If your homepage has areas that will provide customized information once you know something about the user, don't provide a generic version of the content to first-time users — craft different content for that space. For example, if you have a customized welcome message that shows a registered user's name, don't display any of the text if you don't know the user's name. See MotherNature's homepage for an example of how silly such welcomes look when you don't have user information yet. Generic welcomes are akin to Dear Sir letters — they don't make anyone feel special. Similarly, don't offer users recommendations that purport to be tailored just for them, when in fact they are generic for all users. So, if you have a UK site that has an area for local weather, don't choose a city, such as London, for your users — if you don't know their city, offer users an area to enter it and a rationale for doing so. For example, "Enter Your City Name or Postal Code to See Your Local Weather Report.