Website blueprints

Listings, rooms and tours Untested

What untested means

Worked out from research and real briefs. No site has been built from it yet, so treat it as reasoning to check, not a tested template.

For businesses with many things people compare, each on its own page: homes, rooms, cars or tours.

For example: estate agent, property developer, car dealer or hire, hotel or guesthouse, tour operator

Plan a site like this Answer a few questions about your business. The pages and sections redraw, and you can download the plan.

Pages your website might need

Start here

Optional pages

On a phone · One column, the deciding fact (price, dates) under each title.

On a phone · Folds into one “Filter (3)” control; the list stays first.

Home

“What’s available, and the way in.”

Sections, top to bottom

Select a section to see what to write and why.

  1. What this is
    What to write
    What you have + where, then what every listing includes + your second path
    Why it works
    Visitors come to browse. Saying what you have and where, then what they’ll find on every listing, gets them into the list fast, and the second path (selling, a valuation) catches the other audience.
    Example
    “Homes for sale across the villages we cover.” Then: “Proper photos and floor plans for every home. Selling? Book a valuation.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Use the words your customers use for their problem, not your trade’s terms.
    • If you’re local, name the town or area. It’s part of the answer.
    • Put one honest specific in the supporting line, like a fixed call-out price or a reply time you actually keep.
    Common mistake
    An adjective line (“Quality. Trusted. Local.”) instead of what you do and where. People scanning want the noun.

    Before and after: Headlines and hero messaging →

  2. The items
    What to write
    Item + deciding fact + price, on every tile
    Why it works
    People rule items out before they rule them in. The deciding facts on the tile let them skip what doesn’t fit without opening every page.
    Example
    “Three-bedroom cottage · freehold · £—”, “Two-bedroom terrace · leasehold · £—”.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Show the one or two facts people decide by on each tile: price, size, dates.
    • Use a real photo of each item.
    • Say how many there are in total.
    Common mistake
    Tiles with only a photo and a name, so every item has to be opened to rule it out.
  3. Narrow it down
    What to write
    What people decide by, as filters
    Why it works
    Helps people with a long list get to the handful that fit.
    Example
    “Price · Bedrooms · Village · Garden”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Filter on what people compare (price, size, dates), not on your internal categories.
    • Offer a list beside any map.
    • Leave filters out if you only have a dozen items.
    Common mistake
    Filters on a dozen items. They add work and hide things.
  4. Main action
    What to write
    Arrange a viewing or book + how fast you reply, with in person or by video
    Why it works
    Once someone has found an item, the only question is how to see it or get it. One clear action per item, with your reply time, keeps them from enquiring elsewhere.
    Example
    “Arrange a viewing”, with “In person or by video · we reply within —” beside it.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Name the action and what follows it. “Call now, an engineer answers” says more than “Contact us”.
    • Offer the action you can really take today. A booking button with no free slots costs you trust.
    • Put the fee, deposit or reply time next to the button, not in small print.
    Common mistake
    A button after every section, each with a different verb. Pick one main action per page.

    Before and after: Calls to action →

  5. Proof
    What to write
    Verifiable evidence that reduces hesitation, each with a way to check it
    Why it works
    Gives people something they can check, so they don’t have to take your word for it.
    Example
    “Member of The Property Ombudsman · no. — · Check ↗”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Link each registration to the register where people can look you up.
    • Show where reviews come from, how many there are and how recent, not stars on their own.
    • Only name clients who agreed to be named.
    Common mistake
    Logos of bodies you don’t belong to, or a star rating with no source.

    Before and after: Trust signals and evidence →

  6. What clients say
    What to write
    A real customer’s words + the specific result, with name or initials, place, date and where it was left
    Why it works
    Lets someone like the visitor say it for you. A quote about the job they need does more than general praise.
    Example
    An illustration of the shape, for a made-up business: “Sold in six weeks, and they told us honestly why the first offer was low.” The Clarks, sellers, May, on Google. Use your real reviews.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Choose quotes that mention the job and the result.
    • Put reviews beside the claim they support, like next to the service they’re about.
    • Use real reviews only, and keep the customer’s own words.
    Common mistake
    Three anonymous “Great service!” quotes. They prove nothing a visitor is worried about.

