How do I switch my publication's homepage to a different layout?

Does your publication's homepage need a lift? Try upgrading your homepage with the different layouts in just a few clicks.

On your publication's Settings page, click "Edit theme" next to Publication theme in the Branding section.

In the Homepage section, you’ll see two sections that compose your homepage: an Intro, which determines the post or posts that appear at the top of your homepage, and a Body, which determines how the remaining posts appear below. Select the toggle next to "Advanced layouts" to format posts into different views such as lists, grid, tags, sections, or featuring recent posts.

Intro

In the Intro section, under Header style, select the type of layout you'd like readers to see above the fold.

Feature

Here, your single most recent or pinned post will be at the top.

Newspaper

Here, three pinned posts and five top posts will appear at the top.

Magazine

Here, five of your most recent posts or pinned posts will appear at the top.

Highlight

Here, your single most recent or pinned post will be at the top. The three most recent posts will appear on the side.

Media feature

The most recent post will headline the top of your homepage.

Podcast

If you publish podcast episodes on Substack, showcase your podcast above the fold. You can select whether to show your top episodes and links to external podcast players.

Things to note:

• With the Newspaper and Magazine layouts, the image aspect ratio for the center image has changed to 3:2. If your older posts have images with text, you may need to adjust their aspect ratio to integrate with the new design. 
• Older Substack publications may see a Layout section with "feed of posts" as an option. The new header style options will not work with this layout.

How do the new layouts work?

Pin multiple posts

To pin a post, click on the three-dot menu on a post and select "Pin to homepage". These will appear "above the fold".

Any unpinned spots and the rest of your posts are filled in reverse chronologically.

Most popular posts

These popular posts are generated based on views, engagement, and recency. 

If selecting the Feature or Magazine view, check the box next to "Show top posts". Your top posts will appear in a highlighted bar on your homepage. 

Body

Posts view

Below the fold on your homepage, your posts can appear as a list, grid, or groups.

List view

Grid view

You'll need to utilize the tags or sections feature to select the Groups view. The Groups view will show a grid of posts from a specific tag or section.

On the Themes editor, select "Groups (sections or tags)" in the Posts drop-down menu.

Select which tag(s) or sections(s) you want to surface on your homepage. Below the fold, the specific tag(s) or sections (s) will appear alongside recent posts.

Mix and match tags and sections to appear in the Posts section below the fold. Whichever tag or section you select will be accompanied by a "Recent Posts" row.

Adding a content block

You can slide the toggle next to Advanced layouts to explore the expanded options. You can get started by adding a content block below your Hero section:

1. List

2. Grid

3. Feature

4. Subscribe

Note that you can add multiple content blocks to your homepage (up to 10), and mix-and-match as best serves your publication. For example, you could add a Grid of the latest news, a Feature of a specific series, and a List of recent posts.

If you choose List or Grid, you’ll see an option to add left or right columns, which you can fill with:

1. Contributors: the latest posts from contributors to your publication listed as “public” in your publication's settings.

2. Links: writers use this to list all their published books, social media accounts, resources, and posts’ greatest hits.

3. Podcasts: if you publish a podcast on your Substack.

4. Recommendations: a place to showcase the Substack publications you love and would like to share with your audience.

5. Subscribe: a customizable banner prompt to encourage visitors to subscribe.

Sections

You can now customize what your readers see when they visit a section. Here, you can select to show your section logo and description or spotlight your latest posts.

Select in Body whether you'd like to display the section posts in a list or grid layout.

If you have a podcast, you can choose between three different header options:

• Default: Your podcast logo and description will be showcased
• Podcast: Your podcast logo, description, and optional external podcast players links will appear
• Feature media: Your latest podcast episodes will be headlined

Select in Body whether you'd like to display the podcast episodes in a list or grid layout.