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  • How Do You Feel About A Static Homepage On A Blog?

    Blogs with static homepages are certainly not the norm, and not an easy feat to pull off. I’ll try to explain as best I can, then you tell me your thoughts.

    Keep in mind while mulling this over, that most if not all that view your homepage first will be first time/unique visitors; either search engine or direct type-in traffic.

    What do I mean by a static homepage? First and foremost, “static” means it never changes. YOU can change it deliberately by going in and adding or deleting as you wish, but unlike a normal blog home page, it will not auto change per post.

    The best example I can give you currently is my friend, JTPratt. No he didn’t pay me for this, lol, and in fact I’m not even what you would call a “regular” visitor to his blog.

    Fact is, I hadn’t been to his blog in ages, when HE suddenly contacted ME about my recent hosting crisis. (He remembered me!) The plain truth is, it has stuck in my mind since my first visit, and he was the first to start me thinking of static home pages.

    This was a couple years ago, and that says a LOT in my book, wouldn’t you agree?

    The trick to blog static home pages, is to make it as informational as possible, and combing that with the easiest visitor navigation you can muster…again, not an easy task for sure.

    I believe JT combines informational with navigational to a *T*, as they say.

    As you know, I am planning a big blog merge-move by the new year (we pray) and I am seriously considering a static home page. Please do me and yourselves a BIG favor…..

    Whether you’re a regular reader or this is your first visit to my blog, take a good look at an awesome static blog home page and let me know what you think of this idea as a whole.

    A static home page, yay or nay?

    Lets all share this post and see the opinions we can gather. ;)


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    This entry was posted on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am and is filed under 'First Stop'. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

     

    84 Responses to “How Do You Feel About A Static Homepage On A Blog?”

    1. Marko Saric Says:

      Static homepage is a good way of introducing the first time visitor to yourself and your content, and it should help increase the conversion rates and get more subscribers.

      The example of yours, I think is just too much. There is too much information on there, very hard to read and it makes me confused.

      So I think it can be made much simpler with for example the top welcome box alone and a more standard blog format below it.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Marko Saric,

      First, welcome to the community! Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often. I’ll be visiting your site soon ;) .

      So you’re saying just a static welcome box and not a full page?

    2. JTPratt Says:

      Well first of all - thanks for the mention Dennis! Wordpress web sites can be used for a variety of things. Even though it’s known for blogging, you can use Wordpress for a twitter-like microblogging site, a directory, classified site, affiliate store, static web site, an online store, a review site, and more.

      My web site, like most, started out as a blog. The focus was the blog and blog posts. Over time I decided to target certain topics into what we call ‘paged pages’ (static pages - not blog posts), and some were “series pages”, which is merely a paged page rounding up posts on the same topic. In addition I added a forum to my wordpress site (it’s no longer there).

      My advice is, when the blog is no longer the only central focus of your site - move it to another page (which is just a simple option in dashboard admin settings). I’ve turned my blog into a brand, and now my web site is used for many different things - including people hiring me as a consultant.

      You won’t lose any readers, your feed URL stays the same. You won’t screw up any pages indexed in google, all your permalinks stay the same. In fact, you’ll add a new site for indexing your new blog home. Over time it will get it’s own pagerank just like your home page did.

      In addition - google guru Matt Cutts has always recommended that your blog be a subfolder of your web site like /blog. Why? Because you never know what things you’ll want to add or use your web site for in the future.

      Internet Strategist @GrowMap Reply:

      @JTPratt,

      Thank you for clarifying what happens if you make these types of changes within WordPress. I knew that was possible and have a static page on one Joint Venture blog, the magazine post layout on another and the list post layout on my primary blog; however, I didn’t realize you could switch between them without doing any damage.

      As Marko’s response suggests, finding the balance between very targeted and too complicated is impossible because of the diversity of the readers you attract. Some will want all the information they can get while others want it very simple.

      Using links to additional information as you have is one way to reduce the chance of overwhelming some visitors while still giving those who want more a guided way to find it.

      As you noted, when your primary goal is no longer blogging it makes sense to create a static landing page to meet your other goals. I suspect this is what Dennis has in mind.

      @Dennis

      A static page could be a very good idea. We may forget that not everyone knows about blogs and we may be confusing visitors who might be interested in what we have to offer but don’t know the latest posts may not fully reveal what our sites are about.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @JTPratt,

      Thanks for the inspiration! The new DennisEdell.com is going to be a true “central hub” for me and mine, so I figured static with links might be a good plan.

