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What Is a Landing Page? (And How It’s Different from a Homepage)

By The Leadpages Team|Published February 7, 2026|Updated February 9, 2026

What Is a Landing Page? (And How It’s Different from a Homepage)

If you’ve ever asked, “Do I need a landing page if I already have a website?” — you’re not alone.

A lot of businesses treat their homepage like it’s supposed to do everything:

• explain what they do
• rank on Google
• build trust
• convert leads
• sell products
• answer support questions
• recruit employees

That’s the problem.

A homepage is built for many audiences and many paths. A landing page is built for one audience and one action.

This article breaks down:

• what a landing page is (in plain language)
• how it’s different from a homepage
• when to use each
• the types of landing pages that convert
• and examples you can copy

What is a landing page?

A landing page is a standalone page designed to get a visitor to take one specific action.

That action is usually one of these:

• fill out a form (lead generation)
• book a call
• register for a webinar/event
• start a free trial
• buy a product
• download a resource
• join a waitlist

A landing page is typically connected to a specific traffic source:

• a Google ad
• a Facebook/Instagram ad
• an email campaign
• a social post
• a QR code
• a partnership/referral link

In other words:

A landing page is where someone “lands” after clicking something — and it’s built to convert that click into a result.

What is a homepage?

A homepage is the front door of your website. It’s designed to help many different people find their way:

• prospects learning what you do
• existing customers looking for support
• job candidates checking credibility
• partners looking for information
• journalists and researchers
• investors (sometimes)

A homepage is usually built to:

• explain the brand at a high level
• guide people to other parts of the site
• support navigation and discovery
• reinforce trust

A homepage is not “bad” at conversion—it's just not optimized for one conversion.

Landing page vs homepage: the simplest difference

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

• Homepage = navigation
• Landing page = conversion

A homepage gives people choices.

A landing page removes choices.

Why landing pages convert better than homepages

Homepages usually have conversion friction built in:

• too many CTAs
• too many links
• unclear “what to do next”
• too much context before action
• competing priorities (product, support, careers)

Landing pages remove that friction by design.

Landing pages convert because they:

• match intent (the visitor clicked for a reason)
• present one offer
• reduce cognitive load
• guide the user to one outcome
• make measurement and testing easier

When should you use a landing page?

Use a landing page any time you want a visitor to do a specific thing.

1) Running ads

Ads should almost always go to a landing page, not your homepage.

Why? Because ads are intent-specific. Your page should match that intent.

Example:

• Ad: “Get a home valuation”
• Page: “Get your home valuation”
• Not: “Welcome to our real estate website”

2) Email campaigns

Email clicks are also intent-specific. A landing page keeps the promise of the email.

Example:

• Email: “Free checklist”
• Page: opt-in page that delivers the checklist

3) Promoting an event or webinar

Webinar registration pages are classic landing pages:

• one CTA: register
• one focus: what you’ll learn and why it matters

4) Selling a single product or offer

If you’re promoting:

• a course
• a service package
• a product launch
• a limited-time offer

…use a landing page.

5) Capturing leads for a service business

Service businesses convert best when the next step is clear:

• “Book a consultation”
• “Request a quote”
• “Get pricing”

6) Testing new messaging or offers

Landing pages let you test:

• headlines
• positioning
• pricing
• lead magnets

…without redesigning your whole website.

When should you send people to your homepage?

Your homepage is the right destination when someone is browsing, exploring, or looking for the bigger picture.

Use your homepage when:

• the traffic is branded (“your company name” searches)
• the visitor is likely in research mode
• you need to show breadth (multiple products)
• you’re building credibility and context
• the visitor needs navigation (support, docs, etc.)

The most common landing page types (with examples)

1) Lead generation landing page (opt-in page)

Goal: capture an email address (sometimes phone)

Common offers:

• checklist
• template
• guide
• coupon
• quote
• report

Example structure

• Headline: “Get the 7-step checklist”
• Short bullets: what’s inside
• Form: email
• Proof: “used by 10,000+”

2) Click-through landing page

Goal: warm the visitor up and then send them to a checkout or signup

Best for:

• e-commerce product pages
• software trials
• app downloads

3) Webinar/event registration page

Goal: get a registration

Must include:

• what they’ll learn
• who it’s for
• agenda/outcomes
• date/time
• CTA: register

4) Product launch page

Goal: create demand and capture early interest

CTAs:

• join waitlist
• request access
• get notified

5) Booking page (consultation / appointment)

Goal: get a booked call

Must include:

• what the call is for
• outcomes
• proof
• calendar embed or booking link

6) Pricing / offer page

Goal: drive purchase (or route to the right plan)

Best for:

• service packages
• course sales
• SaaS upgrades

What a high-converting landing page includes

Most high-converting landing pages have the same core ingredients.

1) A clear headline

Tell the visitor what they get:

• “Get a quote in 60 seconds”
• “Book a free consultation”
• “Start your free trial”

2) One primary CTA

Your page should have one main action.

Secondary actions are allowed (example: “Download the guide” vs “Talk to sales”) but only if they support the same goal and don’t compete.

3) Proof

Proof reduces risk:

• testimonials
• reviews
• stats
• logos
• examples
• guarantees

4) A simple form

Forms should match funnel intent:

• top-of-funnel: email
• high intent: add phone/timeline/budget

5) Benefits (not features)

Benefits answer: “What does this do for me?”

6) FAQ

FAQ removes objections:

• price
• timing
• what happens next
• who it’s for

7) Mobile-first design

Most landing page traffic is mobile. Make sure:

• CTA appears early
• text is readable
• buttons are tap-friendly
• the page loads fast

Examples: homepage copy vs landing page copy

Homepage copy (broad)

“Helping businesses grow with powerful marketing tools.”

Landing page copy (specific)

“Get 25% more leads from your next campaign. Start with this landing page template.”

Landing pages win by being specific.

The biggest mistakes businesses make

Mistake 1: Sending ad traffic to a homepage

Fix: create a landing page that matches the ad promise.

Mistake 2: Too many CTAs

Fix: one main action per page.

Mistake 3: Asking for too much too soon

Fix: reduce form fields and qualify later.

Mistake 4: No proof

Fix: add testimonials, metrics, or social proof blocks.

Mistake 5: No follow-up system

Fix: set up instant confirmation and speed-to-lead.

A simple “landing page vs homepage” decision rule

Ask: Is the visitor here for a specific offer?

• If yes → landing page
• If no → homepage

If someone clicked on an ad, email, or campaign link, they’re almost always here for a specific thing. Give them a landing page.

Where Leadpages fits

If you want to build landing pages quickly—without needing a developer—[Leadpages](https://www.leadpages.com) is designed for exactly this use case:

• conversion-focused templates
• lead capture forms
• integrations for follow-up
• fast publishing for campaigns

You can keep your homepage for brand and navigation, while using landing pages for what they’re best at: converting.

Final take

A homepage is your brand’s front door.

A landing page is your conversion engine.

If you run campaigns, ads, email promotions, events, or lead magnets, landing pages are not optional—they’re how you turn attention into revenue.

Use your homepage to introduce your brand. Use landing pages to drive outcomes.