WHAT’s THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A Landing Page AND A Blog
Basically, to categorize an article as a blog or a landing page, it boils down to the writer’s intent. Since blogs and landing pages are technically identical to Google’s robots (wp_posts in the WordPress mySQL database rendered on the front-end as HTML styled with CSS), it does not make a difference SEO-wise whether an article is a landing page or a blog. They both will lure traffic organically from search engines and be linked similarly throughout the site.
However, semantically, there must be a difference. The consensus amongst SEO professionals is a landing page is a more informative piece of writing. They are made to inform and convert readers into customers. A blog engages potential customers with enticing, easily-digestible articles. At the same time, a blog may inform the reader about your company without a sales pitch to distract them.
What Other SEO Pros Say
“The difference between blogs and landing pages are, a landing page is more discussing a product or service you provide… A blog is meant to be more interesting in general than a landing page. Don’t get me wrong, you want both to be interesting. With landing pages, generally my main focus is SEO, ranking for the keyword phrase that we are targeting.”
-Digital Marketers Chicago
“A landing page is any webpage where you send visitors, in order to initiate a conversation and close a deal. Effective landing pages are often standalone web pages with a single focus; a call to action pointed at your target audience. Hopefully this is a lead magnet for you.”…
“It’s easier to capture conversions from a well-designed landing page than it is from a homepage or blog post because they have one singular goal.”
– Neil Patel
Landing Page
- Formal
- Factual
- Informative
- Straightforward Title
- Linked in main nav and/or logically throughout site
- Made to convert
Blog
- Casual
- May include opinion
- Enticing & Engaging
- Question Article, Listicle, Interview, Opinion Piece
- Linked in blogroll and/or logically throughout site
- Not “salesy”
Conclusion: The Line Is Drawn In Sand
Of course, occasionally, the line can be blurred between the two. An article can be written casually, yet still be a straightforward topic and written to drive home sales. It would fall somewhere between my distinct classification, as a “Casual Landing Page” or an “Informative Blog.”
I like to keep a logical distinction between the two, so when projects are assigned/written, the writer knows the intent of the article and whether or not it is meant to be formal or casual.
