect. On mobile, the visible area is small; if the button only sits further down, many visitors never see it. The first screen should therefore contain both: a short answer to what it's about, and the way to the next step. Together, the two turn the top of the page into a complete invitation instead of a mere greeting.
How the audit service recognises the button
The check looks in the visible area for a clickable element that visibly stands out from running text: with its own background area or a border, with noticeable inner padding, and large enough to serve as a target. This detection is deliberately structural and works without word lists — it works in any industry, whatever the button is called: "Reserve a table", "Request a consultation", or "Start the check". A faint text link in a footnote, by contrast, doesn't count, since it doesn't invite action. Measurement happens twice; absence is only reported if both runs find no call to action.
How to design a clearly visible call to action
An effective button stands out in colour from the rest of the page, has enough inner padding to tap comfortably, and carries a label that names the next step. "Contact" is understandable, "Book a free initial consultation" additionally says what the visitor can expect. A single clear button works stronger than five competing ones: offering everything recommends nothing. Place the button so it's reachable on mobile without scrolling, and check that on a real device — the audit report includes a screenshot of the first mobile screen for exactly this purpose.
- Open your homepage on a phone and check whether a button for the next step is visible without scrolling.
- Word the label as a specific step, "Request a quote" instead of "Learn more", say.
- Have the button stand out in colour from the background, and give it generous inner padding.
- Limit the first screen to one main call to action, so the decision stays easy.
FAQ
What is a call to action?
A call to action is an element that invites visitors to take a specific step: a button like "Book an appointment" or "Request a quote". It connects the visitor's interest with the business's goal. Well-designed, it visibly stands out from the surrounding text and clearly names the next step.
How does the check recognise a call to action?
By its shape, not its wording: what's looked for is a clickable element on the first mobile screen that stands out from running text through its own background or border, padding, and sufficient size. That way, detection works in any industry and for any label. An inconspicuous text link doesn't meet these criteria and therefore doesn't count.
How many buttons belong on the first screen?
One clear main button is enough. Several equally weighted options side by side spread attention and make the decision harder. A clearly designed main call to action, supplemented at most by a subtle second option like a phone link, has proven to work well. The check requires at least one recognisable call to action in the visible area of the smartphone profile.