Your homepage is the first page visitors see when visiting your domain. While not every visitor will start with your homepage, since they may arrive through search results or direct URLs, they can reach it from anywhere on your site by clicking the site title or logo.

Since you can set any page as the homepage, it's good to think about what impression you want the page to create. A homepage can quickly help visitors get to the information they're seeking, or it can create a sense of mystery and suspense, encouraging them to explore your site.

The exact homepage that works for you will depend on your site, your goals, and your visitors. Read through this guide to get an idea of how you want your homepage to look like.

Create a distinct look with a Cover Page

A Cover Page is a single, bold splash page. Cover Pages don't display your site's navigation menu, and they have their own style settings and layout, which gives them a separate feel from the rest of your site.

For all these reasons, they make a great option for introducing visitors to your site and directing them to your key content with buttons or links.

To learn more, visit Using Cover Pages.

Invite them in with a Welcome page

You can customize a Layout Page with text, images, and more to create a Welcome page. A Welcome page tells visitors who you are and what your site is about. For example, the Welcome page for a photography studio might explain how the studio was founded, share contact information, and link to booking a session.

For inspiration of what content to add, visit Squarespace’s guides on creating About and Contact pages.

Highlight different content with an Index Page

An Index Page collects images and content from different pages and arranges them in a creative layout. If your template supports an Index Page, it can make a visually arresting homepage where visitors can view a lot of content in one place and click through to explore further.

The Index Page's style depends on your template. To learn more, visit Using the Index Page.

Take them straight to your content

If your site has one main page, you may want to take visitors directly there. For example, setting a Products Page or Blog Page as the homepage helps your visitors find your products or posts.

A Products Page or Blog Page's layout and features depends on the site's template. To create an alternate layout, add a Layout Page and customize it with Summary Blocks or Product Blocks.

Track the impact of changes to your homepage

You can use your site's built-in analytics to measure the performance of your homepage and any changes you make to it.

How you use analytics depends on your site and goals. For example, if you move a button from the bottom of your homepage to the top, you can use Form and Button Conversion Analytics to track the impact on clicks. Or, if you rearrange products, you can use Purchase Funnel Analytics to see if conversion goes up.

To learn more, visit About Squarespace Analytics.