A cleaning company in the southeast starts running Facebook ads for spring deep cleans. The ads send people to the homepage. The homepage talks about commercial janitorial, move-out cleans, carpet cleaning, the company's history and a job board. Somewhere down the page, there's a contact form. The ads get clicks. The phone doesn't ring.
That's the classic landing page vs website mistake. Not that the website was bad, but that it was being asked to do a landing page's job.
What's the difference?
A website is your full presence online. It has multiple pages, a menu, information on all your services, your story, your service areas and contact details. People browse it. Google indexes it. It's built to answer lots of different questions from lots of different visitors.
A landing page is a single page built for one audience and one action. Usually there's no main menu, no distractions, one offer and one button: "Book your spring clean," "Get a free roofing estimate," "Claim your first cut free." It's usually where ad traffic lands, hence the name.
| Website | Landing page | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Inform, build trust, rank in search | Get one specific action |
| Audience | Everyone: new leads, past customers, job seekers, suppliers | One group, usually from one ad or campaign |
| Navigation | Full menu, many pages | Usually none, or minimal |
| Traffic source | Google search, word of mouth, Business Profile | Paid ads, email, flyers, QR codes |
| Lifespan | Years, updated over time | Weeks to months, per campaign or season |
| SEO value | High; this is what ranks | Low on its own; it's not built to rank |
| Typical Calgary cost | $1,500 to $12,000+ depending on scope | Typically $500 to $3,000 per page |
Costs are typical Calgary market ranges, before 5% GST, and vary with design, copywriting and integrations. Our breakdown of what a website costs in Calgary goes into detail.
When a landing page makes more sense
- You're running paid ads. Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram. Every click costs money, so the page should match the ad exactly and ask for one thing.
- You have a seasonal offer. Spring aeration, fall gutter cleaning, Christmas light installation, snow removal contracts before the first big dump.
- You're testing a new service. Before building it into the full website, see if anyone bites.
- You're handing out flyers or door hangers. A QR code that points to a page about exactly that offer works better than one pointing at your homepage.
- You need something live this week. A single, focused page is much faster to build than a full site.
When you need a full website
- You want to show up in Google search without paying for every click. Ranking for "tree removal Calgary" or "auto repair Bowness" takes real, indexable service pages.
- You offer several distinct services. Each needs room to explain itself.
- Customers check you out before calling. For bigger-ticket jobs like renovations, roofing or landscaping builds, people want to see past work, reviews, who you are and whether you're insured.
- You're hiring. A careers page helps more than you'd think.
- You need credibility with commercial clients. Property managers and general contractors will look for a proper site.
A website earns trust over time. A landing page converts attention right now. They're different tools, and using one for the other's job is where money gets wasted.
What makes a landing page actually work
If you're building one, whether yourself or with someone, these are the pieces that matter:
- The headline matches the ad. If the ad says "Spring aeration from $X in NW Calgary," the page says the same thing at the top. Mismatch makes people bounce.
- One clear action. A short form or a tap-to-call button. Not both a form, a phone number, a chat widget, a newsletter signup and links to Facebook.
- Short forms. Name, phone, address or postal code, and maybe one question. You can get the rest on the call.
- Proof. Real reviews, real photos of your work, years in business, licences or associations that matter for your trade.
- Answer the obvious objections. Price range, how soon you can come, what areas you serve, whether there's a warranty.
- It's fast on a phone. Clicks from Facebook and Instagram ads very often come from someone scrolling on their phone. See why website speed matters.
- Tracking is set up. You should know exactly how many leads that page produced and what each one cost.
Already running ads to your homepage? Check where the clicks go and what's above the fold. Even without building anything new, pointing the ad to your most relevant service page instead of the homepage is often an instant improvement.
The best answer for most Calgary businesses: both
For most service businesses we work with, the setup that works is:
- A solid, fast website with one page per main service, built to rank and to build trust over time.
- Landing pages for each ad campaign or seasonal promo, sharing the same branding and pulling from the same reviews and photos.
- Every lead from both landing in the same place, ideally a CRM or at least a shared inbox, with automatic follow-up so nobody waits two days for a reply.
If budget forces a choice, here's a rough rule. If you're about to spend money on ads, start with a landing page so that spend isn't wasted. If you're relying on word of mouth and Google search, start with the website. More on the ad side in ad landing pages that convert.
How to tell if it is working
Whichever you build, decide upfront how you will judge it. For a landing page, the key number is conversion rate: of the people who visited, how many called or filled in the form. Divide your ad spend by the number of leads and you get cost per lead, which is the number that actually tells you if a campaign is worth running again next season.
For a website, look at a longer window. Check Google Search Console every month for which searches show your pages, and ask every new customer how they found you. Write the answer down. After a few months, you will know whether the site is pulling its weight or just existing.
Where Sidekick fits
We build both: full websites and campaign landing pages, plus the ads that send traffic to them and the software behind them that catches and follows up every lead. Because it's the same team, the ad, the page and the follow-up actually match. Want to see what that looks like? Have a look at our work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a landing page and a website?
A website has many pages and serves many purposes, from building trust to ranking in search. A landing page is a single, focused page built for one audience and one action, usually for an ad campaign.
Can a landing page replace a website?
For a short campaign or a brand-new business testing an idea, it can work for a while. But a single landing page won't rank well in Google for your range of services, so most businesses eventually need a full site.
How much does a landing page cost in Calgary?
A professionally built landing page typically costs $500 to $3,000 in Calgary, plus GST, depending on design, copywriting, forms and tracking setup.
Should my Google Ads go to my homepage?
Usually not. Ads tend to perform better when they send people to a page that matches the ad's specific offer, either a focused landing page or the most relevant service page.
Not sure which one you need? Let's talk it through.
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