The “how complex is your business?” test

While not always strictly true, the more complex your business is, the more complex your website and communications efforts will need to be. For instance, a tree trimming service may only need a simple landing page outlining their main service, while an insurance agency might need one page dedicated to auto insurance, another to homeowner insurance, another to life insurance, and so on. How complex is your business:

• One core offering (or variations of one thing)? A landing page will likely cover it: value proposition, proof, hours/location, pricing or process, CTA.

• Multiple departments or service categories? Start with a microsite. Give each category a page with clear language, typical timelines/pricing ranges, and what to expect.

• A dozen departments or heavy content demands (blog, resources, frequent updates, customer portal)? That’s beyond a microsite—time to plan a more comprehensive website managed by developers.

What visitors actually want (and how each option delivers)

Another good way to decide is to put yourself in the shoes of your customers: why would they visit your website, and what would they be looking for?

• Orientation: “Where are you? When are you open? How do I reach you?”

  • Landing page: Put this above the fold (at the top) and repeat near the end.

  • Microsite: Keep it in a persistent header/footer plus a “Visit/Contact” page.

• Confidence: “Do you really do what I need?”

  • Landing page: Short proof section (3–5 bullet points or icons, one testimonial).

  • Microsite: Services pages with simple summaries, examples, FAQs.

• Friction reduction: “What happens next?”

  • Both: One clear CTA: book, call, request a quote, join waitlist. Avoid multiple competing CTAs: pick one main goal and make it clear.

SEO, speed, and growth (without the jargon)

• SEO basics: Either format can rank if you cover the essentials—clear headings, short descriptive copy, fast load times, accurate metadata, and a Google Business Profile that matches your NAP (name, address, phone). A microsite can target more keywords because you have separate pages; a landing page can still win locally by being incredibly clear and fast.

• Performance: Single pages are naturally quick if you keep images lean. Microsites stay snappy when you reuse components, compress media, and avoid heavy scripts.

• Scalability: Start small on purpose. It’s easy to go from landing page → microsite by promoting sections into pages later. It’s harder to shrink a sprawling site no one maintains.

Cost and Maintenance

• Landing page: Lower build cost, lower maintenance. Perfect when you need a professional presence now and you’re still refining your offer.
• Microsite: Slightly higher build cost, still lean to maintain if you keep pages focused. The win is fewer repetitive phone calls and emails because the site does more pre-qualification for you.

How to get the most out of either choice

• Be specific. Plain language beats clever copy. Name the services, list the neighborhoods you serve, say how to book and what to expect.

• Make the next step obvious. One CTA, repeated. “Call,” “Book now,” “Get a quote.”

• Use real proof. A short testimonial with a name, a photo of your team, one clear example of your work.

• Keep it tidy. White space, legible fonts, mobile-first layout. Fast pages serve you better than fancy ones.

A quick way to decide today

If someone asked you to explain what you do in 30 seconds, could you cover it? If yes, landing page. If you’d immediately say, “Well, it depends,” and start describing categories or scenarios, microsite.

Bottom line.

Getting the word out is step one. Being ready for the attention is step two. Pick the smallest site that fully answers a first-time visitor’s questions and makes the next step easy. If that’s a landing page, great—ship it. If it’s a microsite, great—give each core area a clear, concise page. You can always expand later, but you only get one first impression. Make it simple, fast, and unmistakably you.