Your business may need a better website, but that does not necessarily mean you need to rebuild everything. In some situations, a dedicated landing page can address the problem more effectively. In others, a landing page may only provide a temporary solution when the underlying website needs broader improvements.
Understanding the difference between a website redesign and a landing page helps you decide where to invest your marketing budget, how to improve the customer experience, and which changes are most likely to support your business goals.
A website redesign focuses on improving the overall website, including its structure, appearance, navigation, content, and functionality. A landing page, on the other hand, is a focused webpage designed to encourage visitors to complete a particular action, such as requesting a quote, booking a consultation, or signing up for an offer.
Neither option is automatically better. The right choice depends on what is currently preventing your business from attracting, engaging, or converting potential customers.
This guide compares both approaches, explains their advantages and limitations, and helps you determine whether your business needs a website redesign, a dedicated landing page, or a combination of the two.
What Is a Website Redesign?
A website redesign involves reviewing and improving an existing website to make it more useful, relevant, visually consistent, and aligned with the business’s current objectives.
Depending on the project’s requirements, a redesign may involve updating the visual appearance, reorganizing pages, improving navigation, rewriting website content, adjusting technical elements, or rebuilding certain features.
It is a broader project because it considers how visitors experience the business across multiple pages rather than focusing on just one conversion opportunity.
What Does a Website Redesign Typically Include?
A website redesign can involve several areas of improvement.
1. Visual design and branding
The website’s appearance should reflect the business’s current identity and communicate professionalism.
Improvements may include:
- Updating colors, typography, and visual elements.
- Replacing outdated images and graphics.
- Creating consistent layouts across different pages.
- Improving readability, spacing, and content presentation.
- Establishing a more recognizable visual identity.
2. Website structure and navigation
Visitors should be able to find the information they need without navigating through confusing menus or unrelated pages.
A redesign may reorganize:
- Homepage sections.
- Main navigation menus.
- Service and product categories.
- About and company information.
- Contact and inquiry pages.
- Supporting resources and blog content.
3. Website content
Your business may have changed since the original website was created. A redesign provides an opportunity to update information so visitors understand your current services, expertise, target customers, and value proposition.
Content improvements may include clearer service descriptions, updated headlines, better calls to action, and more useful answers to customer questions.
4. Mobile responsiveness and usability
The website should work across desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones.
This includes readable text, appropriately sized buttons, functional navigation, and forms that are easy to complete.
5. Technical and SEO improvements
A redesign may also address technical problems affecting the website’s usability and search visibility.
Depending on the existing setup, this could include improving page speed, correcting broken links, reviewing page titles, updating internal links, and organizing website URLs.
A redesign should also account for existing search visibility. If established pages have valuable content or incoming links, their URLs should not be changed casually.
Google’s SEO Starter Guide explains how logical site organization and descriptive URLs help people and search engines understand website content.
When Does a Business Need a Website Redesign?
A redesign may be appropriate when problems affect multiple areas of the website.
For example, imagine a home improvement company that offers roofing, siding, and exterior renovation services. Its website was originally created several years ago and no longer reflects the company’s current services.
Visitors encounter outdated information, confusing navigation, inconsistent page layouts, and contact forms that do not work properly on mobile devices.
Updating one headline or creating a new landing page would not resolve these connected problems.
A broader redesign could help the business reorganize its services, improve the mobile experience, establish consistent branding, and create clearer paths for potential customers.
Other situations that may justify a redesign include:
- Your website no longer represents your current business.
- Visitors struggle to find essential information.
- Multiple service pages have outdated or inconsistent content.
- Your website is difficult to maintain or expand.
- The existing platform cannot support important business requirements.
- Technical and usability problems affect several pages.
- Your website does not support your current marketing strategy.
For a more detailed diagnostic, read Underdog Solutions’ article on how to tell whether your website needs a redesign.
What Is a Landing Page?
A landing page is a standalone webpage created around a particular marketing objective.
Unlike a general business website, which provides information about different services and business activities, a landing page focuses on a specific audience, offer, or action.
