When you’re investing real money into Google Ads, you want every click to count. Yet one of the biggest reasons small businesses waste ad spend is simple: they send traffic to their homepage instead of a dedicated landing page.
A homepage has too many jobs. A Google Ads landing page has just one and that is to convert.
In this guide, we’ll break down why landing pages are essential, what makes them work, and how you can easily build one (even if you’re not a designer or marketer). Whether you’re running ads for the first time or looking to improve your campaign performance, this post will show you how to get more results for every pound spent.
Why Homepages Rarely Convert
Homepages are great for brand awareness, general browsing, and giving visitors an overall view of your business. But they’re not built to convert highly targeted traffic from Google Ads.
Here’s why homepages fall short:
1. Too Many Distractions
A homepage usually has:
- Multiple menus
- Lots of links
- Various product or service categories
- Brand messaging
- Blogs, case studies, testimonials
- Footer links
This may be useful for general browsing, but Google Ads traffic isn’t general. They clicked your ad because they want something specific. If they land on a page that doesn’t continue that story instantly, they lose interest.
2. No Clear Single Goal
Your homepage speaks to everyone.
Your Google Ads landing page should speak to one person with one problem.
If your ad promotes “Boiler Servicing in Nottingham”, but your homepage highlights boilers, plumbing, heating, installations, repairs, testimonials and a company history… the visitor doesn’t know where to go next.
Confusion leads to drop-offs.
3. Slower Journey to Conversion
Google Ads works best when the user journey is simple:
Search → Ad → Landing Page → Action
Sending people to your homepage adds extra steps:
- They need to find the right service
- They need to understand your offer
- They need to locate the contact button
You’re relying on the visitor doing the hard work. Most won’t.
4. Quality Score Impact
Google wants searchers to find what they’re looking for quickly.
If your page doesn’t match the ad, you’ll get:
- Lower Quality Scores
- Higher cost per click
- Worse ad positions
A dedicated landing page reassures Google that your ad is relevant, which saves you money and boosts your ad performance.
Why You Need a Landing Page for Google Ads
A landing page strengthens your Google Ads strategy in several powerful ways:
- Higher conversion rates:
Because the message matches the ad, visitors take action faster. - Lower cost per conversion:
Better relevance = higher Quality Score = lower cost per click. - A clearer way to measure success:
With one goal (e.g., call, purchase, form fill), you get accurate, actionable data. - Better user experience:
No distractions, no confusion. Just a clear path to the outcome.
For small businesses and startups, this is particularly important. When every pound counts, you want to maximise conversions with the traffic you’re already paying for.
What Makes a Great Landing Page?
A great landing page for Google Ads is focused, relevant, and built to persuade. But above all, it must continue the exact promise made in the ad.
A strong landing page includes:
1. Message match
The page headline should directly reflect the ad. If your ad says “Same-Day Plumbing Repairs in Newark”, the landing page must repeat that message clearly at the top.
2. Clear value proposition
You must explain early on:
- What you offer
- Why it matters
- Why the visitor should choose you
This is where many small businesses try to over-explain. Keep it simple.
3. One primary call-to-action (CTA)
Your landing page should have one job. Common CTAs include:
- “Request a Quote”
- “Call Now”
- “Book a Free Consultation”
- “Start Your Trial”
- “Buy Now”
Having multiple competing CTAs confuses people.
4. Fast loading time
Slow pages kill conversions. Even a 1-second delay can make visitors abandon the page. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help you check performance.
5. Mobile-first layout
Most Google Ads clicks come from mobile. If your landing page looks terrible on a phone, you’re wasting your money.
6. Trust signals
People need reassurance before they take action. Trust signals might include:
- Testimonials
- Google reviews
- Before-and-after photos
- Case studies
- Accreditation badges
- Logos of clients
Show your credibility, don’t just claim it.
7. Persuasive structure
The page should follow a flow:
- Clear headline
- Short explanation
- Benefits
- Social proof
- CTA
Don’t overwhelm people with long paragraphs. Break it up.
Need help creating a high converting landing page?
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Key Elements Every High-Converting Landing Page Should Have
A strong headline
Your headline should:
- Match the ad
- State the service or offer
- Highlight the main benefit
Example:
“Professional Oven Cleaning in Nottingham – From £59”
A compelling subheadline
This should support the headline with a clear value message:
“Book today and restore your oven to a like-new shine within 2 hours.”
A clear primary CTA
Keep it simple and action-focused, such as:
- “Get a Free Quote”
- “Book Now”
- “Call Today”
Repeat it multiple times down the page.
Social proof
Don’t underestimate this. People trust other people more than they trust marketing copy.
Include:
- Google reviews
- Customer quotes
- Case study snippets
- Photos of completed projects
Benefit-focused copy
Explain what’s in it for the visitor.
People care about outcomes and not your process.
A simple form (if applicable)
If your landing page includes a form:
- Keep fields to a minimum
- Don’t ask for unnecessary information
- Keep it mobile-friendly
Reinforcement section
Near the bottom, repeat:
- The core benefit
- The offer
- The CTA
People often scroll before they act.
Tracking and Testing Your Results
Landing pages are not “set and forget” assets. To get the best performance, you must track, measure and optimise them.
Here’s how:
1. Set up conversion tracking
Google Ads needs to know when someone converts. Common conversions include:
- Phone calls
- Form submissions
- Purchases
- Live chat interactions
Using Google Tag Manager makes this much easier.
2. Use Google Analytics to check behaviour
Look at:
- Time on page
- Bounce rate
- Scroll depth
- Source of conversions
This helps you understand what’s working and what isn’t.
3. Test headlines
A small headline change can lift conversions by 10–20%.
Try different versions of:
- The value proposition
- The offer
- The CTA
4. Test page layout
Try variations such as:
- With/without hero image
- Short vs. long content
- Changing button colours
- Adding or removing trust signals
5. Improve based on real data
Don’t guess.
Let data guide your next move.
Common Landing Page Mistakes Small Businesses Make
Even with the right tools, many businesses fall into the same traps:
- Sending all ads to the same landing page:
Each ad group (or theme) should ideally have its own landing page. - Too much text:
People skim. Break text into small, digestible chunks. - No trust signals:
People don’t convert if they don’t trust you. - Asking for too much information:
Forms with more than 4–5 fields scare people off. - No clear CTA:
“Learn More” is not strong enough. - Slow loading pages:
More than 3 seconds = lost conversions.
Fixing these issues can instantly improve your results.
Final Thoughts
If you’re spending money on Google Ads, a dedicated landing page is one of the simplest and highest-return investments you can make. It improves user experience, increases conversions and reduces wasted ad spend.
Your homepage is not designed to convert, but your landing page is.
With the right layout, message match and trust signals, you’ll instantly give your campaigns a better chance of success. And with ongoing tracking and testing, your cost per lead will drop over time, meaning more customers for the same budget.
If you’re running Google Ads and don’t have a landing page yet, now is the perfect time to build one.
