A landing page is enough if you present a single offer or campaign and expect one step from the visitor, for example signing up or requesting a proposal. You need a full website if you have several services and several kinds of visitors, or if you want regular traffic from search engines too.
1. The two side by side
| Aspect | Landing page | Full website |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | One offer, one main button. | Several services, several paths for visitors. |
| Structure | One long page that leads to the decision. | Homepage, service pages, case studies, contact and a knowledge base. |
| Traffic | Mainly from ads and direct links. | From search engines alongside the ads, as the content grows. |
| Search engine optimisation | Limited, because one page can only answer a few searches well. | Every subpage can answer new searches. |
| Time to build | Faster, with fewer decisions. | More design work, in return it can grow over the long term. |
2. Which one to choose
A landing page is enough if
- you are testing a new service or product before building something bigger
- you need a targeted page for an ad campaign
- you are collecting sign-ups for an event or a programme
- you need a campaign page next to your current website
You need a full website if
- you have several services and each needs its own page
- your visitors look for case studies and details before deciding
- you want regular clients from search engines too
- your brand needs a shared home online for the long term
3. An example from our work
UX/UI design selection Our UX/UI selection includes many smaller interfaces, B2C and B2B sites alike, each designed for one clear goal and matched to the character of the brand. See the case study 4. What makes a landing page work
A landing page has only one job, to lead the visitor to a decision. Its structure follows from that, and every section has to move the visitor towards the next step.
- The first screen makes clear who the offer is for and what they get if they go on.
- There is one main button, with the same label at several points on the page.
- The proof, for example case studies or a short description of the process, sits close to the button.
- The menu and the outgoing links are kept to a minimum, so attention does not drift away.
If the landing page gets its traffic from ads, it has to continue the promise of the ad. If the ad is about a specific offer, the first sentence of the page should be about it too, or the visitor will think they have come to the wrong place.
5. How to see whether it works
The success of a landing page is best measured by one number, how many of its visitors take the step you expect. For that, the form submission or the button click has to be tracked, otherwise you only see the number of visitors.
- Compare how many people arrive from the ad and how many of them submit the form.
- Check how far visitors scroll, as this shows at which section they leave the page.
- Try two different headlines, and keep the one that brings more sign-ups.
- Ask your first sign-ups what convinced them, and strengthen that on the page.
It is worth reviewing the results after a few weeks, once enough visitors have come through. A day or two of data makes it easy to draw the wrong conclusion.
6. When a landing page is outgrown
If visitors keep writing with questions the page does not answer, or if new services are about to be added, the landing page has reached its limit. Moving to a full website is no fresh start at that point, because a well-designed landing page can later become one of the service pages.
For this it is worth designing from a shared system from the beginning, so its elements can be reused and the expansion builds on the existing work.
7. Frequently asked questions
Does a landing page appear in Google?
Yes, but a single page can only answer a few searches well. If you want regular traffic from search, you need more subpages and growing content.
Can a landing page sit alongside my existing website?
Yes, this is a common solution for a campaign. The landing page follows the identity of the website, with a simpler menu that leads to just one step.
How many landing pages do I need if I run several campaigns?
It is worth making one per campaign, because that way each can best continue the promise of its ad. If they are built from a shared template, a new campaign page can be put together quickly.
How much copy does a landing page need?
As much as the decision requires. A little is enough for a simple sign-up, while for a higher-value service the visitor looks for details and proof before filling in the form.
Do you build it too?
If you ask, yes, development is optional. We can also hand the designs to your own developer, or build them on a platform you already use.
