A homepage is the single most important page on a website. It is the first impression, the primary conversion surface, and the page Google ranks for your brand name. A default WordPress installation shows the latest blog posts on the front page — fine for a personal blog, wrong for almost every UK business. This guide walks through switching to a static homepage, designing it with the Block Editor, configuring a separate blog page, and the specific homepage patterns that work for UK SMEs selling services or products. It also covers Full Site Editor homepage configuration for block themes.
Why your homepage matters · Two homepage display options · Setting up a static homepage step by step · Designing the homepage with the Block Editor · Using homepage patterns for ready-made layouts · Configuring your blog page · Homepage in the Full Site Editor · Adding the homepage to navigation · UK business homepage structure that converts · Frequently asked questions
Five reasons to take the homepage seriously:
A default "latest blog posts" homepage fails every one of these tests for a business. A static, deliberately designed homepage succeeds at all of them.
WordPress offers two options, controlled by Settings > Reading.
| Option | What shows | Right for |
|---|---|---|
| Your latest posts | Reverse-chronological list of recent blog posts | Personal blogs, news sites, pure magazines |
| A static page | A specific page you design, with a separate page for blog listings | Business sites, portfolios, e-commerce, agencies, charities |
For every typical UK business, the static-page option is the correct choice.
Pages > Add New Page. Title: "Home" (or "Homepage"). You can add content now or design later. Click Publish.
Pages > Add New Page. Title: "Blog", "News", "Articles", "Insights" — whatever fits your brand. Leave the content area empty. WordPress will populate this page with your latest posts automatically. Click Publish.
Settings > Reading. Under Your homepage displays, select A static page.
Click Save Changes.
Visit your site. The Home page is now the front page. Visit /blog/ to confirm the blog listing appears there. If you have not yet published any posts, the blog page appears empty until you do.
Important: the page assigned as Posts page cannot contain custom content — WordPress ignores anything typed into it and replaces with the blog listing.
Once the static homepage is set, design it using the Block Editor. Pages, open the Home page, click Edit.
| Block | Purpose | Homepage use |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Full-width image/video with text overlay | Hero banner with headline and CTA |
| Columns | Multi-column layout | Feature highlights, service overview |
| Image | Single image | Product photos, team, branding |
| Media & Text | Image plus text side-by-side | About section, service description |
| Buttons | Styled CTAs | Contact, Shop, Services, Get a Quote |
| Latest Posts | Recent blog posts | Blog preview section |
| Group | Wraps blocks | Background-coloured sections, padding |
| Heading | Section titles (H2, H3) | Section headers |
A working pattern for UK small businesses:
Every block customisable. Once you have a working layout, save as a pattern for reuse on similar pages.
If you do not want to build from scratch, block patterns are pre-designed layouts you insert in one click.
Many themes ship theme-specific homepage patterns — look for categories like Pages or Homepage. Combine multiple patterns in one page to build a complete homepage in minutes. See our patterns guide.
The blog page automatically displays posts in reverse chronological order. You do not add content — WordPress handles it.
Settings > Reading > Blog pages show at most. Default is 10. For a cleaner look, 6 or 9 works well for grid layouts.
For each post in a feed, show: Full text or Summary. Affects RSS feeds, and often how posts appear on the blog page. Summaries (excerpts) keep the page scannable and encourage click-through. Full text makes the page longer but readers get everything without clicking.
How the blog listing looks depends on the theme. Most themes let you tweak blog layout via Appearance > Customise > Blog (classic) or template part in the Full Site Editor (block). Options typically include: list vs grid layout, 2/3/4 column grid, show/hide excerpts, show/hide featured images, show/hide date/author.
For each post, write a deliberate excerpt in the post settings sidebar. WordPress auto-generates from the first paragraph if you skip — rarely optimal. 1–2 sentences summarising the post sells it to scanning visitors.
Block themes expose deeper homepage control via the Full Site Editor.
Block themes provide page templates (Default, Full Width, Landing Page, Blank Canvas). For the homepage, pick whichever suits — often Full Width without sidebar for a hero-style design.
FSE can use a distinct template just for the homepage. Appearance > Editor > Templates > Add New Template > Homepage. Design a layout that only applies to the home page. Helpful when the homepage needs a different header (say without navigation, or with a full-screen hero) than the rest of the site.
Reuse Header and Footer template parts across the homepage and other pages for consistency. Or define Home-specific variants of header/footer for a distinctive landing-page feel.
The logo in the header usually links to the homepage (convention). Still, most menus also include a Home link for accessibility and clarity.
In the Navigation block: click +, add a Page Link, pick the Home page. Or a Home Link block (always links to the site root).
Appearance > Menus, tick the Home page in the Pages panel or add a Custom Link with URL /.
The pattern that works for UK small businesses with product or service offerings:
Keep the page focused. One primary CTA, one secondary CTA, everything supporting those. Resist the temptation to add every service, every case study, every piece of news to the homepage — that is what interior pages are for.
Can I keep the default latest-posts homepage and also have a separate blog page?
Not really. The setting is single-valued — either front page is latest posts, or front page is a static page. If you pick static, the blog has its own URL. You cannot have both at the site root.
What if I change my mind later?
Switch the setting back at Settings > Reading. No data is lost — your Home and Blog pages remain, they just are not used as the front page or posts page any more.
What should my homepage headline say?
Plain-English statement of what you do and for whom. Avoid jargon and marketing-speak. A UK plumber homepage headline might be "Emergency plumbing in Edinburgh — available 24/7, call 0131 XXX XXXX". Not "Innovative plumbing solutions for the modern home".
Should the homepage have a CTA button above the fold?
Yes, almost always. A visitor who wants to buy or enquire should not have to scroll.
How long should my homepage be?
As long as it needs to cover hero + services + trust + social proof + CTA. Typically 4–8 sections with whitespace. A single-screen homepage feels thin; a 15-section homepage feels bloated. Most UK SME homepages sit in the 6-section range.
Can I have videos on my homepage?
Yes, but mind the performance impact. A large auto-playing video in the hero section can tank mobile load times. Prefer a compressed background MP4 loop (under 2 MB) or an embedded YouTube video that loads on click.
Should my homepage have a blog preview?
Helpful if you publish regularly and the blog adds value. Skip if you post rarely or have no blog — empty sections look worse than no sections.
What about the "Hello world!" default WordPress post?
Delete it. Go to Posts > All Posts, delete the default post and page before the site is public.
How do I remove the homepage date from showing?
Pages do not display dates by default. If dates appear on your homepage specifically, check the theme template — some themes display Last updated dates. You can customise the template or remove via child theme / CSS.
Can I A/B test my homepage?
Yes, with tools like Google Optimize (now retired), VWO, AB Tasty or Convert. Test one element at a time (headline, hero image, primary CTA copy). Changes of 20%+ in conversion rate are common from careful homepage optimisation.
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