Visitors might arrive through:
- Google Ads campaigns.
- Social media advertisements.
- Email marketing campaigns.
- Promotional links.
- Organic search results.
- Referral links.
- QR codes or printed marketing materials.
The page is designed to continue the conversation started by the advertisement, search result, or promotional message.
For example, a plumbing company running a campaign for emergency pipe repairs could direct visitors to a page explaining the service, its availability, the company’s service area, and how to request assistance.
Instead of making visitors navigate through the entire website to locate the relevant service, the landing page provides the information needed to take the next step.
What Does a Landing Page Typically Include?
Although layouts vary depending on the campaign, an effective landing page generally includes the following elements.
1. A specific headline
The headline should immediately communicate what the visitor is being offered.
For example:
- Get a Free Home Cleaning Estimate.
- Schedule Your Business Consultation.
- Explore Professional Roof Inspection Services.
- Request an Appointment With Our Team.
The message should match the advertisement or promotional material that brought the visitor to the page.
2. A clear value proposition
Explain why the offer is relevant to the visitor and what they can expect.
Avoid vague statements that could describe almost any business. Provide specific information about the service, intended customer, and benefit.
3. Supporting information
Visitors need enough information to make an informed decision.
Depending on the offer, include:
- Service descriptions.
- Important features or benefits.
- Pricing information, when available and appropriate.
- Service areas.
- Frequently asked questions.
- Genuine testimonials or reviews.
- Relevant photographs or examples.
4. A prominent call to action
A call to action (CTA) tells visitors what to do next.
Examples include:
- Request a Quote.
- Book a Consultation.
- Schedule an Appointment.
- Get Started.
- Contact Our Team.
The CTA should lead directly to the relevant action, such as a form, booking system, or appropriate contact method.
5. A focused page layout
A landing page should avoid unnecessary distractions.
Its content, navigation, visuals, and buttons should support the main objective. However, removing every navigation option is not automatically the right decision. Some visitors may need additional information before they feel comfortable submitting an inquiry.
Google Ads recommends providing useful, original landing-page content, making important information easy to find, and ensuring that visitors can navigate the page effectively. See Google’s guidance on optimizing ads and landing pages.
When Does a Business Need a Landing Page?
A landing page is particularly useful when a business wants to promote a specific service, product, event, or offer.
Consider a local landscaping company that already has a functional website. Its homepage explains the business, lists its services, and provides contact information.
However, the company wants to run a Google Ads campaign targeting homeowners searching for lawn installation services.
Sending all advertising visitors to the homepage may require them to search through several sections before finding the relevant information.
A dedicated lawn installation landing page could present the service, explain the process, show relevant project photographs, answer common questions, and provide a direct estimate-request form.
A landing page may be the better starting point when:
- You are launching a new promotional campaign.
- You want to promote one particular service.
- You are running paid advertising.
- You need a page for a limited-time offer.
- You want to collect inquiries for a specific audience.
- You are testing different marketing messages.
- You are promoting an event, webinar, or consultation.
A landing page is not necessarily a replacement for a complete website. It is a focused marketing asset that can work alongside your existing online presence.
Website Redesign vs. Landing Page: Key Differences
The main difference is the scope and purpose of each solution.
A website redesign improves the broader online experience of a business. A landing page focuses on guiding a particular group of visitors toward one primary action.
The following comparison highlights the differences.
| Comparison Factor | Website Redesign | Landing Page |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Improve the overall website experience | Support one specific marketing objective |
| Scope | Multiple pages and website components | One focused page or campaign destination |
| Audience | Different customer groups | A defined target audience |
| Content | Company information, services, resources, and supporting pages | Information relevant to one offer or action |
| Navigation | Usually includes a complete navigation structure | Often simplified to maintain focus |
| SEO | Can support broader organic search visibility | Can target a specific search topic or audience |
| Advertising | Provides destinations for different campaigns | Can provide a dedicated destination for a particular campaign |
| Conversion goals | Multiple actions across the website | One primary conversion objective |
| Maintenance | May involve ongoing updates across the website | Usually requires updates related to its offer or campaign |
| Implementation | Broader planning, design, content, and development | More limited page-specific planning and development |
Neither option guarantees more inquiries or sales. Results depend on the quality of the offer, traffic, messaging, usability, competition, and the way the business follows up with potential customers.
