If you have been wondering what is the landing page and how it fits into your business website, you are asking exactly the right question. Landing pages are one of the most misunderstood elements of web design and digital marketing, and getting them right can make a significant difference to how many visitors your website converts into actual enquiries and customers. This guide explains exactly what is the landing page, how it works and when your business needs one.
What Is the Landing Page?
The landing page is a standalone web page designed with a single, specific goal in mind. Unlike a homepage or a general service page that provides an overview of everything a business does, the landing page focuses entirely on one action it wants the visitor to take. That action might be filling in a contact form, requesting a quote, booking a consultation or making a purchase.
Understanding what is the landing page starts with understanding what makes it different from other pages on a website. A homepage typically has navigation, multiple sections covering different services and various calls to action pointing visitors in different directions. The landing page removes all of that. No navigation menu, no links to other pages, no distractions. Just a focused piece of content designed to convert the visitor who arrives on it into a lead or a customer.
Why Does the Landing Page Matter?
Once you understand what is the landing page the next question is why it matters for your business. The answer comes down to conversion.
When someone arrives on a general website homepage from an ad, a social media post or a search result, they are presented with a huge amount of information and multiple choices about where to go next. Many visitors get distracted, click around and leave without taking any action. This is called bounce, and it represents lost potential customers.
The landing page solves this problem by removing the choices. The visitor arrives, sees a single compelling message, a single offer and a single call to action. The conversion rate of a well designed landing page is consistently higher than a general homepage or service page because there is simply nothing else to do except take the intended action or leave.
The Key Elements of the Landing Page
Knowing what is the landing page also means understanding what goes into one. Every effective landing page shares the same core elements.
A clear headline
The first thing a visitor sees on the landing page is the headline. This needs to communicate immediately what the page is about and why it matters to the person reading it. A vague or clever headline that does not answer the visitor’s question within two seconds loses them before they read anything else.
A compelling subheadline
Following the main headline, a subheadline adds more detail and reinforces the offer or benefit the landing page is making. Together the headline and subheadline should give the visitor a clear reason to keep reading.
Social proof
Reviews, testimonials, case studies or trust signals appear on the landing page to reassure the visitor that other people have used this service and been satisfied. Social proof is one of the most powerful conversion tools available and landing pages that include it consistently outperform those that do not.
A single call to action
The call to action on the landing page is the one thing you want the visitor to do. Request a quote, book a call, fill in a form. There should only ever be one call to action and it should be repeated at logical points throughout the page without overwhelming the visitor.
A benefit focused description
The body content of the landing page explains what the visitor gets from taking the action, not just what the business offers. Focusing on benefits rather than features keeps the content relevant to the visitor’s needs rather than the business’s preferences.
Types of Landing Pages
Understanding what is the landing page also means understanding that there are different types designed for different purposes.
Lead generation landing pages
The most common type of landing page for service businesses. The goal is to capture contact information through a form in exchange for a consultation, a quote, a free resource or simply the opportunity to get in touch. Every byoliver website includes at least one page optimised for lead generation.
Click-through landing pages
Used in ecommerce and product marketing. The landing page warms up the visitor with information about the product or offer and then sends them to a checkout or purchase page rather than capturing a lead directly.
Sales landing pages
Longer form pages that make the complete case for a product or service and ask for a direct purchase or commitment at the end. More common for higher value products where the visitor needs more information before making a decision.
Coming soon pages
A simple landing page used before a website or product launches to capture interest and email addresses from people who want to be notified when it goes live.
What Is the Landing Page in the Context of SEO?
One important aspect of understanding what is the landing page is how it relates to search engine optimisation. Landing pages created specifically for paid advertising campaigns are often not indexed by Google because they are designed for a specific audience rather than organic search traffic.
However landing pages can also be powerful SEO tools when they are designed to rank for a specific search term. A service area landing page, for example, targets people searching for a specific service in a specific location. A well optimised location landing page can rank in Google and generate organic enquiries without any advertising spend, making it one of the most cost effective uses of the landing page format.
byoliver builds location specific landing pages for clients who want to rank in multiple geographic areas. A roofing company covering five different towns might have five separate landing pages, each targeting that specific location, each ranking independently in local search results.
When Does Your Business Need a Landing Page?
Now that you understand what is the landing page, the question is whether your business needs one. The honest answer for most small businesses is yes, in some form.
If you are running any form of paid advertising, whether on Google, Facebook or Instagram, every ad should point to a dedicated landing page rather than your homepage. Sending paid traffic to a homepage is one of the most common and costly mistakes small businesses make with advertising budgets.
If you want to rank in Google for specific local or service-specific searches, a dedicated landing page targeting that exact search term will consistently outperform a general service page.
And if you want to improve the conversion rate of visitors already arriving on your website, a dedicated landing page for your primary offer will almost always outperform a general contact or services page.
How byoliver Approaches Landing Pages
Every byoliver website includes pages built on landing page principles. Clear headlines, focused messaging, social proof and single calls to action are built into every service page and contact page byoliver creates, not treated as optional extras.
For clients running advertising campaigns or wanting to rank in multiple locations, byoliver builds dedicated landing pages designed to convert the specific traffic arriving on them. This is included as part of the ongoing monthly retainer rather than charged as a separate project.
byoliver provides professionally built WordPress websites for small businesses across Norfolk and the UK from £79 per month with no upfront costs. Every site is built with conversion in mind from the very first page.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Landing Page
What is the landing page used for?
The landing page is used to convert visitors into leads or customers by focusing on a single goal and removing distractions. It is most commonly used for advertising campaigns and specific service or location pages.
Is a landing page the same as a homepage?
No. A homepage provides an overview of everything a business does and includes navigation to other pages. The landing page focuses on one specific goal and typically removes navigation to keep the visitor focused on taking a single action.
Does my business need a landing page?
Most businesses benefit from at least one landing page, particularly if they are running paid advertising or want to rank for specific local or service searches in Google.
How long should a landing page be?
The length of the landing page depends on the complexity of the offer. Simple lead generation pages can be short and focused. Sales pages for higher value products or services are typically longer and more detailed.
Does byoliver build landing pages?
Yes. byoliver builds conversion focused pages for all clients as part of the monthly retainer, including dedicated location and service landing pages for clients wanting to rank in multiple areas.
How much does a landing page cost with byoliver?
Landing pages are included as part of the byoliver monthly retainer from £79 per month with no upfront costs.
