Landing page
Also: LP, lander, campaign page, conversion page, page d'atterrissage, page de destination
A standalone web page built for a single campaign goal, designed to maximise conversions by removing distractions and focusing visitors on one action.
What it is
A landing page is a standalone web page created for a specific campaign or audience, with a single conversion goal. Unlike a homepage, which serves many purposes and audiences, a landing page removes navigation and competing links so the visitor faces one clear choice: complete the intended action.
The action is called the conversion. It might be filling a form, booking a demo, downloading a report, or making a purchase. Traffic usually arrives from a paid ad, an email, a social post, or a QR code, and the landing page continues the exact promise made in that source.
Why it matters
- Focus drives results: fewer choices mean higher conversion rates.
- Message match: the page mirrors the ad or email that sent the visitor, which builds trust and reduces bounce.
- Measurable: because each page targets one goal, you can attribute spend to outcomes cleanly.
- Testable: variants can be compared through A/B testing to improve performance over time.
How it is used in practice
A typical landing page contains a small, deliberate set of elements:
- A headline that restates the offer.
- A short block of supporting copy and proof (testimonials, logos, metrics).
- A single call to action (CTA), often repeated.
- A form or button, kept as short as the goal allows.
- Minimal or no site navigation.
Teams launch several versions to different segments, measure the conversion rate (conversions divided by visitors), and iterate. Key inputs include traffic source quality, page load speed, mobile layout, and form friction.
Concrete worked example
A training provider runs a paid search ad: "Executive AI Strategy, 2 day program." Clicking it opens a landing page whose headline repeats "Executive AI Strategy, 2 day program," lists three outcomes, shows two alumni quotes, and offers one CTA: "Request the syllabus."
Suppose:
- 4,000 visitors arrive.
- 320 submit the form.
- Conversion rate = 320 / 4,000 = 8%.
- Ad spend is 8,000, so cost per lead = 8,000 / 320 = 25.
A second variant shortens the form from six fields to three. It converts at 11%, lowering cost per lead to about 18. The team keeps the winning variant and reallocates budget, showing how small page changes translate directly into pipeline and cost efficiency.
See also
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a landing page and a homepage?
A homepage serves many audiences and purposes at once, while a landing page is a standalone page built for one campaign with a single conversion goal. The landing page strips out navigation and competing links so the visitor faces one clear choice. That focus is why campaign traffic is usually sent to a dedicated landing page rather than the homepage.
What counts as a conversion on a landing page?
The conversion is the single action the page was built to obtain: submitting a form, booking a demo, downloading a report, or completing a purchase. The conversion rate is conversions divided by visitors, so 320 form submissions from 4,000 visitors gives 8%. One page, one goal is what makes that number interpretable.
Which elements should a landing page actually contain?
A deliberate short list: a headline that restates the offer, a block of supporting copy with proof such as testimonials, logos or metrics, a single call to action often repeated, a form or button kept as short as the goal allows, and minimal or no site navigation. Anything beyond that competes with the conversion. The discipline is subtraction, not addition.
Why does message match between the ad and the page matter so much?
Because the landing page has to continue the exact promise made by the ad, email or social post that sent the visitor. When the headline repeats the offer word for word, trust holds and bounce drops; when it does not, the visitor assumes they clicked the wrong thing. A paid search ad reading "Executive AI Strategy, 2 day program" should open on a page whose headline says the same.
How does shortening a form change cost per lead?
Directly, because cost per lead is ad spend divided by conversions. In a worked example, 4,000 visitors and 320 form submissions at 8,000 of ad spend give a cost per lead of 25. Cutting the form from six fields to three raises the conversion rate to 11% and brings cost per lead down to roughly 18, on identical traffic and spend.