How To Edit Your Homepage In WordPress

Your homepage is arguably the most important page on your website. It’s your chance to make or break the first impression people have of you and your brand. With that in mind, how do you set and edit your homepage in WordPress?

Setting a homepage in WordPress is actually quite easy. Simply log into your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > Reading, and select the page you’d like to use as your homepage.

For more details and some best practices for setting and editing your WordPress homepage, read on.

Why Should You Edit Your WordPress Homepage?

I don’t know how many times I’ve purchased a WordPress theme, installed it, and gotten so disappointed that my site looked nothing like what was advertised.

So lame. It’s an easy fix, though!

Most often, this happens because you’re using the default blog homepage, while your theme requires you to use a custom static page instead.

Even if you aren’t having theme issues, setting a custom homepage is almost always a good idea.

There’s nothing wrong with showing off your latest blog posts… but if that’s your entire homepage, your website is only as good (or as relevant) as your latest post.

Remember: the homepage is your chance to make or break the first impression!

A custom homepage will allow you to set the tone for the rest of your site. You can use it to show new visitors exactly what you’re all about, and direct them to take appropriate action.

That’s right, your homepage can be a killer source of leads, email subscribers, and even customers—if it’s properly optimized.

That begins with setting a custom homepage in WordPress.

How To Set A Static Homepage In WordPress

By default, WordPress shows your latest posts on your homepage, and there’s not much you can do to customize it.

To replace that homepage with something a little more custom, you’ll want to set a static homepage.

1. Create a new page

The first step to setting a static homepage in WordPress is, of course, creating a page.

Go to Pages > Add New and create a page as you normally would. You can name it whatever you want. (You can also use an existing page if you already have one.)

Depending on your theme, you may or may not want to add content to it at this stage. Some themes simply require a blank static homepage, while in other cases you’ll have to build out the page yourself. I recommend checking your theme’s documentation if you’re unsure.

In any case, be sure to stick around for Step 3 below to create an awesome homepage.

2. Edit your homepage settings

Next, you need to tell WordPress to use the page you just created as your homepage.

Go to Settings > Reading, and change your homepage display option to “A static page.” Then simply select the page you want to use:

You can also select a “Posts page,” which will serve as your standard blog page displaying your recent posts. I typically create a blank page titled “Blog” and select that here.

3. Customize your static homepage

As I mentioned, some themes simply require you to create a blank static homepage, and they take care of the rest. (Often you can customize the content of your homepage from the theme customizer at Appearance > Customize.)

If your theme doesn’t provide its own homepage content, you’ll have to create the page yourself, either by using the standard WordPress editor or by using a page builder plugin.

Personally, I recommend Thrive Architect, which is an extremely intuitive page builder that will allow you to build gorgeous, conversion-focused pages without writing a single line of code:

When it comes to creating a beautiful homepage in WordPress, Thrive Architect is hard to beat.

How To Set Your Blog As Your Homepage In WordPress

If you’re currently using a static homepage and would prefer to show your latest blog posts instead, it’s an easy change to make.

Just go to Settings > Reading in your WordPress dashboard, and make sure your homepage display option is set to “Your latest posts.”

How To Edit The Browser/SEO Title For Your Homepage

After setting a static homepage in WordPress, you may notice that the title in your browser tab and in the Google search results looks something like Page Title - Site Title:

This isn’t the most attractive or search engine-friendly title for a homepage.

To change this, I recommend installing the free Yoast SEO plugin:

Once you’ve installed it, edit the page you’re using as your homepage.

You should notice that you now have a “Yoast SEO” panel at the bottom of the page editor. Simply expand the Yoast SEO panel, click “Edit Snippet,” and enter your preferred title into the “SEO Title” box:

To learn more about Yoast SEO and to further optimize your site for search engines, be sure to check out our WordPress SEO tutorial.

Final Thoughts

Setting and editing your homepage in WordPress is crucial to making a solid first impression and building a relationship with your visitors.

Remember: your homepage is prime real estate, so be sure to use it wisely.

If you have any questions about editing your WordPress homepage, please feel free to leave them in the comments below!