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SEO
10 mins read
SEO
10 mins read
Many advertisers ask the same question when they start running ads.
Should a Google Ads landing page link to the website landing page or other pages?
At first, linking to the main website may seem helpful. It feels natural because a normal website has many pages. Visitors often expect to explore different sections before making a decision.
However, advertising works a little differently.
A landing page usually has one job. Its purpose is to guide the visitor toward a single action. Too many links can distract visitors. It reduces the chances of that action being completed.
At the same time, removing all links is not always the best idea. Some links help build trust and make visitors feel more comfortable.
So the real answer is not simply yes or no.
The right approach depends on the goal of the campaign and the type of audience you are targeting.
This guide explains everything clearly. You will learn when linking helps and when it hurts. We will also look at practical examples and best practices used by successful campaigns.
By the end, you will know exactly how to structure your Google Ads landing pages for better results.
A Google Ads landing page is the first page someone sees after clicking your advertisement.
Think of it as the destination of your ad.
Someone searches for a product or service. They see your ad in the search results. Then they click it. The page that opens next is the landing page.
This page has one main goal.
Instead of offering many choices, it focuses on encouraging the visitor to complete a specific action.
Here are common actions landing pages aim to achieve:
Each of these actions is called a conversion.
The landing page is designed to guide visitors toward that conversion.
This is why landing pages look different from normal website pages.
A typical website page contains navigation menus, sidebars, blog links, and multiple sections. Visitors can explore freely and move between many pages.
Landing pages work differently.
They remove unnecessary distractions. Everything on the page supports one clear goal.
Most experienced marketers create dedicated landing pages for their ads. These pages are built specifically for advertising campaigns.
They are not just normal website pages with a form added. Instead, they are designed around the message in the ad.
There are several reasons for this approach.
First, dedicated landing pages often achieve higher conversion rates. Visitors see a page that matches exactly what the ad promised. This creates a smooth experience.
Second, the message on the page aligns with the ad copy. If someone clicks an ad about free CRM software, the landing page immediately talks about that same offer. The visitor does not need to search around the website.
Third, landing pages remove distractions. Regular websites have menus, blog posts, and multiple product pages. A landing page keeps the visitor focused on one action.
Fourth, tracking results becomes easier. When all traffic from an ad goes to a dedicated page, it becomes simple to measure performance.
Here is a simple comparison.
Regular Website Page | Google Ads Landing Page |
Many navigation links | Focused on one goal |
Broad information | Specific offer |
Multiple paths | One clear action |
In most cases, Google Ads landing pages should limit links to other pages.
Too many links can distract visitors. When people have several options, they often click away from the main goal. That means fewer conversions.
A visitor might open your About page. Someone else might read your blog. Another person might browse unrelated product pages.
Each of those clicks moves the user farther from the action you want them to take. However, removing all links is not always the best solution.
Some links can improve trust and help visitors feel confident about your business. For example, people sometimes want to check reviews or learn more about a company before sharing their contact details.
When used carefully, a few supporting links can actually increase conversions. So the real strategy is balance.
Limit unnecessary links. Keep the page focused. Only include links that support the conversion goal.
Linking to your website might seem harmless. After all, more information should help visitors make decisions.
In reality, too many links often reduce conversion rates. Here’s why.
Landing pages work best when visitors have a clear path.
Navigation menus introduce many options. Visitors can jump to blog posts, company pages, or unrelated services.
Once they start exploring, the original goal becomes less important. As a result, fewer people complete the intended action.
Every link creates an exit point.
A visitor might click into another page and never return. Imagine someone arriving on your demo signup page. Instead of signing up, they click your company blog. Then they leave the site completely.
The ad click was wasted.
Ads work because of message consistency. Someone clicks an ad expecting a specific offer.
If the landing page leads them into unrelated sections of the website, the connection between the ad and the page becomes weaker.
Confused visitors often leave.
Psychology plays an important role here. When people face too many choices, they often delay decisions. This is called choice overload.
Landing pages reduce choices to encourage faster action. Extra links bring those choices back.
