Is there a difference between a homepage and a landing page, or do they mean the same thing? Business owners and digital marketers often assume there's no difference between the two. You don't want to make that mistake because these are two different concepts.
Remember, your website visitors may land on your homepage, but that doesn't make it a landing page. Confused?
Then this landing page vs. homepage article is for you. You'll learn the differences and aspects that differentiate a homepage from a landing page.
What Is A Landing Page?
In the e-commerce world, a landing page is a page where a visitor arrives to click an online ad. The core goal of a landing page is driving guest traffic onto your website through improved search engine optimization (SEO).
Businesses use landing pages as the next stepping stone to converting visitors into leads. The common types of landing pages include;
- Click-through landing page: a landing page that contains a click-through button
- Lead Generation: This page uses a data collection form to collect leads.
- Infomercial: Specialized landing page that gives your visitors insights into your business and product and engages them to browse your products
- Squeeze Page: A brief landing page with minimal content and bolded headlines to collect and add lead emails to a mailing list
- Splash Page: Basic landing page with straightforward communication, such as simple yes/no requests of announcements that require no action.
- Viral landing page: The pages focus on creating and strengthening brand awareness.
The type of landing page that you create for your business depends on the purpose or your goals.
Benefits Of A Landing Page
So, why should you craft a landing for your website? How do such pages benefit your online venture? A landing page is an integral touch point of your business because it yields several benefits, including the following;
- Landing pages leave a remarkable first impression on your website.
- A landing page helps you in generating leads and conversions.
- The pages promote new products or services on your website.
- A direct and on-page landing page adds value to your brand by laying down what your brand offers.
- A good landing page that embraces a problem/solution approach assists you in building brand credibility by showing your clients and prospects that your business offers relief to market gaps.
- Landing pages offer elementary navigation through scrolling.
- A landing page increases traffic and drives more visitors to your website using relevant search keywords.
- A landing page allows you to use CTA buttons to drive asset downloads
Disadvantages Of A Landing Page
Landing pages have a few limitations, such as:
- Template landing pages confine you to a specific route
- Landing pages offer a minimum range because you need to create a separate landing page for every offer
- It is challenging to promote and sell complicated products on landing pages
What Is A Homepage?
A homepage is a website's main page visitors are directed to after searching for your business online. A homepage is an integral element of a website as its design can attract or keep customers off a website.
Your website's homepage helps your clients and prospects understand your business's products and services. The homepage should link to all other pages on your website, including business contact information.
Benefits Of A Homepage
An engaging homepage benefits your business in various ways, including the following:
- Experienced web designers can craft a user-friendly and welcoming homepage that visitors can use to learn more about what you offer
- A homepage creates brand awareness by presenting memorable aspects of identity, such as the brand logo, imagery, and color palettes
- homepages offer a quick and convenient way for visitors to navigate the website
- The homepage sets your visitors on the path to conversion
- The homepage can also encourage viewers to suggest or share the site with family and friends, increasing traffic to your website
Disadvantages Of A Homepage
- Homepages require a complex process with endless blocks of texts
- Homepages require regular updates of the content to maintain relevance
- Homepages are prone to programming pitfalls
What Makes A Good Homepage?
Let's dig into the features that characterize a good homepage with:
Should Provide A Comprehensive Business Overview
A good homepage provides an insightful digital view of what your business offers, including telling your clients and prospects what to do.
Contains Links To Other Web Pages
Your homepage is a first impression that links all crucial pages, such as the contact page, blogs, and service pages.
Guides Your Visitors On Ways Of Connecting With Your Business
Visitors learn how they can connect with you through the homepage. The homepage may not include a specific CTA, but your target audience needs to connect with your business. Adding a phone number or a link to a contact form page allows visitors to reach you.
What Makes A Good Landing Page?
Every business can craft a landing page, but not all pages effectively achieve desired goals. Here are a few features that characterize a good landing page:
Designed To Receive More Traffic
Your landing page should attract more traffic from a link inside an email or through good ad links. An effective landing page should explain the details of information contained in links leading to the page.
A Compelling Call-to-Action (CTA)
Your landing page should include a strong CTA that helps visitors to navigate the process of achieving their goal.
Focus On A Single Topic
An effective landing page focuses on a topic or product to avoid distracting potential clients and prospects.
Landing Page Vs. Homepage: Key Differences
Our next focus is on the features that separate the home and landing pages.
Audience/Goal
The target audience or goal is among the central elements differentiating homepages and landing pages. A homepage does the following;
- Explains details about the brand
- Builds client trust in the brand
- Enhances visitor engagement with the brand
A landing page focuses on a single aspect forming part of the brand and promotes, unlike the homepage that promotes the brand in general.
Content
Landing pages offer limited content targeting a specific product or service. On the other hand, a homepage seeks to attract organic traffic focusing on the general brand.
A landing page contains ads and links on specific searches, and visitors can access your website's landing page by following a link from the homepage. A landing page should be designed so that any visitor clicks on a given ad and lands on the right page.
Call-to-Action
The CTA orientation is one of the underlying differences between a landing page and a homepage. A landing page must contain a call-to-action button whose primary role is helping in the lead conversion process. A landing page must have a CTA, whether filling out a form, buying a product, finding a phone number, or a reminder on a specific action. Some of the commonly used terms and phrases in the landing page CTA section include;
- Get a free quote
- Contact us today
- Sign up now
- Call us now
- Find out more about us
Homepages don't always have a compelling CTA because it mainly serves as a resource providing information about the products and services that a brand offers.
Navigation
Landing pages lack the bar that allows visitors to navigate to other web pages because it focuses on one product. A homepage is more browser-friendly because it acts as a channel through which visitors access several other web pages.
How To Choose Which One To Use
Landing pages and homepages are critical elements of digital marketing. However, you may be wondering whether it's necessary to have a homepage when a landing page has a higher conversion rate.
Digital marketing experts would advise against forgoing a homepage on your website. Homepages are vital because they offer an avenue through which your visitors experience your brand diversity, something that landing pages lack.
A homepage enables people to understand what your business offers by navigating other pages, such as blogs and about pages. Customers also interact with the product on offer and visit individual landing pages to learn more about a specific product.
The homepage is important in creating general brand awareness because it serves as your business's storefront. Use landing pages to accomplish a more focused goal, especially when running ads.
Make No Mistake About Homepages & Landing Pages
This article has discussed the differences between homepages and landing pages to avoid the mistake of using them interchangeably. A homepage is your website's home that offers an overall impression that visitors need to understand your brand before navigating to other pages.
On the other hand, a landing page contains limited and specific information about a single product or service and a few links to avoid distracting your visitors. It would be best to have landing pages for CTA and lead conversion. However, both pages are essential to your business.
For additional information and help with your next project, head over to the Replo Library of landing pages. However, if you’re looking for a partner to help you boost your Shopify site, schedule a demo with us today.