    3. steppinout Says:

      In my opinion, it’s good to have a static homepage as long it is simple.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @steppinout,

      Welcome to the community! Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often. I’ll be visiting your site soon ;) .

    4. Sire Says:

      I’m just wondering why a static page and not a webpage. Wouldn’t a webpage give you a lot more options?

      Internet Strategist @GrowMap Reply:

      @Sire, You lost me. A static page IS a Web page.

      Sire Reply:

      @Internet Strategist @GrowMap, The page they are talking about is obviously a blog page. At least the example is. I am referring to a specifically designed html page.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Sire,

      I knew what you meant, and if I decide to do it, I’ll look at both options.

    5. Neil @Debt Advice Free Says:

      Hi

      I think the big advantage of a static page is that you get to control the message that you blog gives to visitors, your brand if you like.

      The problem with having your latest posts displayed prominently is that the visitor takes your message from them. If you ever do off-topic posts (or maybe just one that is below your usual standard) then they can assume that the rest of your blog is the same.

      Having said that I have never found a theme/layout that balanced the static elements and the new posts to my satisfaction, so have stuck with posts!

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Neil @Debt Advice Free,

      Very good point, and I do tend to go off on a tangent from time to time. lol

    6. Mirjam Says:

      I´d say Yay but only if you make it in a way so that people don´t have to scroll too much and get to see the “whole” of your blog at one look. However, if you put up too much info, distracting stuff and things that actually make it hard to choose where to go next, you might as well stick with the Nay to static homepage…

      ps, I´m still alive, only occasionally post on my personal blog because other blogs are pulling in way more money ;)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Mirjam, I see what you mean, but also depending on the visitors resolution, the “whole” may not be that large. :)

    7. Alan Mater Says:

      JT has an awesome blog. I’m a fan of static pages on blogs if you want to get a specific message across to your visitors. This is a lot of times the case when your blog is your home page and not an extension of your website, like mine.

      I know other people that use static pages for this reason, and I think it’s a great idea. You can control what your visitor’s see, rather than just having a bunch of random posts showing up.

      I would do the same if I started a new website and used Wordpress.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Alan Mater, Thanks for the input, buddy!

    8. izzat aziz Says:

      if static page like johnchow.com and problogger.net it really make blog look more professional than usual and just go for it :) so i say yes for static homepage.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @izzat aziz, It’s been a long time since I’ve been to either blog, but thanks for the input! :)

    9. Gabe | freebloghelp.com Says:

      Although I don’t use one, I always think about the possibility of adding a static page. However, I also like the simplicity of my site as it is currently.

      By adding a few elements like a featured section, I feel I can still get some benefits that static pages offer without actually using one.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Gabe | freebloghelp.com,

      I dunno exactly where yet, but a featured section among other cool new stuff is surely planned. :)

    10. Mitch Says:

      Actually, when you think about it, Problogger has the same thing. It’s just that most people know where to find his blog and miss it.

      I’ve not thought about doing that for any of my blogs. I don’t think it would fit. However, as JT says, I do encourage people who have websites and want to add a blog to put the blog in a subdirectory, which is where my business blog is.

      I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all; lots of work setting it up, it seems, so I hope you have the time to integrate it all.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Mitch,

      Isn’t probloggers an evolving magazine layout and not static?

      Mitch Reply:

      @Dennis Edell, You know, I’m not sure. I have to admit I haven’t paid that close attention to it, as I rarely go in that way, but it looked like JT’s front page.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Mitch,

      Same here, I rarely read or comment on blogs I’m not subscribed to, so I just click the link in the email.

    11. Tycoon Blogger Says:

      I have to say Dennis that I am not a big fan of static blog page as the home page. The only way it can work is if it is super simple. I took a look at JT’s blog and in my opinion there is way to much going on and it is easy to get lost. I think a blog should be a blog and should show the latest posts front and center on the front page.

      JTPratt Reply:

      @Tycoon Blogger, I think you’re missing the point. One domain, doesn’t have to do one thing. Sometimes people start out with the intention of doing one thing (blogging for example), and then it changes, or expands.

      People that read my blog, don’t care about the location. It wouldn’t matter where I moved it - they would just update a bookmark. If they’re reading via RSS or email it really doesn’t matter.

      If you visit my “blog home page” (jtpratt.com/blog) you’ll see it does have my posts front and center. My regular home page points out that my site has more than one destination (besides the blog). It could be simpler, I agree.

