Your home page is often the first impression visitors have of your website. Rather than trying to include everything on a single page, focus on helping visitors understand who you are, what you provide, and where they should go next.
Editing Your Home Page
Welcome Visitors and Explain Your Purpose
Visitors should be able to quickly understand your unit, department, program, or service within a few seconds of arriving on your website.
Consider including:
- A short description of who you are and what you do
- A brief statement that communicates your mission or purpose
- Clear, concise language that is easy to scan
A text block near the top of the page using the Tagline paragraph style is a great way to introduce your organization.
If you need to provide more detailed background information, consider creating an "About Us" page and linking to it from your main navigation.
Guide Visitors to Important Content
Your home page should help visitors find the information they need quickly.
Not every page can appear in the main navigation, so use your home page to highlight important resources, services, and frequently visited content.
Consider using:
- Card blocks to showcase key pages or resources
- Tile blocks to highlight common tasks or destinations
- Brief descriptions that help visitors understand what they will find before clicking
Focus on the pages that best support the primary goals of your website and the needs of your audience.
Highlight Important Actions and Announcements
Most websites have one action, event, or message that deserves special attention.
Examples include:
- Upcoming events
- Application deadlines
- Registration opportunities
- Major announcements
- Primary calls to action
A hero block can be an effective way to feature this content by combining a large visual, brief text, and a call-to-action button. A featured card block is another excellent option for drawing attention to important information.
Consider Additional Dynamic Content
Depending on your website's goals, you may want to include content that updates regularly.
News and Stories
If sharing updates, achievements, research, or announcements is important to your audience, consider featuring recent content on your home page.
Options include:
- A news display block showing recently published articles
- Card: storytelling blocks highlighting featured stories or major announcements
Upcoming Events
If your unit hosts or promotes events, displaying upcoming events can help keep visitors informed and encourage participation.
An events block can automatically display upcoming events in date order, helping visitors quickly find what's happening next.
Keep Your Home Page Focused
When planning your home page, ask yourself:
- Is it clear who we are and what we do?
- Can visitors easily find the information they're looking for?
- Are we highlighting our most important actions, services, or announcements?
- Does the content support the primary goals of our website?
A successful home page provides clear direction, highlights priorities, and helps visitors quickly navigate to the information and services that matter most.