Content Website Home Page Layout Guideline

How to Hook Visitors and Keep Them Coming Back

Your website’s home page is the entrance point to your content hub. Think of it like the front door to a well-organized library, where visitors should immediately get a sense of what’s inside, where to go, and why they should stick around. 

What types of websites are considered a content website?These are blogs, vlogs podcasts, digital publications, and content subscription sites, including video tutorial sites. If a website is content forward, then this guideline is for you. 

Your home page should be one of the most exciting pages for you, because you are introducing your website visitors to your brand. Get ready to learn how to highlight your best content and guide website users deeper into your site.  This guideline will walk you through the essential sections and layout tips to help you create a high-performing home page for your

Recommended Content Website Home Page Layout

Here are the recommended elements in one possible order for your site. Use this as a first step in order to build a new website’s home page or optimize your current one. The best part is that there are different element blocks that you can easily adjust and move around on your website. Let’s start building out your home page. 

1. Universal Navigation Bar (Site-Wide Header)

The website header appears on every page, making it a key part of both your branding and your site’s navigation. Help visitors instantly recognize who you are when they land on your website, and easily find what they’re looking for. Navigation menus and bars should be clean, well organized and uncluttered so they create a smooth, user-friendly experience.

Best practices:

• Logo (Linked to your home page)

• Keep your navigation simple (4–6 top-level items)

• Use a sticky navigation bar that remains visible when users scroll

• On mobile, use a hamburger menu that’s easy to navigate

For a Content-Focuses website there are two main options for choosing what goes on your Navigation Menu. 

Option 1: Standard Navigation

With this option your content site will follow the pattern of most website’s navigation. This would include the following top navigation links:

• Home, About, Blog (or Videos/Podcasts), Contact

Under the Blog section you can opt to have a drop down menu of your top categories (typically 4-6 options). 

Option 2: Content Category Focused Navigation

With this option your content categories are the star of the show. Your top navigation will look something like:

• Home, Category 1, Category 2, Category 3, Category 4, Category 5

Best practice is to only have 4-6 top categories. If you have sub-categories then these can appear as drop downs under each of the main categories. We’ll dive more into how to create your Categories below. 

Which Option Should You Choose?

Go with the option that offers the best user experience while supporting your website’s primary goals. If your main objective is conversion—such as booking services or selling products—but you also maintain a strong content presence, Option 1 may be the better fit because it allows top navigation real estate to showcase your conversion pages. However, if your website is content-led and your goal is to drive deeper engagement through articles, videos, or resources, then Option 2 is likely the right choice. Let your overall strategy guide the structure.

Navigation Scrolling Options

It is extremely important for content websites to entice visitors to go to multiple pages. To accomplish this you want to ensure your navigation is easily accessible. Luckily there are built in options to help you. 

You can control how your navigation menu behaves as someone scrolls through your site. This can make a big difference in how easy it is for visitors to move around and explore your content. Here are the most common settings:

• Static: The menu scrolls out of view as users move down the page.

• Sticky: The menu stays fixed at the top, so it’s always visible.

• Hide on Scroll Down, Show on Scroll Up: The menu disappears while scrolling down, but reappears when scrolling back up.

For content-based websites, I recommend using either the sticky or reappearing option. This keeps your main navigation easily accessible, helping readers move between articles, categories, or contact options without getting lost or having to scroll all the way back to the top.

Lay it out: Choose either Option 1 or 2 for your navigation and then write out the text for your links. Keep the text simple and obvious. These should be short 1-2 word keywords that your audience will instantly recognize and ideally use as search terms.

2. Clear Brand Introduction (Hero Section)

The top section is your brand’s first impression. Hook your users with a strong headline that quickly explains who you are and what kind of content you create. Couple it with a short, engaging subheading that expands on your mission or niche. Don’t forget to add an engaging image or background that appeals to your target audience. 

Key components:

• A short brand statement or tagline

• A featured call-to-action (CTA) like “Read the Latest,” “Watch Now,” or “Explore Topics”

• A high-quality image or background that aligns with your brand style

Make a Connection: You’ve got about six seconds to grab someone’s attention—and about an additional 10 seconds to keep it. This section should speak directly to your core audience and resonate with what matters to them. Use high-impact imagery and a bold, skimmable headline to hook them in. Then, follow it up with short, compelling copy that strengthens the connection and invites them to explore more.

Write it out: How would you sum up your entire content library in one to two sentences? Write out some different options. After you have these, enhance those statements by answering the question, “Why is this important to your audience?” This process of what you have to offer + why it is important to your audience = the winning combination for writing powerful website copy.