Tracking campaign performance becomes more difficult when traffic spreads across multiple pages.
Visitors may jump between pages before converting. This makes it harder to understand what actually caused the conversion.
Keeping users on a focused landing page simplifies measurement.
While limiting links is important, some links can improve the user experience. Let us look at situations where linking can help.
Visitors often want proof that a business is legitimate. A few links can provide that reassurance.
Common examples include:
These links allow curious visitors to verify your credibility without overwhelming them.
Certain pages must always be accessible.
These include:
Many advertising platforms also recommend including privacy policies. This is especially essential when collecting user data.
These links usually appear in the footer of the page.
Sometimes a landing page introduces a product but does not explain every detail. Some visitors prefer exploring additional information before making a decision.
Useful supporting links might include:
These links should still support the main offer rather than distract from it.
Many advertisers miss this connection.
They focus on ad copy and keywords. Meanwhile, the landing page structure gets less attention.
However, the way your landing page is built can influence Google Ads Quality Score. And that score directly affects how much you pay for clicks.
Before we talk about links, it helps to understand what Quality Score actually is.
Quality Score is Google’s estimate of how useful and relevant your ad and landing page are to a searcher. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 10.
A higher score usually leads to:
In other words, improving Quality Score can reduce advertising costs while increasing traffic.
Google calculates Quality Score using three main factors.
Each of these factors can be affected by how your landing page handles links and navigation.
Quality Score Factor | What It Means | How Links Can Affect It |
Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR) | How likely people are to click your ad | Clear message alignment improves CTR |
Ad Relevance | How closely the ad matches the search query | Confusing page navigation weakens relevance |
Landing Page Experience | How useful and user-friendly the page is | Too many links can hurt usability |
Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail.
Expected CTR measures how likely users are to click your ad when it appears.
This metric mainly depends on ad copy and keywords. However, the landing page still plays a role.
Google studies how users behave after clicking an ad.
If visitors often leave quickly because the page feels confusing or unrelated, that behavior can signal a poor experience.
A landing page filled with unrelated links can contribute to this problem.
For example, imagine a user clicks an ad promising a free CRM trial. Instead of seeing a focused signup page, they land on a page with dozens of navigation links.
Now the visitor has to search for the trial offer.
Some people leave immediately. Over time, this behavior can reduce the expected CTR signals associated with that ad.
Keeping the page focused helps maintain a strong connection between the ad and the destination.
Ad relevance measures how closely the ad matches the user’s search query.
Google wants ads to lead to pages that directly answer the user’s intent.
Landing page links can influence this relationship.
If the page contains many unrelated navigation options, the message becomes diluted. The visitor may end up exploring pages that are not connected to the original search.
For instance, someone searching for “project management software pricing” should land on a page about pricing.
But if the page encourages visitors to jump to blog posts, company history pages, or unrelated product features, the original relevance weakens.
Keeping links focused on the same topic helps reinforce relevance.
Good supporting links might include:
These links still support the same user intent.
Landing page experience is where page structure matters the most.
Google evaluates whether the page is helpful, easy to use, and relevant to the visitor.
Several factors influence this evaluation:
Navigation also plays a role.
A page overloaded with links can feel cluttered. Visitors may struggle to find the main action.
On mobile devices, this problem becomes even more noticeable.
Large navigation menus can push important information further down the page. This creates friction in the user experience.
By contrast, a focused landing page usually performs better. Visitors immediately see the offer and understand what to do next.
Quality Score does not just affect performance metrics. It also affects your advertising costs.
Even small improvements can reduce CPC significantly.
Here is a simplified example.
Quality Score | Estimated CPC Impact |
4 | Higher CPC and lower ad visibility |
7 | Noticeably lower CPC and better positioning |
10 | Maximum efficiency and lowest CPC potential |
Advertisers with higher Quality Scores often pay less per click than competitors with lower scores.
So improving landing page structure can indirectly reduce ad costs.
Quality Score is important. However, it is not the only factor determining where your ad appears.
Google actually uses something called Ad Rank.
Ad Rank determines the position of your ad in the search results.
