You may have heard about these two types of online platforms, but what really differentiates them? Many people believe they are one and the same, but that's not exactly accurate.
Here's a little insight into what sets them apart so that you can make the best decision for your business or entrepreneurial needs.
Let's break it down into different examples:
You're a small-medium business with a variety of products or services and would like to showcase your expertise to customers in hopes of driving leads or sales. You need a place where you can display all types of information about the services/products you provide so that you collect the necessary information to get in touch with them or sell your products. You need a website.
You're a company/entrepreneur that offers one product or service and your goal is to showcase that service in a simple and direct manner in hopes of obtaining leads for your business. You don't need multiple pages, nor are you worried too much about giving extensive information about your business. You need a landing page.
Sure there are exceptions to the rule but as a general practice, you should ponder developing a website if what you need is a place to showcase large amounts of information, services, and products and you intend to continue expanding upon it.
On the other hand, you should consider a landing page if what you need is a straightforward platform where you can direct a single message aimed at a certain business goal. Whether that be collecting leads, selling a product, or anything in between, a landing page can probably take care of it.
This isn't to say you can't have a hybrid of both. Many businesses structure websites so that they are limited to very little pages of information so that the customer journey is as short and direct as possible. Another possibility is that you develop a landing page for a certain marketing goal, but you still want the rest of your website readily available so that users can learn more about who you are and what you do.
There are no strict guidelines to follow when choosing one or the other. As mentioned before, maybe both work for you. Whatever the case may be, they are two excellent, if not essential tools for achieving your goals.