A landing page is not a small website. It exists to convert traffic from one specific source for one specific offer, and everything that does not serve that is working against it — including your navigation.
When you need one
- a paid campaign whose message the home page does not match
- a single product or offer with its own audience
- an event, launch or seasonal promotion
- testing demand before building something larger
Message match
If the ad promises a free assessment and the page opens with your company history, you paid for a click and lost it in two seconds. The headline should confirm what the ad said, in similar words.
This is the single most common defect in paid campaign performance, and the cheapest to fix.
Structure that works
Open with the specific promise. Show proof early — testimonials, logos, numbers you can substantiate. Address the two or three objections that actually stop people. Make the call to action visible without scrolling and repeat it at natural decision points.
Remove the navigation. Every other link is an exit from the one thing this page is for.
Forms
Ask only for what you need to have the next conversation. Name and email is usually enough; phone number is worth requesting only if you will actually call.
Each additional field measurably reduces completions. If someone insists on twelve, the honest framing is that they are trading volume for qualification, and that trade should be deliberate.
Speed
Paid traffic is disproportionately mobile, often on poor connections, and abandons fast. A landing page carrying a video hero and three tracking scripts loses people who were willing to convert.
Measurement
Conversions are recorded server-side, not as button clicks. A click that fails validation is not a lead, and counting it corrupts every bidding decision downstream.
Legal requirements
A German landing page still needs Impressum and privacy policy reachable, and any tracking still needs consent. Stripping the navigation does not remove those obligations.
FAQ
How long does one take?
Typically one to two weeks including copy and measurement setup.
Can we test variants?
Yes, if traffic volume supports reaching significance. Below that, testing produces noise.
Do we need one per campaign?
Per distinct offer or audience, yes. Per keyword, no.