The “Static Homepage” Is One That Stays the Same
This is different from a “blog” style home page which updates every time you publish a new post.
There are other themes in addition to WordPress Theme Twenty Twelve that have the option to create a “static” page so you can use the steps below if your theme offers this.
The advantage of a static homepage is that if you want to have certain information and graphics greeting the visitors when they land on the homepage this way you can make it stay the same. If you choose to make the homepage a blog style page it will simply show the most recent article you’ve written a the top whatever that might be.
Steps to Create a “Static Homepage” in WordPress Theme Twenty Twelve (If you are using a different theme check under Settings, Reading in the Dashboard to see if your theme offers a static homepage.)
1. Go to the Dashboard to Settings, Reading.
2. Click to put a dot in the small round radio button that says “A Static Page” under the Reading Settings. You will see that the other choice is to show your latest post on the front page.
3. In the drop down box click the small arrow and choose “Home” for the Front Page.
4. Click the blue Save button.
5. Go to Pages in the Dashboard to create the new static homepage and title it “Home”
6. In the right side of the screen you will see Templates and here you can click to choose “Front Page Template”
7. If you want to have a Featured Image show on the front page you can upload one below the Templates. Click to upload an image and browse to your computer or use an image you have already uploaded to the media. There is a place to set the size of the image. It will not show up on the text box of the page screen the way it would if you uploaded it to insert into the text box but it will be showing on the Homepage after you save it.
8. Write and format the homepage. Upload and insert a custom designed graphic that will link to the rest of the site so visitors can click it to “enter” if you wish. Visitors can click the labels in the horizontal menu bar across the top to go to other parts of the website but a custom button with a link makes a nice touch. You can design the button in any graphics program or find free button graphics on the web. After you upoad and insert it into the text box click on it to select it then click the add link button in the menu across the top of the text box and type or paste in the link.
9. There are also two bottom widgets for the homepage in theme Twenty Twelve and you need to go to Widgets in the Dashboard to format them.
10. First click Save to save the homepage and check the front of the site to see if you want to edit anything.
11. Now to go Widgets and you’ll see First and Second Front Page Widgets. You might want to use one of them to add the code for an email newsletter signup. The other one might be another custom button with a link so if people are at the bottom of the page they can click to go to another page. There are many ways you can use these widgets, You can look at other websites to get some ideas. Please see the video on formatting the Homepage Widgets for more information.