- 18 hours ago
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A homepage, or home page, is the front page of a website. When you first map out making a website, a homepage is intended to be the first page visitors see when reaching a website’s URL. Essentially, it serves as a significant landing page for visitors, capturing their attention and letting them know what the website is all about, whether it’s commercial or personal.
The URL of a homepage is typically the base-level domain name of any particular website. For example, typing in https://www.wix.com will bring you to the homepage of Wix. A website can have multiple homepages, like in the case of multilingual websites, where it is a common practice to make language specific homepages.
The term homepage can also refer to the default page when you open a web browser such as Google. This is also called a start page and can spotlight either one specific website, or feature multiple sites frequently visited by the user.
TL;DR: what is a homepage?
A homepage is the front page of a website and the first thing visitors see when they enter a domain URL. It acts as a navigation hub, giving visitors an overview of everything the site offers and setting the tone for their experience. Unlike a webpage (any page on a site) or a landing page (built for one conversion goal), a homepage is the central starting point of an entire website. To build yours, Wix offers an AI website builder for on‑brand, professional design.
Here's how a homepage compares to a webpage and a landing page:
Homepage | Webpage | Landing page | |
What it is | The front page of a website | Any single page on a website | A standalone page built for one goal |
Purpose | Overview and navigation hub | Delivers page-specific content | Drives one specific action |
Navigation | Full site navigation | Includes site navigation | Minimal or no navigation |
Traffic source | All traffic sources | Internal navigation, organic search | Ads, email campaigns, social media |
Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should feel simple and exciting. Wix generates a personalized starting point with AI. You can customize every detail with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, while Wix handles the tricky parts to make building your site simple. That way, you can focus on what matters most: bringing your ideas to life. Ready to get started? Create your website today.
What's the purpose of a homepage?
A website’s homepage acts as a starting point for new and returning visitors, providing an overview of everything it offers. One of the most common uses of a homepage is to act like a directory, giving visitors valuable information about the website and providing links to specific areas of the particular site.
When designing a website with multiple pages, keep in mind that the homepage can help facilitate easy website navigation for your visitors across all pages.
Since it’s the first page visitors will see after typing in the website’s URL, the homepage also plays an important role in making a good first impression on visitors. In web design, there is a strong focus on the appearance of a site’s homepage, ensuring that it sets the right tone for new visitors and their user experience.
A homepage is also a place for facilitating user engagement. For example, a homepage can highlight the most recent articles of a blog or online journal, providing visitors with the most relevant reading material upfront. It can also be a virtual place for promoting events and special offers, and updating visitors.
When I ask my clients why they chose us over our competitors, they usually say it's because of our website. I think they can truly feel our passion through the way we connect with them and stand out as a creative catering company. — Nick Collins, founder of Clever Chefs
Learn more about how to make a website and how to create a professional website.
What are the different types of homepages?
Not all homepages serve the same purpose. A website homepage is the most familiar type, the front page visitors land on when entering a domain. A browser homepage is the default page that opens when you launch a web browser, such as a new tab page in Chrome or Firefox. Some browsers also let you set a custom start page featuring your most-visited sites or a search bar. Understanding these distinctions can help clarify what you're building and what goals it needs to serve.
Webpage vs. homepage
Whereas a homepage is a specific type of webpage, essentially the term webpage refers to any page of collected content displayed on a website. A website will typically include multiple webpages linked together in an orderly way, and these are often accessed through the homepage itself.
Homepage vs. landing page
A landing page is another term worth distinguishing from a homepage. While a homepage serves as the general entry point to an entire website, a landing page is a standalone page built around a single marketing goal, such as capturing sign-ups, promoting a product or driving a specific conversion. Landing pages typically have minimal navigation and one clear call-to-action, whereas a homepage provides a broader overview of a site's content and identity. Wix offers a landing page builder for creating high-converting, professionally designed pages.
What’s included in a homepage?