      It all depends on what you’re web site is doing. A company web site like HP or IBM points to different divisions, products, services, and maybe even a company blog. My site started as a personal blog and now it’s turned into a company, that I’m building a brand for online. The blog is important, but I also sell products and services, and have multiple sections of the site that do different things.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Tycoon Blogger, Thanks for the input my friend, I would certainly make it as user friendly as possible if I decide to go that route. ;)

      Ned Carey Reply:

      @Tycoon Blogger, You know I agree and yet the trend is to websites with more going on and lots of clutter.I think the key is to have a lot going on but at the same time well designed and easy to navigate - easier said than done.

    12. Barbara Swafford Says:

      Hi Dennis,

      This post is of great interest to me. I’m in the process of building a new site and am leaning toward having a static home page.

      As I was reading the above comments, I can definitely see the advantages so feel I’m on the right path. Your friend JT’s site is a perfect example and it appears to be working perfect for him.

      Thank you for raising this issue.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Barbara Swafford,

      Thanks for joining us! I always like it when I know I’ve struck a cord…I look forward to seeing the new site. ;)

    13. Melvin Says:

      I think Marko and JT already clarified everything. On some of my sites Im using a static page..

      A static page could also signify that you are selling something whether a service, consultations, product or whatever..

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Melvin,

      You can show us a couple of sites with static home pages. :)

    14. Mike Collins Says:

      Hey Dennis, something else you could do is use the static home page to funnel visitors toward a specific action. For example, offer a free report in return for their email address.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Mike Collins,

      An entire page?

      Mike Collins Reply:

      @Dennis Edell, yes a squeeze page. So that the only options are subscribe or the back button. That would be if you were pushing only one course of action. Too many options can confuse people and they get sidetracked from the course you want them to take. It depends on what you want to accomplish though.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Mike Collins,

      It will certainly be as easy confusing as possible, but I think using the entire page as a squeeze would be a waste in my case. I’d rather use a pop up of some kind. :)

    15. Vivek Says:

      Static page is outta the window for my blog!

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Vivek,

      First, welcome to the community! Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often. I’ll be visiting your site soon ;) .

      What exactly do you mean?

      Vivek Reply:

      @Dennis Edell, it means I would never consider a static page for a blog - it kills the essence of a blog.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Vivek,

      As others mentioned, I think it all depends on what you mean to accomplish. The blog will be in tact, just kinda “under” the home page.

      Thanks for the input! ;)

    16. Valentina Says:

      Hi Dennis,

      Got here via freeblog …

      I like the idea of a static page with a blog. The way I think of a static home page is that it should do the job of an executive summary and to that end the example of JT Pratt’s is too busy for my liking … but hey, he’s the one who is successful so, take my comment with a grain of salt.

      I notice that the seasoned and successful bloggers have a presence of maturity and of course a presence on the internet. Their blogs evolved, some over 4 years, some over 10, many already had some internet experience by the time they launched their current very successful blog.

      Static page. Yes or no?

      I would go with YES!

      best………….valentina

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Valentina,

      First, welcome to the community! Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often. I’ll be visiting your site soon ;) .

      You hit the sweet spot. As JT pointed out with his, I think most if not all start out as “just a blog” but as ourselves and our businesses evolve, some changes may be in order.

      Thanks for the awesome comment!

    17. sue@tribal tattoo gallery Says:

      I prefer to use wordpress to build my sites, but I don’t necessarily want them to look like a blog. The first thing I do is set my home page as a static page so that the meat of the site does not get pushed down.

      I then go to some trouble to remove some of the other blog features such as Meta, etc.

      Just my 2 cents….

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @sue@tribal tattoo gallery,

      WP for sure. That’s kinda what I’m looking to do. Thanks for the input! :)

    18. Anne @ b6s.net Says:

      I always thought that the static page option is provided for those that want to use Wordpress as a CMS for something other than a blog. Never really occurred to me to use it on a blog, so thanks for bringing that up.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Anne @ b6s.net,

      First, welcome to the community! Hey, now I don’t have to bother the good folks at Growmap. hehe.

      Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I’m glad I could help. I hope to see you around more often.

    19. Ned Carey Says:

      Dennis,
      I am anxious to see what you have planned. Are you combining several sites into one “super site”?

      I think it depends on the purpose of your blog. My business website is set up with a static front page and an “article page” for the posts. I am not happy with it yet but for that site a static front page is appropriate.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Ned Carey, Hey Ned, how goes it?

      I dunno if I’d put it quite like that. It will essentially be my central hub for everything I do….a place to make announcements and such.

      Ned Carey Reply:

      @Dennis Edell,

      Things are good. I see you are posting more now so I assume you are doing better.