Website Redesign vs. Landing Page: Advantages and Limitations
A comparison should consider what each option can accomplish and what it cannot solve on its own.
| Factor | Website Redesign | Landing Page |
|---|---|---|
| Main advantage | Improves the complete digital experience | Creates a focused customer journey |
| Business visibility | Supports multiple services and topics | Supports a specific offer or search topic |
| Content flexibility | Allows broader content organization | Limits content to the campaign’s objective |
| Lead generation | Can create multiple inquiry opportunities | Can simplify one lead-generation process |
| SEO potential | Supports a wider website content strategy | Can target relevant specific queries |
| Advertising suitability | Can support campaigns through relevant pages | Offers a dedicated campaign destination |
| Main limitation | Requires a broader investment of time and resources | Does not automatically solve website-wide problems |
The appropriate choice depends on the problem you are trying to address.
Which Option Is Better for SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps search engines understand your website and connect its content with relevant searches.
Both a website redesign and a landing page can support SEO, but they serve different purposes.
How a Website Redesign Supports SEO
A properly planned redesign can improve the foundation of your website.
It provides an opportunity to:
- Organize pages around relevant services and topics.
- Improve internal linking.
- Update outdated content.
- Create clearer page titles and descriptions.
- Improve mobile usability.
- Address technical SEO problems.
- Make important pages easier to discover.
- Build a more logical website structure.
For example, a professional cleaning company might reorganize its website into dedicated pages for residential cleaning, commercial cleaning, move-in cleaning, and deep cleaning.
Each page can address a distinct customer need rather than forcing every service into one general description.
However, a redesign can also create SEO risks if valuable pages are deleted, URLs are changed without appropriate redirects, or important content is removed.
If URLs need to change, follow Google’s site migration and URL-change guidance. It explains how to map existing URLs, implement redirects, update internal links, and monitor search visibility.
How a Landing Page Supports SEO
A landing page can also appear in organic search results when it contains useful, relevant content and is accessible to search engines.
For example, a business offering kitchen remodeling might create a dedicated page explaining its kitchen renovation service, process, service area, and common customer questions.
That page could target searches related to kitchen remodeling services.
However, not every landing page should be created primarily for organic search.
A landing page designed for a short-term advertising campaign may be more focused on converting visitors who already have a specific interest.
It may also have limited navigation or a narrow content scope, which can make it less suitable as a long-term resource for broader search topics.
Which Should You Choose for SEO?
Choose a website redesign when your overall website structure, technical foundation, content organization, or usability needs improvement.
Choose a landing page when you want to target a particular service or search topic with a focused page.
If your business needs broader organic visibility and campaign-specific conversions, both approaches can complement one another.
The important consideration is to give every page a distinct purpose. Creating multiple pages with nearly identical content and targeting the same search intent can create unnecessary duplication.
Which Option Is Better for Google Ads and Paid Advertising?
For businesses investing in paid advertising, the destination of each campaign matters.
A visitor who clicks an advertisement has already expressed interest in something specific. The page they reach should reflect that interest.
Why Landing Pages Often Work Well With Google Ads
Imagine a dental clinic advertising teeth whitening services.
The advertisement promotes a particular treatment, but the clinic sends visitors to its general homepage.
The visitor must then locate the relevant service, understand the treatment, and find the booking option.
A dedicated landing page could make that process more direct.
It might include:
- A headline matching the advertised treatment.
- A description of the service.
- Information about the consultation process.
- Relevant photographs.
- Answers to common questions.
- A prominent appointment-request button.
This approach creates a closer connection between the advertisement and the destination page.
Google Ads specifically recommends matching landing-page content to the advertised offer and making it easy for visitors to complete the intended action.
