Websites
Landing page or a full website: what do you really need?
What a landing page is, when it is enough and when you need a full website. A decision based on where your visitors come from, with a simple example and tasks for this week.
- Author:
- Tim Blažič
- Published:
- 5 min read
- 5 min read
- Slovensko
- SL →
A landing page is one page with one offer and one action, such as a call or an enquiry. It is enough when you bring the visitors yourself, usually with ads, and sell one clear service. You need a full website when people search for you on Google, you have several services or buyers check you before deciding. Often the right answer is both: a website and a dedicated page for the ad.
In short
- The deciding question is where your visitors come from.
- Ads and one offer: a landing page is enough to start.
- Google search and several services: you need more pages, because each answers its own search.
- An ad should lead to a page about exactly that ad, not the home page.
- Measure a page by enquiries, not by how it looks.
Why this article
"A website" is not one thing. A page that must convince someone who just clicked an ad has a different job from a page Google shows to someone comparing providers. Mix them up and you pay more for something that does not do the job.
Three jobs a page can have
| Job | Where the visitor comes from | What the page must do |
|---|---|---|
| Convert | an ad or campaign | Confirm the ad's promise and lead to one action |
| Be found | Google search or AI answers | Answer a specific search, one page per topic |
| Confirm | a referral or social media | Show you exist, who you are and how to reach you |
A landing page does the first job well and often the third. It usually cannot do the second alone, because one page struggles to answer several different searches.
When a landing page is enough
- You sell one service or product.
- You bring visitors yourself, with ads, email or social media.
- You are testing a new offer and do not yet know whether anyone wants it.
- It is a time-limited promotion or event.
Example: an air conditioning technician advertises a fixed-price service before the season. The page states the price, the area, how quickly they come and has one call button. Subpages about the company are not an advantage here, but a chance for the visitor to go elsewhere.
When you need a full website
- You want people to find you on Google, even without ads.
- You have several services that people search for separately.
- The decision is bigger, so the buyer will check references, prices and people.
- You need legal pages, a blog or several languages.
Example: the same technician wants to be found for installation, servicing and cleaning in their town. Each service needs its own page with content that answers that search.
We cover what such a site should include in What should a good small business website include.
The most common mistake: the ad leads to the home page
A home page has to speak to everyone. An ad speaks to one person. Someone who clicks an ad for a fixed-price service must see that immediately, not a general headline and a menu with six options.
You do not need a redesign to fix this. Add one page for each advertised offer. There is more on why clicks do not become enquiries in Why ads bring clicks but no enquiries.
What a good landing page needs
- A headline that repeats the ad's promise. The same words, not a slogan.
- A price or price range, if possible. The visitor then knows whether the offer is for them before calling.
- What happens after the click. Who gets in touch and when.
- Proof. A real review, reference or photo of the work, not a general promise.
- One action. The button is the same from top to bottom.
- Fast loading on a phone. Most social media traffic comes from phones.
- Tracking. Without counting submitted forms and clicks you cannot know whether the page works.
How to check whether your page works
The sum is simple: enquiries divided by visits. With 500 visits and 10 enquiries, that is 2%. The figure is an example, not a benchmark. Compare it with your own previous value when you change one thing at a time.
If you have no measurement, that is the first task, before any new page.
What to do this week
- Check in your analytics where most of your visitors come from.
- Check where your ads lead. If it is the home page, that is the first fix.
- Open the page on a phone and check that within five seconds it is clear what you offer and what the visitor should do.
- Set up counting for forms and phone clicks.
Frequently asked questions
What is a landing page?
One web page with one offer and one desired action, which a visitor usually reaches from an ad or campaign.
Can a landing page be found on Google?
Yes, but usually for a very limited set of searches. For several services and topics you need more pages.
Can a home page work as a landing page?
If you sell a single service, yes. With several services, it is better for the ad to have its own page.
How many landing pages do I need?
One for each offer you actively advertise. More than that usually makes no sense.
How we can help
Building a website with us costs €249 and from €19.90 a month, and the base package covers up to 8 pages, which is also enough for pages for individual offers. In our advertising service we prepare campaigns and tracking. If you are not sure what you need, write to us through the contact form.
← Back to the blog