When you make a homepage of your own, we suggest starting with a website builder like Wix. Here, you'll have plenty of professional features to add to your website design, and the tools and guidance you need to create a compelling homepage.
The makeup of a homepage will vary depending on the intentions of the website. A typical homepage includes a navigation menu that directs users to other pages of the site, such as an About Us page, product page, contact page or blog.
It's common to add a navigation bar at the header of the website’s homepage, so that the menu is always visible to visitors as they scroll. Variations like the hamburger menu or sidebar menu provide minimalistic alternatives for website owners, and are often seen in mobile websites. On the other hand, web designers building sites with abundant pages (for example, an eCommerce website) will implement breadcrumbs to help visitors keep track of their location while browsing.
Since the homepage is the default webpage for visitors arriving to a site, it will typically provide an overview of information. In order to communicate what the website offers visitors, most homepages include a business name, brand logo, visuals, and contact information. These branded elements will ensure that site visitors are presented with critical information, while strengthening the website’s brand identity.
Additionally, homepages are a strategic location for including calls-to-action: short marketing messages intended to motivate users to take a specific action. It’s a great way to promote special purchasing offers, get users to sign up for upcoming events and show off new products or services.
What makes a good homepage design?
A good homepage design comes down to clarity, visual hierarchy, fast loading and one clear action you want visitors to take. The strongest homepages let someone understand what a site offers within seconds, then guide them toward a single next step.
A few qualities separate a good homepage from an average one.
Clear value proposition: Visitors should understand what you offer and who it is for within seconds of the page loading.
Strong visual hierarchy: The most important message and call to action sit above the fold, with everything else ordered by priority.
Simple navigation: A clean menu lets visitors reach any key page without thinking about it.
Fast load and responsive layout: A good homepage performs well on every screen size and never keeps visitors waiting.
One primary action: The best homepages focus attention on a single goal instead of competing buttons.
Trust signals: Social proof like testimonials, reviews or recognizable logos reassures first-time visitors.
Wix provides homepage templates and design tools built around these principles.
Best practices for homepage design
A compelling homepage design should prioritize simplicity, usability and visual appeal. Start with a clean layout, with easy navigation to guide users seamlessly through your site.
It's important to build an appealing hero section that succinctly communicates your brand identity and value proposition. Always use high-quality images and concise copy to convey key messages throughout your homepage. Use a consistent color palette and typography for a cohesive look.
Consider using a user-centric design with important content placed above the fold, complete with clear calls-to-action.
Incorporate social proof, testimonials or notable achievements on your homepage to build trust with your site visitors.
Regularly update and optimize your homepage based on user feedback and evolving trends to maintain its relevance and effectiveness. Use website analytics tracking and reporting to understand how your homepage performs, in terms of user engagement and traffic.
How to make a homepage with Wix
Building a homepage with Wix is straightforward whether you prefer designing manually or with AI. Wix's drag-and-drop builder gives you complete control over your site's layout without any coding skills. Wix Harmony takes you from a single prompt to a business-ready site. Aria, Wix Harmony's built-in AI agent, stays contextually aware of your canvas throughout, ready to generate, refine and advise at every step. Move fluidly between prompt-driven creation and precise drag-and-drop editing whenever you want.
Wix also offers a native app in ChatGPT. Tag "@Wix" in a conversation, describe your site and a fully functional, production-ready Wix Harmony website is generated instantly.
What is a homepage FAQ
What is the difference between a homepage and a website?
A website is the entire collection of pages under one domain, while a homepage is just the front page of that website. Think of a website as a building and the homepage as its entrance.
How do I create a homepage?
The easiest way to create a homepage is with a website builder like Wix, which provides professional templates, drag-and-drop design tools and an AI website builder that generates a fully designed site from a single prompt.
Does every website need a homepage?
Yes. A homepage serves as the default entry point for visitors and search engines alike. Without one, visitors have no central starting point to navigate from and the site lacks a clear identity online.