When a Website Page Is Enough for Advertising
A separate landing page is not always necessary.
If your website already has a dedicated service page that clearly explains the offer, provides relevant information, works well on mobile devices, and makes contacting the business easy, it may be suitable for an advertising campaign.
For example, an accounting firm promoting tax preparation services may already have a comprehensive tax preparation page.
Creating another page with almost identical information may introduce additional maintenance without providing a meaningful improvement.
How to Decide Where Your Ads Should Send Visitors
Before creating a new landing page, evaluate the existing destination.
Ask:
- Does the page match the advertisement?
- Can visitors immediately understand the offer?
- Is the intended action easy to find?
- Does the page answer common customer concerns?
- Does it work properly on mobile devices?
- Can the business measure completed inquiries or other meaningful actions?
If the current page satisfies these requirements, you may not need another page.
If it does not, consider improving the existing page or creating a dedicated landing page.
Website Redesign vs. Landing Page: Which Is More Cost-Effective?
Cost is an important consideration, especially for small businesses working with limited marketing budgets.
However, comparing the cost of a complete redesign with the cost of one landing page is not always an equal comparison.
The two projects involve different deliverables, levels of complexity, and ongoing responsibilities.
Website Redesign Costs
A website redesign may involve:
- Discovery and planning.
- Website architecture and page organization.
- Custom design.
- Content writing and editing.
- Website development.
- Platform configuration.
- Technical SEO.
- Mobile responsiveness.
- Forms and integrations.
- Quality assurance and launch support.
The investment depends on the number of pages, platform, functionality, content requirements, integrations, and complexity of the existing website.
A small business website with a limited number of pages may require considerably less work than a complex website with multiple services, locations, booking systems, and custom features.
Landing Page Costs
A landing page generally has a narrower scope, but it still requires strategic planning.
The work may include:
- Campaign and audience research.
- Offer development.
- Copywriting.
- Page design.
- Form or booking integration.
- Mobile optimization.
- Conversion tracking.
- Testing and revisions.
A landing page can become more involved when it requires custom functionality, complex integrations, multiple variations, or substantial content development.
It may also require ongoing advertising expenditure if it is being used for paid campaigns.
Consider the Cost of the Wrong Decision
The cheapest initial project is not necessarily the most cost-effective solution.
For example:
A business might spend money creating several landing pages even though its existing website has broken forms, outdated service information, and poor mobile usability.
The new pages may attract visitors, but the underlying problems could still interfere with the customer experience.
Alternatively, a business might invest in a complete redesign when the existing website already works well and only needs a focused page for a new advertising campaign.
The better approach is to compare the project scope against the business problem.
Ask potential providers to explain:
- What work is included?
- Which pages or features will be delivered?
- Is content writing included?
- Are technical SEO tasks included?
- Will forms and tracking be configured?
- What happens after launch?
- Are hosting, platform, advertising, or third-party costs separate?
Underdog Solutions explains that project scope, deliverables, timing, and investment are discussed before work begins. You can explore its website and digital marketing services to understand the available service areas.
Can a Business Have Both a Website Redesign and a Landing Page?
Yes. In fact, combining both can be a sensible approach when a business needs to improve its overall website while also supporting specific marketing campaigns.
The main website serves as the central online destination. Landing pages provide additional destinations for visitors with particular needs or interests.
How Both Work Together
Consider a home services company that provides:
- Plumbing repairs.
- Water heater installation.
- Drain cleaning.
- Bathroom remodeling.
Its main website should explain the company, introduce its services, provide contact information, and establish credibility.
A website redesign may improve the navigation, service pages, mobile experience, and overall presentation.
After the redesign, the business could create dedicated landing pages for specific advertising campaigns.
For example:
Main website: Provides information about the company and its complete range of services.
LP1: Promotes emergency plumbing services.
LP2: Promotes water heater installation.
LP3: Encourages visitors to request a bathroom remodeling consultation.
Each destination supports a different customer journey.
Why This Combination Can Be Useful
Using both approaches can help a business:
- Maintain a consistent brand experience.