      As I rethink the static front page idea, I think it is simply a matter of whether you have more to your site than just a blog.

      Simply having links across the top or down the side don’t do much of a selling job for the rest of your site. As JT has designed it, the front page can “Sell” the other parts of the site. This seems obvious as I write this, but it seemed a revelation when it clicked for me.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Ned Carey,

      That’s exactly what I’m shooting for!

      As for being back. I’m just trying not to lose everyone before my big move…then I’ll “be back” lol.

    20. Jaq @ Net Age Web Design Says:

      I quite like the static homepage concept, and find JT’s offering definitely works for me. You are going to show us a few coincepts before making the final decision though….IU hope!

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Jaq @ Net Age Web Design,

      I’m not sure I’ll have time to show individual ideas, but I’ll try. Either way, I’m sure it’ll be a work in progress, so I will ask for feedback on improvements from time to time. :)

    21. Darvin @ Ionic Air Purifiers Says:

      I’m a fan of static home pages as well, but I think it depends on the purpose of the site. Yes, it does help to build your brand, and it reduces visitor confusion… these things are important if you get a lot of first time visitor, or people looking for specific things. This is can be a problem if the site is to sell a certain niche product. However, if the main purpose is realy just to be a blog and share a variety of information, a static home page is less important…

      … just my two cents! I’m not the SEO expert JT is. I do follow him too… :-)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Darvin @ Ionic Air Purifiers,

      Welcome aboard! You’re quite right, it will be more then a blog when I’m finished. :)

    22. Tinh Says:

      Very nice post and it inspired me to think about this

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Tinh,

      Thanks for the input. It always feels good to be an inspiration! :)

    23. James Moralde Says:

      I’ve also toyed with the idea of a static page for my blog. In fact, I’ve done some experimenting/tinkering with the theme code in another blog of mine and see if I can make it look the way I envision it.

      Yeah, I’d say static page for home page is good to go. For my blog, which has a theme different from the one I experimented on, I’d have to do some careful tinkering so as not to bring un-recoverable havoc to it. :)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @James Moralde,

      I like your current them also, very clean and easy to navigate for sure; what is it?

      James Moralde Reply:

      @Dennis Edell:

      Oh, it’s a Flexibility theme. It’s a lot like Sire’s (of Wassupblog) and I have heavily edited the innards of the theme to get that present look now. Thanks, glad you liked it. :)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @James Moralde,

      WOW heavily indeed! I never would have guessed. Good job. ;)

    24. Gregor Says:

      If the website is ONLY a blog then I’d have to say that a static homepage doesn’t work. If it’s a website with a blog as a part of it then sure, have a static homepage.

      One thing I didn’t see mentioned was the SEO benefit of having a home page that gets updated frequently - a static webpage wouldn’t have this benefit.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Gregor,

      Normal updating blogs have many SEO benefits. I wouldn’t do a static page for those benefits, just benefits for the new reader.

      Maybe I’m not understanding your question?

      Ned Carey Reply:

      @Gregor,
      >One thing I didn’t see mentioned was the SEO benefit of having a home page that gets updated frequently - a static webpage wouldn’t have this benefit.

      I suspect it is more important that the Domain gets updated frequently not just the home page. Other than the home page, most other pages don’t change much over time. But it is my understanding that they benefit from being part of a domain that is very active.

      Also the while the main page of the domain may not change often, the front page of the bog would still be updated frequently.

      Whether it is more important for the home page or the blogs front page to get updated more frequently is an interesting SEO question. Perhaps the answer is where are most of the links pointing.

      JTPratt Reply:

      @Ned Carey, there is no SEO benefit to having a home page that’s updated frequently. What would that benefit be? Higher pagerank? No. More Traffic? No. In fact, a frequently updated home page is harder to target specific keywords for (because it changes all the time). That’s why on a blog home I often add original content and an H1 heading before “the loop” to combat this very problem.

    25. christmas gifts Says:

      I think that the concept of static page is good way to express yourself but my question is that how could you make this pages dynamically? Please mention.

      JTPratt Reply:

      @christmas gifts, that’s kind of a mis-nomer for many in these comments. A “static” page in wordpress is just what we call a “paged page”, when you go in the Dashboard to “pages” and create a new page (vs. a blog post). You can assign a “(static) page” in wordpress to the front page instead of a blog, and assign it to another page. The only difference is really your homepage won’t have “the loop” (of 10 latest posts), but the page your assign your blog to will.

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @christmas gifts,

      First, welcome to the community! I don’t recall seeing you around before (my apologies if I’m wrong). Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often.

