Microsite vs Landing Page: Which Should You Use in 2025?
Confused about microsite vs landing page? Here’s the no-fluff breakdown: when a standalone microsite wins for SEO and topical focus, and when a single landing page wins for speed and paid campaigns.
Definitions (fast)
- Microsite: a tiny multi-page site (≈5–40 pages) focused on one topic; built to rank & convert with tight internal links.
- Landing page: a single page for one offer/CTA; built to convert quickly, often for paid traffic.
Quick verdict
Choose a microsite if you want sustainable SEO traffic, topical authority, and multiple intents (best, vs, how-to, pricing) around one theme.
Choose a landing page if you’re running paid ads or validating an offer and only need one action (sign-up, purchase, booking) right now.
Decision table
| Area | Microsite | Landing Page |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Compounding SEO traffic; education + comparisons | Immediate conversions for one offer |
| Speed to ship | Medium (days→weeks) | Very fast (hours→days) |
| SEO potential | High (topical depth, internal links) | Low–medium (1 URL) |
| Best traffic | Organic search; social; email | PPC; email; partnerships |
| Maintenance | Ongoing, weekly updates | Light; CRO tweaks |
| Use-cases | Niche hubs, “best” lists, vs-posts, how-tos | Free trial, waitlist, single product |
When to use which (practical)
- Use a microsite if you can outline 5–10 real queries people search (best, vs, template, pricing, how-to).
- Use a landing page if you have one offer and traffic you control (ads/list) and you need results this week.
- Hybrid: launch a landing page now, then expand into a microsite as you see traction.
SEO & internal links (what actually moves the needle)
- One page per intent; no keyword mixing.
- Interlink: support → money page; all → pillar. Keep anchor text descriptive.
- Track 20–80 keywords; improve pages sitting at positions 6–15 first.
5-step build checklist
- List 10 long-tails with buyer intent (best/vs/template/pricing).
- Check SERPs: aim for mixed top-10 (forums/smaller blogs) you can beat.
- Publish 2 money pages + 1 pillar + 1 how-to in week one.
- Add internal links; add Article/FAQ schema where relevant.
- Request indexing; track positions; iterate weekly.
Build faster, rank smarter.
Affiliate notice: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
Is a landing page bad for SEO?
No. It’s just limited. A single URL can rank for branded/paid intent, but a microsite wins for broader organic coverage.
Can I start with a landing page and switch later?
Yes. Keep the domain flexible; you can expand into a microsite without losing your initial offer page.
How big should a microsite be?
Enough to fully cover the niche (often 5–40 pages). Ship lean; improve weekly.
📲 Follow us