When I speak with clients, sometimes the subject of landing pages is brought up. It’s a term they’ve heard and often they use “landing page” and “homepage” interchangeably. In reality, they are different elements of a website. The goal of a landing page is different from the goals of a homepage. In this post, I’ll explain what is the difference between a homepage vs landing page.
What is a homepage
Think of your homepage as the front door to your house or as your site’s storefront. Visitors get there usually because they have your address. It’s the gateway to the rest of your site. Actions can be taken on your homepage. Customers can contact, purchase a product, sign up for an event for example.
What is a landing page
A landing page is usually a stand alone page of your website. Visitors are brought there purposely through an email campaign, social media channel and/or PPC (pay per click). Landing pages exist for a specific goal. Visitors brought to a landing page perform a specific action such as register for a mailing list, download a document, etc.
If you’re running a special discount on a product of service through a Facebook ad, that ad should link to a landing page.If you bring your potential customer to your homepage and there’s no prominent mention of that offer, the visitor is unlikely to go looking for it. By linking to a specific landing page, you can dedicate the content of that page exclusively to the specific offer. There should be a clear call to action. The goal of a landing page is to focus attention on this action.
Homepage vs landing page
A landing page usually has little or no navigation. It’s a simplified web page that is consistent with your branding, but is light on the design and other elements found on the rest of your website.
Unlike other visitors to the rest of your website, many people that get to your landing page often don’t know who you are or what you have to offer. The content of the page should evoke confidence and trust right away. If your visitor doesn’t feel this way, they are unlikely to perform the action you brought them there to take.
When you want potential customers to take a specific action, a landing page can accomplish this. The purpose of a homepage vs a landing page is not the same. Understanding the difference between the two can help you convert visitors into customers.