      Second, by not providing a real name in the name field, I had to fish your comment from the spam filter and de-link your URL. In the future please help yourself and I by ensuring proper linking of your name.

      Check the comment policy linked right above the comment box at the bottom and be sure to include a real name before your keywords. Thanks! :) .

      I hope JT explained it all, if not, please feel free to return. :)

    26. Walter Says:

      Static or not, the content is always the definitive factor. :-)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Walter, Welcome to the community! Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often. I’ll be visiting your site soon ;) .

    27. loans buzz Says:

      i am using articles on my homepage.

      i dont like to use a single page - static page to my blog

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @loans buzz,

      First, welcome to the community! I don’t recall seeing you around before (my apologies if I’m wrong). Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it and I hope to see you around more often.

      Second, by not providing a real name in the name field, I had to fish your comment from the spam filter and de-link your URL. In the future please help yourself and I by ensuring proper linking of your name.

      Check the comment policy linked right above the comment box at the bottom and be sure to include a real name before your keywords. Thanks! :) .

      If your blog is just a blog as most are, that is the way to go. :)

    28. Weekly Round Up – Interviews, Coffee, Goldfrapp, Christmas on Blazing Minds Says:

      [...] Dennis Edell – 4 Comments [...]

    29. scheng1 Says:

      At least part of the homepage should change, otherwise it gives a feeling of “dead” blog.
      scheng1´s last blog ..How to develop psychic abilities My ComLuv Profile

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @scheng1,

      Not really, that’s the point of a static home page. The trick is to make sure it’s not boring and easy to navigate. :)

    30. dowenloadz Says:

      static homepage is important for about me pages or discraption about my blog but i didnt use it in else.

    31. Dragon Blogger Says:

      You don’t have to have a full static homepage, you can have a partial with a Sticky Post, but blogs that have a static homepage are better off using the wordpress hitched off of /blog URI and leaving the homepage entirely non-wordpress for logistical reasons.

      Wordpress now gives you the ability to change the layout based on categories and such, so you enormous flexibility, no reason not to use Wordpress for a company site anymore, the benefits are so much better.

      The nice thing too is you can use a featured type setup by using sticky post as a static homepage, you can easily rotate it whenever you want.

      PS. Your comments, every single one shows up in my spam queue, I always have to look for them or I miss them. I am not sure why Akismet doesn’t like your comments, may be from have the word sales and marketing in the URL it may think its spam or something.
      Dragon Blogger´s last blog ..Customize Your CommentLuv Display Plugin My ComLuv Profile

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Dragon Blogger,

      First, is this your first visit? If so, welcome friend! If not, my apologies, I’m usually pretty good at remembering these things. I figured it might be as I had to “approve” you.

      blogs that have a static homepage are better off using the wordpress hitched off of /blog URI and leaving the homepage entirely non-wordpress for logistical reasons.

      Please say that again for a 4yo mind ;) .

      I’m currently testing the sticky thing as well as the static page option. Although things may be added/deleted from time to time, it won’t be rotated…it will stay pretty much as is, as it will be a navigational thing.

      Akismet - you’re one of a few in the past month having to dig me out. I’m wondering if someone out there thinks it’s funny. As we know, Akismet works by “learning”…if even one person hits SPAM enough times, it will pick up on it.

      Thanks for checking though. :)

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Dragon Blogger,

      Oh please do me a favor, add a real or nick name in front of the keywords - name@DB kinda thing…thanks! :)

    32. Valentina Says:

      Dennis, this is marvelous … I think everyone is waiting with bated breath for the unveiling of the revamped blog. I am sure it will be awesome. What is also interesting that as I was re-reading some of the earlier comments right to the last one, I learned some valuable points too.

      Wishing you enormous success, and……………..

      HAPPY NEW YEAR!

      valentina

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Valentina,

      Thank you and welcome to the community!

      You picked up on something very important. The comments to a post can be equally or even more informative then the post itself! :)

    33. Kai Says:

      I do great with static blogs. I think as long as they are very informational, it will work fine. You just need to continue spending time on backlinks otherwise it won’t rank high in the serps.

      -Kai
      Kai´s last blog ..Keywords That Sell My ComLuv Profile

    34. Angie Says:

      My main website has the front page as static. But I list all the recent posts in the sidebar. It works for me. thank

      Dennis Edell Reply:

      @Angie, A different one from what you’re linked to here?
      Dennis Edell´s last blog ..Blog Move Is Imminent ! I’m Looking For Launch Partners… My ComLuv Profile

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