3. Feature Your Latest or Most Valuable Content First

Now that you have drawn them in, it’s time to keep their attention with your best content. After all, you have made this content for your audience. This is where you add a spotlight section in order to showcase your newest post, video, or top-performing piece. Decide on what content you want people to see most.

Display options include:

• “Featured Post” block with an image, title, excerpt, and CTA. This allows you to showcase one piece of engaging content.

• “Editor’s Pick” or “Most Popular” carousel. Here you can choose 3-6 different pieces to highlight.

• Dynamic section that auto-pulls the latest blog or video entry. This options keeps your website ever changing, which is great if you receive a high volume of repeat visitors or are showcasing time-sensitive content such as a news or pop-culture source. 

Once you understand your target audience, you’ll know exactly which pieces of content will resonate most. Use this section to spotlight the articles, videos, or resources that provide immediate value and invite visitors to explore more.

Identify Your Top Content: Start by creating a short list of your most popular content—the pieces that attract the most traffic and engagement. If you’re just starting out, choose content that best aligns with your audience’s needs and interests. Use your website analytics to track performance, and update this section regularly as your audience behavior reveals what resonates the most.

4. Create Clear Content Categories

Guide visitors deeper into your content. In this section show your visitors what your website is all about by providing clear and organized content categories that they can select. You’ve captured their attention, now it’s time to guide them to the content they want to consume and start their journey that will give you real engagement. 

You’ve created this content for your audience, whether it’s solving problems, offering inspiration, or teaching something new, so let’s make it easy for them to explore more of what they love. Clear, organized categories are the key to keeping them curious and coming back. 

Options to Consider:

• Explore Topics Callout: Create a callout that showcases your different categories with dedicated cards and buttons that will lead them to your category pages. These can be laid out in a collage or slider format.  

• Callouts for Each Category: Develop individual callouts for each category. Here you can create cards for your top articles or videos, and also include a link or card that directs them to the category page. 

• Ensure you have created a content hierarchy system that allows you to add labels, icons or utilize your visuals to distinguish between topics. 

Get creative and choose a design layout that matches your brand and audience’s style. Just remember to ensure that everything looks clean and make it easy to navigate through your different topics. 

Start Here: Organize Your Content for SuccessBefore you lay out your homepage, take time to inventory your content. If you haven’t already, now’s the perfect moment to organize it all. Begin by identifying your main content categories and any helpful subcategories. Then, go through each piece of content and assign it to the section(s) where it best fits. This process makes it much easier to structure your site in a way that’s clear, intuitive, and engaging for your visitors.

To make it easy for you, here is a guideline on how to organize your content for your website.

5. Add Trust-Building and Social Proof Elements

Your homepage is a powerful trust-building tool. For new visitors, you need to establish credibility quickly to encourage them to dive into your content, stay engaged, and share it with others. One effective way to build that trust is by adding social proof, showing that others already find your content valuable and worth their time.

Ways to build trust:

• Short testimonials or audience comments

• “As Featured In,” "As Seen On" or "Trusted By" section with logos

• Subscriber count or social follower badges

• Awards or certifications (if applicable)

Utilizing Social Media on Your Website to Build Trust

For content creators, social media is often a key part of the ecosystem. These platforms not only allow your audience to engage more deeply with your content, but they also help new users discover you. If you have a strong social media following, it can serve as powerful social proof. Adding a section that invites visitors to follow or engage with you on these platforms builds trust, encourages community buy-in, and reinforces the credibility of your content.

Here’s some ways to add this to a social media section on your home page: 

• Join 10,000+ readers — Get fresh content every week. (works for social media or email)

• Follow us on Instagram: 12.4k followers

• Next to each platform logo: 25K YouTube Subscribers    |   14K Instagram Followers    |   8K Email Subscribers → [Follow Us] [Subscribe]

Start Here: Build Trust the Right Way. Begin by listing your strongest trust-building elements. If you haven’t developed many yet, don’t worry, identify 2–3 strategies you can pursue to build trust and outline what it will take to get those elements in place.

Important: While it may be tempting to fudge or exaggerate trust signals, this completely undermines their purpose, and your audience will catch on. Just like in real life, trust on your website must be earned. If you’re still establishing your credibility, start with a few standout customer reviews and grow from there. Authenticity always wins.

6. Build Your Email List with a Compelling Opt-In

Your home page is a great place to grow your email list. Keep it simple, friendly, and focused on the benefit to the visitor. I also recommend adding this as a universal section, on every page of your website, or built into your footer. 