It is calculated using several elements, including:
A simplified way to think about it looks like this:
Ad Rank ≈ Bid × Quality Score
This means a better Quality Score can help your ad appear higher, even if your bid is lower than competitors.
For example:
Advertiser | Bid | Quality Score | Ad Rank |
Advertiser A | $3 | 4 | 12 |
Advertiser B | $2 | 8 | 16 |
Even though Advertiser B bids less, the stronger Quality Score gives them a higher Ad Rank. As a result, their ad can appear above the competitor.
Landing page structure contributes to this outcome.
When the page is focused, relevant, and easy to use, Quality Score improves. And when Quality Score improves, Ad Rank often improves too.
A well-structured landing page supports both users and the ad system.
Here is what usually works best:
These choices improve user experience first.
At the same time, they also strengthen signals that influence Quality Score.
As a result, the campaign can benefit in two ways. Conversions may increase, and advertising costs may decrease.
Earlier, we discussed how landing pages influence Quality Score and Ad Rank.
However, Google also evaluates landing pages in another way.
Inside Google Ads, each keyword receives a Landing Page Experience rating.
Google uses three simple categories for this evaluation.
Landing Page Experience Rating | What It Means |
Above Average | The page is highly relevant, useful, and easy to navigate |
Average | The page meets basic expectations but has room for improvement |
Below Average | The page provides a poor or confusing user experience |
Although the rating looks simple, it has a real impact on how ads perform.
Here’s what each level means in practice.
This is the best rating you can get.
It means Google considers your landing page very helpful for users who click the ad.
Pages that receive this rating usually have a few common traits:
In many cases, focused landing pages perform better here because they guide visitors toward the main action without confusion.
When landing page experience is above average, it can improve overall ad quality. Thus, ads may appear higher in search results, even with similar bids.
That advantage can reduce the amount you pay per click.
An average rating means the page works, but it is not exceptional.
The page may still convert visitors. However, something about the experience could be improved.
Common reasons for an average rating include:
These pages are not necessarily bad. They simply do not stand out compared to other advertisers competing in the same auction.
So, ads with average landing page ratings may need higher bids to compete for the same position.
This rating signals a serious problem.
Google believes the page does not provide a good experience for users who click the ad.
Some common causes include:
When a landing page receives a below average rating, it can reduce the overall quality of the ad.
This has two important effects:
Landing page experience feeds into the broader Quality Score system. And Quality Score influences Ad Rank, which determines ad placement.
Here is a simplified view of how things connect.
Landing Page Rating | Impact on Ad Rank | Typical CPC Impact |
Above Average | Stronger Ad Rank | Lower CPC potential |
Average | Neutral effect | Normal CPC levels |
Below Average | Weaker Ad Rank | Higher CPC required |
This is why many advertisers focus heavily on landing page quality.
Improving the page experience can strengthen Quality Score signals. Stronger signals often lead to better ad placement and more efficient ad spend.
Google does not publish a complete checklist. Still, official documentation and advertiser guidance highlight several key factors.
Google tends to reward landing pages that provide:
Several well-known marketing studies have looked at landing page behavior. These studies show how navigation, page speed, and focus influence conversions.
Landing pages perform best when visitors focus on one action.
Adding a full navigation menu often creates extra choices. And when users see too many options, they tend to explore instead of converting.
Research from Unbounce Conversion Benchmark Reports and landing page experiments shows that removing navigation menus can increase conversions for many campaigns.
A commonly observed pattern is:
Landing Page Type | Typical User Behavior |
Page with full website navigation | Users explore multiple pages |
Page with limited navigation | Users stay focused on the main action |
Because of this behavior, many marketers remove top navigation menus from ad landing pages.
Unbounce has also reported that simplified landing pages often convert better. This is because they reduce distractions and guide visitors toward a single goal.
The takeaway is simple.
More links usually mean more exits.
Landing page speed has a direct impact on both user experience and advertising performance.
According to research from Google’s Think with Google, speed changes user behavior significantly.
