If you are, then you’ll be disappointed.

I’m not here to pitch web pages against each other, especially when both are valid and useful in their own special ways.

Instead of a digital rumble, I’ll be offering an explanation as to what is usually meant by the terms ‘home page’ and ‘landing page’, what you find on each page, and when you might want to use them.

Your home page explained

Your home page is what a visitor sees when they write just the address of your website, without any additional ‘/otherpageinfo’ tagged on the end

For example wordtiude.co.uk will take you to my home page

All the other pages and blog posts on my website start with that as part of their URL, but then there’s a / and some additional info.

It’s the place people go to when they first hear about you because a friend or colleague as told them to check you out.

It’s the place they go to when they’re done with one of your other pages but want more from you and need help deciding where to go next.

The functions of your home page is to:

• Give an overview of what you do and how you can help them
• Let them know that sticking around on your website will be a good use of their time
• Help them figure out where to go next

Basically, it works as a huge buffet, laying out many different ways for the visitor to dive further into your website and shuffle closer toward becoming a paying customer.

Landing page explained

Usually (I’m going to use that word a lot because you know exceptions, unique ways of doing things, you can adapt this and use it however you want)…but usually…. there’s a social media advert, social post, and sometimes a social media campaign, that pitches an opportunity (free or paid) and tells the visitor to click a link, which takes them to a landing page.

The landing page has one goal – to get the visitor to take the opportunity that was pitched in the original post/email.

Sign-up for a webinar.

Download an e-book.

Take a free trial.

Request a free sample.

The entire page is designed with that one goal in mind.

Often there is no menu bar on the page.

It doesn’t need a huge amount of words or pictures.

It does need to be consistent with the original ad/post/email in terms of look, feel and information.

Home page vs landing page key takeaways

1) Every website has a home page. Landing pages are created for a specific purpose/campaign

2) The function of the home page is to help people get around your website. The goal of the landing page is to get the visitor to take the opportunity they originally saw pitched off-site (social post/ad/email)

3) The home page will have a buffet of links and the visitor can choose what they do next. On a landing page, the visitor can only choose to complete the call-to-action (buy, join, subscribe, sign-up) of exit the page.

Aligned Persuasion