- Improve the overall website structure.
- Provide detailed information about different services.
- Create relevant destinations for paid advertising.
- Support specific promotional campaigns.
- Track different conversion objectives.
- Adjust campaign messaging without rebuilding the entire website.
However, businesses should avoid creating unnecessary landing pages.
Every page should serve a distinct audience, service, offer, or marketing objective. If two pages provide essentially the same information, consider whether they can be consolidated.
How to Determine What Your Business Needs
Before choosing between a website redesign and a landing page, identify the actual problem.
A website project should begin with business objectives, not simply a preference for a different visual design.
Use the following decision framework.
Choose a Website Redesign If…
A broader redesign is worth considering when:
- Your website looks inconsistent with your current brand.
- Multiple pages contain outdated information.
- Your navigation is difficult to understand.
- Your website is not mobile-friendly.
- Your technical foundation limits future improvements.
- Visitors struggle to understand your services.
- Several important customer journeys are difficult to complete.
- You need a more organized website structure.
The goal is to improve the overall experience and make the website more useful to customers and the business.
Choose a Landing Page If…
A dedicated landing page may be more appropriate when:
- Your existing website is already functional.
- You are promoting one specific service.
- You are launching a new advertising campaign.
- You want to collect leads for a particular offer.
- You need a focused destination for social media traffic.
- You are testing a new promotional message.
- You want to provide campaign-specific information.
The goal is to make a particular customer action easier to understand and complete.
Choose Both If…
A combined approach may be appropriate when:
- Your main website needs significant improvements.
- You are planning to increase paid advertising.
- Your business offers multiple services to different audiences.
- You need a stronger organic search foundation.
- Your current website does not support your marketing objectives.
- You want to improve the complete customer journey, from discovery to inquiry.
A Practical Decision Checklist
Before committing to either project, review these questions:
- Website condition: Does the existing website work properly across its important pages?
- Business representation: Does the website accurately communicate your current services and brand?
- Customer experience: Can visitors quickly find the information they need?
- Marketing objective: Are you trying to improve the entire website or promote one particular offer?
- Traffic source: Will visitors arrive through organic search, paid advertising, social media, or referrals?
- Conversion goal: Do you want visitors to call, book, request a quote, or submit an inquiry?
- Technical requirements: Does the existing platform support the features you need?
- Budget and scope: Which project addresses the most important problem without unnecessary work?
- Measurement: Can you determine whether the project is helping the business achieve its goals?
Your answers should help identify whether the problem is website-wide, campaign-specific, or a combination of both.
How to Measure Whether Your Investment Is Working
Choosing the right project is only the beginning. Once the redesign or landing page is launched, you need a way to evaluate its performance.
The measurements should reflect the original business objective.
Website Redesign Performance
For a redesigned website, useful measurements may include:
- Organic search clicks and impressions.
- Relevant keyword visibility.
- Visits to important service pages.
- Completed contact forms.
- Qualified inquiries.
- Phone calls, when reliable call tracking is available.
- Appointment or consultation bookings.
- Mobile usability and performance.
- Engagement with important website content.
Do not rely on website traffic alone. More visitors do not necessarily mean more qualified opportunities.
A business receiving fewer but more relevant inquiries may be making better progress than one attracting large amounts of unrelated traffic.
Landing Page Performance
For a landing page, consider measuring:
- Total landing-page visits.
- CTA clicks.
- Form submissions.
- Completed bookings.
- Calls generated through the page.
- Conversion rate.
- Cost per lead, when paid advertising is involved.
- Lead quality.
- Campaign relevance.
For example, if 500 people visit a landing page and 25 submit a completed inquiry, the page’s form-submission conversion rate is 5%.
Track Meaningful Actions
A button click does not always mean a customer completed the intended action.
For example, clicking a booking button is different from successfully completing an appointment booking.
Google Analytics uses key events to measure actions that are important to a business. These can help evaluate whether visitors are completing meaningful steps on a website. Read the official Google Analytics guidance on key events.
