Is a landing page enough for a small business?

It can be, if you sell one main thing and people don’t need to browse before they get in touch. Many businesses start with a landing page and add pages later.

Can a landing page rank in Google?

It can rank for a few closely related searches. A full website, with a page for each service, can rank for many more.

Can I turn a landing page into a website later?

Yes, if it is built with that in mind. Ask for the design and code to allow more pages to be added without a rebuild.

Landing page or full website: which do you need?

The short answer

Choose a landing page when you have one thing to promote and one action you want people to take. Choose a full website when you offer several things, people want to look around before getting in touch, or you want to be found in search for a range of services.

If you are unsure, start with a landing page that is built so it can grow.

What a landing page is

A landing page is a single page with one job: to get visitors to do one thing, such as getting in touch, booking, signing up or buying. It usually has no main menu, because every link that leads away from that action makes it less likely to happen.

It works best when visitors arrive with a clear interest, for example from an advert, a social post, an email or a QR code on a flyer.

What a full website is

A full website has several pages, each with its own purpose: a home page, a page for each service, examples of your work, an about page and a contact page. Visitors move around it to find what they need.

Because each page can focus on one topic, a website gives search engines more to show. A page about each service can appear when someone searches for that service.

When a landing page is the better choice

You are launching one product, service, event or course
You are running adverts and want a page built around them
You are testing an idea before investing in a full site
You need something online quickly
Your budget is limited for now

When a full website is the better choice

You offer more than one service, or serve different kinds of customer
People want to see examples of your work before they trust you
You want to be found in search for several things
You will publish news, guides or updates
You want to update content yourself through a CMS

Questions to help you decide

Ask yourself:

How many different things do I want to promote? One points to a landing page; several point to a website.
Where will visitors come from? Adverts and campaigns suit a landing page; search suits a website.
Do people need to compare, browse or read before they contact me? If so, they need a website.
How soon do I need to be online? A landing page takes about a week; a full website takes a few weeks.

Starting small without starting again

A landing page doesn’t have to be a dead end. If it is designed with room to grow, the same design, colours and code can become the home page of a full website later, with new pages added around it.

When you ask for a landing page, say that you may want a full site later. A good developer will plan for it from the start, so the money you spend now isn’t wasted.

How Crashielab can help

Crashielab builds both. A landing page takes about 1 week, and a full website takes 3 to 5 weeks. Every project starts with a free email conversation, and if you are not sure which you need, that is a good first question to ask.

Questions

Is a landing page enough for a small business?: It can be, if you sell one main thing and people don’t need to browse before they get in touch. Many businesses start with a landing page and add pages later.
Can a landing page rank in Google?: It can rank for a few closely related searches. A full website, with a page for each service, can rank for many more.
Can I turn a landing page into a website later?: Yes, if it is built with that in mind. Ask for the design and code to allow more pages to be added without a rebuild.

Related services

Landing page design: One focused, fast landing page to launch a product, event or idea, designed to turn visitors into enquiries. Usually ready in about a week.
Small business websites: A complete, fast website for your small business, designed around your customers and easy for you to update. Quoted per project after a free email chat.