When to Use a Landing Page vs. a Website

When it comes to choosing between using a landing page or website, there are a number of factors for marketers to consider. First thing’s first: Marketers should identify the purpose of the page before making any decisions. Without the specific marketing intention in mind, it may be difficult to determine how each page will cater to definitive needs. In fact, the purpose of the page is the main differentiator that will help marketers decide between a landing page and website.

First, let’s break down the purposes a website serves and its various associated elements:

A website is generally a great resource for individuals who may not have something specific in mind, but are instead coming to learn more about something. For example, someone may browse a fashion brand’s website if they are looking for clothes in general but not anything in particular.

Websites give visitors a broad first impression of what the company is about, what products they offer, and its values. Additionally, a website can guide visitors through a number of pages and links that offer a wide spectrum of information. Ultimately for marketers, the primary purpose of a website is to give a high-level overview of a business to visitors.

It’s important to note that while websites offer plenty of information, this information is usually pretty generic rather than specific. In addition, websites have multiple page goals and a number of links that visitors can access, which invite them to take multiple actions rather than one specific one.

However, when it comes to meeting specific campaign goals such as reaching certain conversion numbers or attaining qualified leads, websites can be distracting. Because of the level of exploration that websites offer, visitors can navigate through various pages and competing links along the way.

Websites, however, can help businesses improve their search engine optimization strategies and search engine rankings. As we all know, SEO is a crucial part of any marketing strategy and is ultimately a factor that can lead visitors to land on both websites and landing pages. This is why it’s crucial that websites take advantage of blog pages that leverage important keywords and phrases that will drive more traffic to the site.

So while websites exist primarily to tell the story of a business or brand and describe the associated product offerings, landing pages have a different purpose.

Let’s outline the key aspects of a landing page:

Landing pages exist for a more specific purpose: To convert traffic. Websites may be the guiding light that gets visitors to a single, standalone landing page. From there, they are able to focus on one call to action instead of exploring different pages as they would on a website. By default, landing pages have less distractions and are generally free of clutter to place the CTA front and center. Because of this, landing pages are tailored to have targeted and consistent messaging and a design that is consistent with associated ads or the website.

Landing pages can also be customized based on what is most effective. This can be determined by conducting A/B testing to see which designs, copy, CTAs and other elements lead more visitors to convert than other versions of the page. This also provides a chance for marketers to cater landing pages to what’s most relevant to visitors who would come across them.

While websites offer a generic overview of the company and collection of products, landing pages provide detailed descriptions of the specific product or offering the visitor came to view. Because of this, landing pages are more likely to turn a visitor into a customer than a website may be.

Landing pages are also a great place for marketers to collect information from visitors and in turn, offer a resource. For example, marketers may be able to construct the landing page to offer access to a whitepaper, ebook, or video for a name and email. That way, they are able to get in contact with those leads later on, and the visitors are able to gain something from the business as well.

Most commonly, landing pages are tied to advertisements. Whether it’s through pay-per-click (PPC) ads, social media ads, or banners, linking a landing page to an advertisement is a quick and efficient way to get potential leads in front of the information you want to offer. In doing so, it’s crucial to make sure that the landing page is aligned with its counterparts to provide a seamless and consistent customer journey. PPC ads are especially effective for this purpose as they appear higher in search engine results and cater to what users are searching for.

Now that you understand the differences between the purposes of websites and landing pages, you can determine which is best for your marketing goals. Ask yourself what those goals are: Are you trying to increase your awareness? Drive more traffic to your site? Improve sales numbers? Your answer to these questions will shed light on which type of page you should use.

Whatever page you decide to use, you’ll want to make sure it’s as effective as possible. Here are a few ways to spice up your landing page for the best results:

• Keep it clean – Make sure your CTA is clear, visible, and easy to understand. Clearing the page of distractions can more easily guide your visitor to take the action you want them to.
• Utilize strong copy – Words have power, and they can influence buying decisions. Make sure your copy encompasses your mission and values while also exhibiting the product or offering that’s being advertised. This further validates the value of the offering while also laying out actionable steps for the visitor.
• Ask for only what you need – A landing page is not always the place to gather every last detail about your visitor. For most people, coming across a page that has more than 5 fill in the blank options can turn them away or distract them from giving you their information. Instead, ask for necessary contact and name details and delve more into detail once you have their information.
• Ensure ease-of-use – There’s nothing more frustrating than coming across a landing page that displays what you’re looking for but is too difficult to navigate. To keep users on your page and lead them to converting, it’s important to make sure your page is easy to use and has mobile-friendly formatting.

Need help designing a website or landing page? Get in touch with our talented team at Lift Digital to get started and bring your marketing goals to life.