Include:

• A brief offer or reason to subscribe (e.g., “Weekly tips sent straight to your inbox”)

• A short form (name + email)

• Optional: Add a lead magnet like a free resource or exclusive content

Pro Tip: Lean into your brand’s tone and voice. Email opt-ins can be so dry sometimes. Customize it to fit your vibe. This will build a deeper connection with your audience, and honestly it’s just more fun.

7. Strong Social Media Presence (Optional)

If your brand and content are social media forward then the home page is an excellent place to not only gain new followers, but also to let that content shine. 

How to Showcase Your Social Media:

• Social icon links: Either in your header, footer or both. Remember, we don’t want to overstuff your navigation bar, but there are definitely ways to add this in design wise to bring that top-level attention to it. 

• Social media callout section: Highlight different posts and add in a CTA to join your channel(s). 

If one of your website goals is to gain social media followers then you will want to include elements that allow audience members to follow you and share your media. 

Pro tip: To have a real time feed of social content or to select curated posts? This is a big question that I often receive. My advice is to select curated posts, and update them as often as you want. This gives you more control over the content and more options for the design and layout of this section. There are many tools that can embed a social feed directly into your website. If you choose to go this route, you will need to monitor this content constantly to ensure that the posts are what you want on your website.

8. Showcase Your Personality or Brand Voice

People connect with people. Giving your online audience a chance to build a deeper relationship to your brand builds trust and loyal website visitors. Create an About callout section that leads to your about us page potentially with a personal message from your or your brand’s founder.

Include:

• A 2–3 sentence intro about your story or mission

• Link to your full About page

• Optional: Add a friendly headshot or team image

• Optional: Create a personalized message from the founder that will resonate with your target audience. 

New website visitors often want to understand and get to know the person or team behind the content. This is where a compelling About Us page comes in. 

About you: Write out a short intro for your about us page or craft a message from the founder. Ensure that the message is meaningful to your website visitors.

Content Website Home Page Example Template

Refer to this example when building your own homepage to assist you in layout, placement and any decisions on which sections you want to include.

Use Imagery That Builds Trust

The images you choose for your website play a powerful role in how visitors perceive your brand. High-quality visuals not only make your site look more professional, they also help build credibility and trust. Great imagery can quickly convey your expertise and connect with your audience on an emotional level. Take time to develop a consistent visual style that reflects your brand’s tone and values. It’s worth the investment.

Imagery Best Practices:

• Consistent look and feel throughout the website

• High-quality images

• Thought out thumbnails for videos that show what the content is about

• Images that resonate with your core audience

Imagery inventory: If you haven’t already, do an inventory of the images you want to use on your website. For website square and landscape images work best, which is the opposite of what you will use on your social channels. You need to go a little old school here. As you start to develop your website you will start to see which images work best on your site and which pages and sessions will need different images. Start a library and start to identify and resource additional images that you will need for your website.

Make It Mobile-Friendly

More than half of your visitors will come from mobile devices. Your website experience needs to be just as good on mobile as it is on desktop. Ensure every section flows and is designed for smaller screens.

Mobile Website Tips:

• Always use the mobile view when editing your page in order to adjust your webpage design for mobile

• Use legible font sizes and enough spacing

• Format text so it looks clean on mobile

• Stack blocks and content vertically

• Keep CTAs easily tappable

Test It Out: Once you’ve designed your home page, view it on your mobile device, and ask friends or family to do the same on theirs. Get their honest feedback on the mobile experience. Is it easy to read? Simple to navigate? Make any necessary adjustments to ensure your site feels seamless and user-friendly for every visitor, no matter what device they’re using.

Footer with Essential Links and Contact Options

Your footer serves as a secondary navigation area and appears on every page of your website. It’s a great place to repeat key links from your main navigation and include important pages that may not fit in your header, like your Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, or other helpful resources. A well-organized footer helps users find what they need and adds an extra layer of usability to your site.

Include in the Footer:

• Links to About, Contact, Privacy, Terms

• Social icons

• Newsletter opt-in or contact email (Include this here even if you have larger callouts further above on pages). 

Guide Visitors Deeper: Make Your Content Shine

Your homepage acts as a roadmap for the rest of your site, giving readers a clear sense of what they’ll find and why it matters to them. Create a clean, welcoming layout that draws your audience in and encourages them to explore further. Every section should serve a purpose—building connection, sparking interest, and reflecting the value of your content. You’ve put in the effort to create meaningful content, now let your homepage showcase it.

What’s Next

Now that you have your Home page it’s time to start looking at your About Us page, how to create a Category page, or dive into the Website Content Organization Guideline.