    Before and after: Testimonials and case studies →

Item pages one for each item

“Is this the one, and how do I get it?”

Sections, top to bottom

Select a section to see what to write and why.

  1. Item summary
    What to write
    Item name + deciding fact + price or status + where it is
    Why it works
    Tells people straight away whether this item is worth reading on: what it is, the price and where it is.
    Example
    “Three-bedroom cottage, Little Ashby: £—, freehold, garden backing onto fields.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Use the same words as the link or ad that brought them here, so they know they’ve landed in the right place.
    • Put the deciding fact (price, size, date) in the first line.
    • Keep the title to the thing itself. Do the persuading further down.
    Common mistake
    A clever title that doesn’t say what the page is about.
  2. Pictures of the real thing
    What to write
    A photo of the real thing + what it shows + where or when
    Why it works
    Shows the real thing, so people can judge it for themselves.
    Example
    “The kitchen, photographed in April. Floor plan below.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Use photos of your actual work, place or item.
    • Caption each one with what it shows.
    • Label renders as renders.
    Common mistake
    Stock photos or renders passed off as the real thing.
  3. The facts
    What to write
    Label + value for each fact people compare
    Why it works
    Gives people the details they need to compare and decide, as text they can scan.
    Example
    “Bedrooms: 3 · Tenure: freehold · Council tax: band — · Heating: oil · EPC: —”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Use a simple table of labels and values.
    • Put measurements and specifications on the page. NN/g advises against hiding them in a PDF.
    • Link floor plans or spec sheets as extras.
    Common mistake
    The key facts buried in a paragraph or a download.
  4. Dates and booking
    What to write
    Pick your dates + price for those dates + deposit and cancellation terms
    Why it works
    Lets people check dates and see the real price for them before they commit.
    Example
    “Pick a viewing slot: Saturday mornings or weekday evenings.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Show the price for the chosen dates, not only a “from” price.
    • Put deposit and cancellation terms next to the button.
    • Make unavailable dates obvious.
    Common mistake
    A request form that hides the price until after people have asked.
  5. How to find us
    What to write
    Address as text + a landmark people recognize + parking, transport, access
    Why it works
    Gets people to your door: the address as text, how to get there and a link that opens in their map app.
    Example
    “Church Lane, Little Ashby: five minutes’ walk to the primary school.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Write the address as text, so it can be copied and opened in a map app.
    • Add a landmark line where street names aren’t enough.
    • Mention parking, public transport and step-free access.
    Common mistake
    An embedded map with no address to copy.
  6. What happens next
    What to write
    What they do first → what you do next + how fast → the work → how it ends + what it costs
    Why it works
    Takes the unknown out of getting in touch: what happens after the first click, who does it, how long it takes and what it costs.
    Example
    “1 You ask for a viewing. 2 We confirm a time. 3 You view in person or by video. 4 You make an offer or ask more.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Write each step from the customer’s side: what they do, what they get.
    • Give each step a time you can stand behind.
    • Mention cost where it applies, so nothing surprises them later.
    Common mistake
    Steps written as slogans (“Discover, Design, Deliver”) with no time, cost or owner.
  7. Main action
    What to write
    Arrange a viewing or book + how fast you reply, with in person or by video
    Why it works
    Once someone has found an item, the only question is how to see it or get it. One clear action per item, with your reply time, keeps them from enquiring elsewhere.
    Example
    “Arrange a viewing”, with “In person or by video · we reply within —” beside it.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Name the action and what follows it. “Call now, an engineer answers” says more than “Contact us”.
    • Offer the action you can really take today. A booking button with no free slots costs you trust.
    • Put the fee, deposit or reply time next to the button, not in small print.
    Common mistake
    A button after every section, each with a different verb. Pick one main action per page.

    Before and after: Calls to action →

Item page, in detail

All items

“Find the few worth opening.”

Add it if How many items, listings or projects will the site show? More than 12

Sections, top to bottom

Select a section to see what to write and why.

