For years, the homepage has been the front door of digital experiences and a space where brands introduce themselves and guide users. But today, with AI-driven personalization and direct search behaviors, its role is changing.

Think about it:

📌 Netflix doesn’t have a traditional homepage, it immediately curates content for you.

📌 Google’s search page is minimal because most users jump straight into a query.

📌 Amazon immediately showcases product recommendations and deals based on your browsing and purchase patterns.

More and more, apps and websites are shifting from static homepages to dynamic and AI-driven experiences.

🤖 Let’s Talk About How AI Is Changing Homepages

🔍 Search and AI Assistants as the New Homepage: Platforms like ChatGPT and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) show that users increasingly start with a query, not a landing page.

➡️ Direct Access: Users often land directly on product pages, sign-up flows, or blogs through search and social media links. Even chatbots drop users straight into an experience, often by skipping the homepage.

📺 Dynamic Content Feeds: Platforms like Netflix and Amazon serve personalized content immediately, bypassing a static homepage.

But What About SaaS, Informational Websites, or Lesser-Known Brands?

For SaaS businesses, or if users don’t know what your product does, the homepage still plays a critical role, but its function is evolving. As a designer, instead of building a static overview, we should focus on creating homepages that:

1. Act as Targeted Landing Pages: Focused on a singular action (e.g., sign up, book a demo) rather than trying to cover everything at once.

2. Guide First-Time Visitors Clearly: Through interactive demos, explainer videos, or even AI-driven onboarding flows.

3. Show Instead of Tell: Let users engage with a micro-experience or preview functionality right away.

4. Reduce Cognitive Load: Instead of overwhelming users with features, highlight a single key benefit that sparks curiosity.

So, is the homepage really dead? Not entirely, but it’s definitely changing. Instead of being the centerpiece of websites, homepages are now just one of many entry points. The best-designed ones are those that adapt to user needs, behavior, and AI-driven insights.

What do you think? Should businesses still prioritize homepages, or should we, as designers, rethink how users enter digital experiences?