How to Create a Custom Home Page in WordPress

What is home page?

A homepage is the main or starting page of a website that serves as an introduction or gateway to the site’s content. It’s typically the first page that visitors see when they arrive at a website, and it often contains links to other pages within the site, such as an “about us” page, a contact page, and various categories of content.

The purpose of a homepage is to provide an overview of the website’s content and to help visitors navigate to the information they’re looking for. It may also include features like a search bar, menu options, and a design that reflects the site’s brand or theme. Ultimately, a well-designed homepage can help attract and retain visitors, encourage exploration of the site, and achieve the website’s goals, whether that’s to inform, entertain, or sell products or services.

By default, WordPress shows your latest blog posts on the homepage.

Selecting a Custom Page to be Used as Homepage in WordPress

In this guide, we’ll show you a few different ways to create a custom homepage. However, afterward, you’ll need to let WordPress know that it should use this page as the homepage.

To do that, simply go to Settings » Reading in the WordPress dashboard.

Here, scroll to ‘Your homepage settings’ and select ‘A static page.’

You can now open the ‘Homepage’ dropdown and choose the page that you want to use as the new homepage.

Then, simply scroll to the bottom of the screen and click on ‘Save Changes.’ You can now visit your site to see the new custom homepage live.

Create a Custom Homepage in WordPress user code

To create a custom homepage in WordPress using user code, you can follow the steps below:

1. Create a new file in your theme folder and name it homepage.php.
2. Add the following code to the file:

<?php
/*
Template Name: Custom Homepage
*/
get_header(); ?>

<!-- Add your custom homepage content here -->

<?php get_footer(); ?>

This code creates a new page template for your homepage and includes the header and footer files from your theme.

3. Add your custom homepage content between the get_header() and get_footer() functions.
4. Save the homepage.php file and upload it to your theme folder.
5. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pages > Add New to create a new page for your homepage.
6. Give your homepage a title, then select “Custom Homepage” from the “Page Attributes” section on the right-hand side.
7. Publish the page.
8. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > Reading.
9. Under the “Your homepage displays” section, select “A static page” and choose the page you just created as your homepage.
10. Save your changes.

Your custom homepage should now be live on your WordPress site.

Tips on Making an Effective Custom Homepage in WordPress

Here are some tips on making an effective custom homepage in WordPress:

1. Have a clear and concise message: Your homepage should clearly communicate what your website is about and what your visitors can expect to find on it. Use a headline, subheading, and/or a tagline to convey your message.
2. Use visuals wisely: Use high-quality images or videos that are relevant to your website’s content and reinforce your message. Avoid cluttering your homepage with too many visuals, which can slow down your page loading time.
3. Make it easy to navigate: Make sure your homepage is easy to navigate, with clear links to your main sections or pages. Use a clean and organized layout to help guide your visitors’ eyes to the most important content.
4. Include a call to action: Your homepage should encourage your visitors to take action, whether it’s to sign up for your newsletter, buy a product, or contact you. Use a clear and prominent call-to-action button or link to help guide them.
5. Optimize for search engines: Use keywords in your homepage content and meta tags to help search engines understand what your website is about. Make sure your homepage is fast-loading and mobile-friendly, as these are factors that can affect your search engine rankings.
6. Keep it updated: Your homepage should reflect the latest updates on your website, such as new blog posts, products, or services. Make sure to update your homepage regularly to keep it fresh and relevant.

By following these tips, you can create a custom homepage that effectively communicates your message, engages your visitors, and helps you achieve your website goals.