  1. Narrow it down
    What to write
    What people decide by, as filters
    Why it works
    Helps people with a long list get to the handful that fit.
    Example
    “Price · Bedrooms · Village · Garden”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Filter on what people compare (price, size, dates), not on your internal categories.
    • Offer a list beside any map.
    • Leave filters out if you only have a dozen items.
    Common mistake
    Filters on a dozen items. They add work and hide things.
  2. The items
    What to write
    Item + deciding fact + price, on every tile
    Why it works
    People rule items out before they rule them in. The deciding facts on the tile let them skip what doesn’t fit without opening every page.
    Example
    “Three-bedroom cottage · freehold · £—”, “Two-bedroom terrace · leasehold · £—”.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Show the one or two facts people decide by on each tile: price, size, dates.
    • Use a real photo of each item.
    • Say how many there are in total.
    Common mistake
    Tiles with only a photo and a name, so every item has to be opened to rule it out.

Enquire or book

“Viewing request or booking, with what happens next.”

Add it if What do people do with one item? Enquire or arrange a viewing or Book dates

Sections, top to bottom

Select a section to see what to write and why.

  1. The form
    What to write
    What they’re asking for + only the fields you need + what happens to their details + send + what happens next
    Why it works
    Makes asking easy: only the fields you need, and a clear promise of what happens next.
    Example
    “Arrange a viewing” with name, phone and preferred times. Button: “Request a viewing, we reply within —”.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Ask only what you need to reply. NN/g suggests 3 to 5 fields for a contact form.
    • Let people add photos when a photo saves a visit.
    • Say when they’ll hear back, beside the button.
    Common mistake
    Asking for things you don’t need yet, like a full address for a first question.
  2. What happens next
    What to write
    What they do first → what you do next + how fast → the work → how it ends + what it costs
    Why it works
    Takes the unknown out of getting in touch: what happens after the first click, who does it, how long it takes and what it costs.
    Example
    “1 You ask for a viewing. 2 We confirm a time. 3 You view in person or by video. 4 You make an offer or ask more.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Write each step from the customer’s side: what they do, what they get.
    • Give each step a time you can stand behind.
    • Mention cost where it applies, so nothing surprises them later.
    Common mistake
    Steps written as slogans (“Discover, Design, Deliver”) with no time, cost or owner.
  3. Main action
    What to write
    Arrange a viewing or book + how fast you reply, with in person or by video
    Why it works
    Once someone has found an item, the only question is how to see it or get it. One clear action per item, with your reply time, keeps them from enquiring elsewhere.
    Example
    “Arrange a viewing”, with “In person or by video · we reply within —” beside it.
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Name the action and what follows it. “Call now, an engineer answers” says more than “Contact us”.
    • Offer the action you can really take today. A booking button with no free slots costs you trust.
    • Put the fee, deposit or reply time next to the button, not in small print.
    Common mistake
    A button after every section, each with a different verb. Pick one main action per page.

    Before and after: Calls to action →

  4. It’s sent
    What to write
    It’s sent + what happens next, and when + how to reach you meanwhile
    Why it works
    Confirms it worked and says what to expect, so nobody sends it twice or rings to check.
    Example
    “Requested. We’ll call you to confirm a time. Questions meanwhile? Ring the office on —.”
    Tips and a common mistake
    Tips
    • Say when they’ll hear back.
    • Give a reference if you’ll use one.
    • Offer a faster route if it’s urgent.
    Common mistake
    A bare “Thanks!” with no next step.

Enquiry, quote or booking page, in detail

See the full pattern A separate page: an example site drawn from this blueprint, with desktop and phone views, notes, and the plan as a file to download.

More about this blueprint

It bends to fit

  • A few items No index, no filters: the rooms sit on home.
  • Large inventory An index with filters on the facts people decide by.
  • Bookable by date Dates and the price for them on each item.
  • Sellers and buyers Buyers browse; sellers get one visible second path. The library can’t give each its own journey yet.

Not the right fit if

The full pattern: why it works, the brief that changes it, every page annotated, and the file for Design and Build. Terms, page patterns and what the library doesn’t cover yet are in the library reference.