Homepage vs Landing Page: What’s the difference?
Let’s be honest: if you’re a business owner or marketer, you’ve probably spent hours tweaking your homepage, agonising over copy, colours, and the perfect hero image. And fair enough, your homepage is important. It’s often the first touchpoint a customer has with your brand.
But then you hear the phrase "landing page" thrown around. Suddenly, you’re wondering:
What exactly is a landing page?
Is it the same thing as a homepage?
Do I need one? Do I need both?
If you’ve been asking these questions, you’re not alone. And the good news? Understanding the difference between a homepage and a landing page isn’t as complicated as it seems. It all comes down to one thing: purpose.
Let’s break it down.
What is a Homepage?
Your homepage is like your brand’s welcome mat. It’s where people land when they type in your main domain, and it’s designed for exploration, not urgency.
A strong homepage should:
Give an immediate sense of who you are and what you offer
Offer easy navigation to other parts of your site
Cater to a range of visitors at different stages of the buying journey
Answer key questions: Who are you? What do you do? How can you help me?
It’s okay, expected, even, for your homepage to have multiple calls to action (CTAS): maybe one to contact you, one to read your blog, another to browse your products or services. It’s designed to guide visitors through your brand ecosystem at their own pace.
Think of your homepage like a shop window, it needs to show a bit of everything and make people want to step inside.
What is a Landing Page?
A landing page, on the other hand, is laser-focused.
It’s built for one reason and one reason only: conversion. Whether that’s signing up to your email list, downloading a guide, or buying a product, it’s designed to drive a specific action from a specific audience.
Landing pages typically:
Are used in ad campaigns, launches, or lead generation funnels
Focus on one key offer or outcome
Have minimal distractions (i.e., no main navigation or footer links)
Use persuasive, benefit-driven copy to walk users toward a single CTA
They’re often not accessible through your main menu and may only be live for a short time, such as during a promotion or launch. Think of them like a digital pop-up shop with one clear job to do.
So, which one should you use?
The short answer? Both. But for different reasons, and at different times.
Your Homepage:
Think of it as your digital home base. It needs to be strong, clear, and consistent.
Invest time here, it sets the tone for your entire brand presence.
Focus on answering your audience’s core questions quickly and guiding them deeper into your site.
Your Landing Pages:
Think of them as your campaign specialists.
Use them when you want to move people toward a specific goal, such as joining a waitlist, booking a call, or grabbing a freebie.
Build templates you can adapt and reuse to save time.
What makes a great Homepage?
A great homepage:
Makes a strong first impression within 3 seconds
Communicates what you do and who you do it for
Includes strong, customer-focused headlines
Offers multiple routes depending on where the visitor is in their journey (e.g. new vs returning customer)
Aligns with your tone of voice and visual identity
Think of it like the front door to your brand. You want it to feel welcoming, trustworthy, and clearly signposted.
What makes a great Landing Page?
A great landing page:
Hooks attention immediately (usually with a clear benefit or pain point)
Eliminates distractions
Guides users down a clear, structured path toward the CTA
Includes proof points like testimonials, stats, or trust signals
Feels personal and tailored to the person reading it
Less is more here. Cut the clutter, focus the message, and make the next step crystal clear.
The Takeaway
Your homepage and your landing pages aren’t in competition, they’re teammates. They serve different functions, but when done well, they support each other beautifully.
Think of it this way:
Homepage = generalist: open, exploratory, great for building a relationship.
Landing page = specialist: focused, persuasive, designed to drive one action.
Use them wisely, and your website won’t just look good, it’ll work hard for your business.
If you need support writing a homepage or landing page (or both), I’d love to help.