Depending on your setup, useful events may include:
- Successful form submissions.
- Completed appointment bookings.
- Click-to-call actions.
- Completed purchases.
- Important lead-generation actions.
For paid campaigns, ensure that conversion tracking is configured correctly and that duplicate or incomplete actions are not counted as successful leads.
Review Website Performance and Usability
A website can have attractive visuals and clear content but still frustrate visitors if it loads slowly or responds poorly.
Google’s Core Web Vitals documentation explains three key measurements:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance.
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Measures responsiveness.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.
These metrics can help identify technical problems affecting the user experience. They should be considered alongside content relevance, accessibility, navigation, and conversion performance.
Review performance regularly rather than assuming that a successful launch means the website will remain effective indefinitely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Between the Two
Even businesses that understand the difference between these options can make decisions that waste time and marketing resources.
1. Redesigning a Website Without Identifying the Problem
A modern design does not automatically solve poor lead generation.
If your website already looks professional but visitors do not understand your services, the real issue may be messaging, traffic quality, or the offer.
Identify the problem before deciding on the project.
2. Creating a Landing Page to Avoid Fixing a Broken Website
A landing page may attract visitors to one service, but it does not automatically resolve problems with your main website.
If customers still encounter outdated information, broken contact forms, or confusing navigation elsewhere, the overall experience remains inconsistent.
3. Sending Every Advertising Visitor to the Homepage
A homepage is designed to serve multiple audiences and purposes.
For some campaigns, a relevant service page or dedicated landing page may provide a more direct experience.
Choose the destination based on the advertisement and the visitor’s intent.
4. Removing Too Much Information From a Landing Page
A short page is not automatically an effective page.
Visitors may need service details, pricing context, proof, or answers to common concerns before submitting an inquiry.
Focus on removing unnecessary distractions, not essential information.
5. Ignoring Mobile Visitors
A page that works on a desktop computer may be difficult to use on a smartphone.
Test headlines, buttons, forms, images, navigation, and page loading on smaller screens.
6. Changing Website URLs Without a Migration Plan
During a redesign, businesses sometimes rename or delete existing pages without considering their search visibility.
Important pages should be reviewed before launch. If a URL must change, map the old address to its most relevant new destination and implement appropriate permanent redirects.
Google’s site migration documentation provides guidance for handling these changes.
7. Measuring Traffic Instead of Business Outcomes
Traffic is useful, but it is not the final objective for most service businesses.
Monitor completed inquiries, bookings, qualified leads, and other actions that contribute to business growth.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between a website redesign and a landing page?
A website redesign improves the overall website, including its appearance, navigation, content, structure, and functionality. A landing page is a focused webpage created to encourage visitors to complete a specific action, such as requesting a quote or booking an appointment.
A redesign addresses broader website needs, while a landing page supports a particular marketing objective.
Is a landing page better than a full website?
Not necessarily. A landing page is useful for promoting a specific offer or campaign, but it does not replace all the functions of a complete business website.
A full website provides information about the company, its services, credibility, and contact options. A landing page provides a more focused experience for a particular audience or offer.
Can I create a landing page without redesigning my website?
Yes. If your existing website is functional and provides a good customer experience, you can create a separate landing page without rebuilding the entire website.
This can be particularly useful when launching a new service, running Google Ads, or promoting a limited-time offer.
Does a landing page help with SEO?
Yes. A landing page can appear in organic search results if it provides useful, relevant content and meets technical requirements for search accessibility.
However, a landing page designed primarily for paid advertising may not provide the breadth of information needed to compete for broader organic searches.
How many landing pages should a business have?
There is no fixed number. The appropriate number depends on your services, audiences, campaigns, and marketing objectives. A business may benefit from separate landing pages for different services or offers when each page addresses a genuinely distinct customer need.
Start by discussing your existing website, your marketing objectives, and the challenges you want to address. Book a free website and digital marketing strategy session with Underdog Solutions. Bring your website and questions. The team can help you identify a practical starting point, discuss the appropriate project scope, and determine which improvements make sense for your business.
