Splash Page Vs. Landing Page: The Difference and Features
In this digital era, more and more businesses are choosing digital over traditional practices to sell and market their products. While there is nothing wrong with old-school marketing, the benefits of being online (where your customers are) cannot be overlooked.
The availability of powerful eCommerce development platforms, the ease of reaching diverse groups of audiences, and the countless opportunities to growing your business online – setting up a business online is not just easy but also advantageous for new entrepreneurs.
However, with thousands of businesses shifting toward the digital landscape every day, the competition in online market is getting fierce by leaps and bounds. To make a difference you need to stand out and that is why first impressions are so important.
Landing pages have always been a crucial part of every digital marketing strategy, but have you ever heard of splash pages? Is there any difference between a splash page and a landing page or are they just two interchangeable terms in digital marketing?
If you noticed someone using this term but have no idea what a splash page is, this blog will help you get the bigger picture. To start with, let’s have a quick introduction of landing pages.
What is a Landing Page and Why is it Necessary?
As the name suggests, a landing page is a standalone page where your potential customers land after clicking on a specific ad or link. It is typically created for advertising or marketing purpose. Regardless of whether visitors come to your landing page from an online search, social media post or an online marketing campaign, it is their first encounter with your business. Hence, the quality of your landing page significantly affects a visitor’s first impression and their decision to connect with your business.
Considering the fact that a landing page helps you tell your potential customers about a special offer, a limited-period deal or any sort of important information, it is a must for every online business. Landing pages can be a click-through page which usually leads visitors to the homepage or any other page of your eCommerce site, or it can be lead generation-focused. A landing page designed for lead generation typically offers visitors incentives or freebies like an eBook, a special discount coupon, free trial or free entry into a contest, early bird entry into a sale etc., in return for contact information. A good landing page should make visitors aware of your unique value proposition and create a bond of trust, convincing them to take required action.
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What is a Splash Page?
A splash page is an introductory page that visitors see before discovering the rest of the website. It is considered a welcome screen or teaser that visitors see before discovering any other page of your website. While many marketers call splash pages virtual business cards, a splash page can serve several purposes:
- Deliver important information about a new arrival or an upcoming event.
- Present a disclaimer or a warning
- Ask for age verification
- Allow visitors to choose a region or a language,
- Present a newsletter or email list signup
- Put a countdown timer for a website
Typically, a splash page consists of a single message and an exit link. It has very few elements which are used depending on the purpose behind creating it. When creating a splash page, you can include one or more of the following elements:
- A company logo
- Appealing images/graphics
- A creative video or animations
- A meaningful and relevant initial message with a call to action
All in all, splash pages do not have a universal purpose and have different kinds of use cases depending on the business requirement. As a rule of thumb, you can use a splash page to communicate anything you want to right before a visitor enters you site.
Advantages of a Splash Page
Truth be told – many business owners doubt the capability of splash pages. While they might seem to be an inconspicuous tool to many, splash pages can turn out to be quite helpful depending on your purpose.
GRAB ATTENTION: Splash pages contain little information and limited elements; thus, they load fast. So, you can quickly draw the attention of your visitors toward required information before they dig deeper into your website.
SHOW OFF: You can deploy a splash page to provide a quick overview of your best works as a portfolio. This allows you to show visitors what you are capable of and make a great first impression.
IMPROVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: If you have multiple website versions for different countries, you can allow visitors to choose their language or location right when they enter your website.
GET FEEDBACK: By analysing which of your splash pages worked best for your business, you can determine your customers’ preferences and make required changes.
How does a Splash Page differ from a Landing Page?
As you can make up from the information above, splash pages and landing pages have their own function and purpose. However, the fact that both are supposed to grab attention often makes people think they are the same.
By definition, a splash page is an introduction screen that pops up when you enter a website. It includes little information along with an exit link which takes visitors to the main website where they can discover different pages and products. Landing pages, on the other hand, work as standalone pages that feature content which is strategically created to keep visitors on the page until they convert. So, landing pages often do not include an exit link.
In terms of purpose, a splash page aims to drive people to a specific call-to-action, collect contact information and/or provide a piece of information. A landing page is created to convert visitors into something valuable to your business, such as newsletter subscriber, contest participant, eBook downloader or webinar attendee. Moreover, a landing page can be short or long, depending on the type of content you want to use to engage your visitors. Since a splash page is only about greeting or instant information that does not aim to engage visitors, it is supposed to be as short as possible.
Wrapping Up,
Long story short, both splash pages and landing pages are an essential tool for online marketing. We cannot consider one to be greater and more useful than the other as they have their own purposes. Both can help you convey important message or information to your visitors whether instantly or later, thus are constructive for online businesses in a different manner. If you are still confused about landing pages and splash pages, we are always happy to assist you.
Being a leading Magento development company, Web Circle helps businesses create a strong online presence with the help of cutting-edge digital marketing practices and tools. Let our expert team create and optimise your marketing pages to meet your business goals.