How do I change the default web page for my domain?

[PSpencer]

Hi all,

I'm new to the community, so hopefully this is an easy question. When I started my website I didn't know what I was doing, so the first page I created, I eventually abandoned and start making other pages, including one that I want to be my default page for my domain. I connected my domain from Go Daddy to my HubSpot website, but whenever I put in the URL I get that initial page that I abandoned instead of the home page I want. I went into settings on my home page and removed the Content SLug of "home", but now when I try to publish it I get an error saying there is already a page with no content slug. But, in my list of Webpages I don't see that page, so I can't edit it or delete it. Help.....

[PSpencer]

And I did remove the content slug of "Home" from the page that I want to be my default page, but now, if I try to Upate that page it errors saying that there is already a page associated with my domain - the mystery page that I can't seem to edit or delete... Arghhh.....

[PSpencer]

Hi Anton, thanks for your reply. The rub seems to be that my current default page is not in the list of Web Pages. The list is showing a total of 30 pages (my max), and none of them are this mysterious default page. I tried the various filters for publishing status and made sure that it isn't a "Landing page", but I can't find it anywhere. Is it possible I deleted it and the system is hanging onto it somehwere?

[Anton · Accepted solution]

Hi @PSpencer, 

thanks for clearification. 

Landing pages would have been my next guess, but you've checked them already. 
What's displayed at the top if you select the "tree view"(right icon)

If there's nothing, I'd take a look at the redirects as the next step. Maybe there's something redirecting from A to B that shouldn't be there. 

 

If there's a redirect that redirects to the "old default page" simply delete it. 

If this doesn't help there are some more things you can check:
- robots.txt (located in settings->content->pages->seo&crawlers; Make sure to check all domains)

- your domain hoster settings. Maybe you've set the default page as a static url there

best, 

Anton

[Anton]

Hey @PSpencer, 

welcome to the community!

Changing the "default page" is so easy that it might be something nobody thinks about 🙂
To change it simply open the current "default page" and

1. open the settings
   
2. click on the small pen icon next to the Page URL, confirm the note, and type in something like "old-default" - it's really up to you.
   Tip: If you're planning to use this page in the future don't change the URL to much. Unless you clean up the redirects manually in HS, it will create redirects automatically and more than 3 redirects on one page will give you a socalled "strike" in most search-engines since you're creating redirect-loops (From A to B, from B to C, from C to D ...).
   
   
   
3. Once you've changed the URL, update the page
4. Open the page you'd like to become your new "default page" and do basically the same - with one little twist. Delete the content slug

    

   
5. Update the page - and you're done

The redirects are located here:
HubSpot settings(gear icon top right corner) -> Tools -> Content -> Domains & URLs -> URL Redirects

Hope that helps, 

best, 

Anton