Here are a few important statistics:
Page Load Time | Impact on User Behavior |
1 second to 3 seconds | Bounce probability increases by 32% |
1 second to 5 seconds | Bounce probability increases by 90% |
1 second to 6 seconds | Bounce probability increases by 106% |
1 second to 10 seconds | Bounce probability increases by 123% |
(Source: Google / Think with Google)
This means slower pages cause more visitors to leave before interacting with the page.
Navigation menus and extra links sometimes slow down pages as well. They add scripts, images, or design elements that increase load time.
Because of this, focused landing pages often perform better. They are usually lighter and faster.
Speed improvements can lead to measurable business results.
Google and other industry studies have shown that even small speed improvements can increase conversions.
For example:
These numbers explain why advertisers pay close attention to landing page performance.
When pages load quickly and stay focused on one goal, users are more likely to complete the action.
High-performing landing pages follow a simple principle.
Focus on one main action. Everything on the page should support that goal.
Here are a few practical recommendations.
Avoid including the full website navigation bar. Menus with many links invite visitors to explore instead of converting.
Some advertisers remove the navigation entirely. Others keep a very small set of links.
Every landing page should have a clear call-to-action.
Examples include:
The CTA should appear multiple times across the page so visitors always know the next step.
Supporting links should help users feel confident about converting.
Examples include:
If a link does not support the main goal, it probably does not belong on the landing page.
Let us look at a few practical examples.
A marketing agency runs ads offering a free consultation.
The landing page includes:
Links are minimal. Everything supports the form submission.
A software company advertises a free trial.
The landing page includes:
Visitors who want more details can explore those pages before starting the trial.
An online store runs ads for a specific product.
The landing page includes:
Each link supports the buying decision.
Every audience behaves differently. Thus, testing is extremely important.
A strategy that works for one business may not work for another. The best way to find the answer is through A/B testing.
Here is a simple testing process.
Build two versions of your landing page.
Version A
Minimal links
Version B
Additional supporting links
Send half of your ad traffic to each version. This ensures both pages receive similar audiences.
Track how many visitors complete the desired action. Compare the results between the two versions.
The version with the higher conversion rate becomes the winner. Testing removes guesswork.
Instead of relying on opinions, you rely on real data.
Many campaigns struggle because of simple mistakes. Avoiding these errors can improve performance quickly.
Homepages contain many links and topics. Visitors must search for the relevant information. Dedicated landing pages usually perform better.
Full navigation menus encourage browsing rather than converting. Landing pages should guide visitors toward one action.
Too many product links create confusion. Visitors may struggle to decide what to do next.
Some pages do not clearly tell visitors what to do. A strong CTA should stand out and appear multiple times.
Speed matters for both user experience and ad performance. A slow page can reduce conversions and increase bounce rates.
Successful landing pages usually follow a simple structure. It keeps visitors focused and offers enough information to build trust.
The headline should match the message from the ad. Visitors should immediately understand the offer.
Explain how the product or service helps the user. Focus on benefits rather than technical details.
Social proof builds trust. Testimonials, reviews, or case studies show that others have benefited from the offer.
The CTA should stand out visually. It should clearly tell the visitor what step to take.
A few supporting links may appear in the footer or near trust sections. These links should reinforce the offer rather than distract from it.
Google Ads landing pages work best when they stay focused. Each page should guide visitors toward one clear goal. Too many links can distract visitors and reduce conversions. Navigation menus often lead people away from the main action.
However, removing all links is not always necessary. A few carefully chosen links can improve trust and credibility.
The most effective approach is balance. Keep the page simple while providing enough information for visitors to feel confident.
Testing is also essential. Different audiences behave differently, so the best design often comes from experimentation.
When landing pages remain clear, focused, and easy to use, they usually deliver stronger results from Google Ads campaigns.
Usually it should not include full navigation menus. Navigation creates distractions and may reduce conversions.
Not always. A few links that build trust or provide helpful information can improve the user experience.
It is usually better to send traffic to a dedicated landing page that matches the ad message.
Most high-converting landing pages keep links very limited. The links that remain should support the main conversion goal.
Start using our A/B test platform now and unlock the hidden potential of your website traffic. Your success begins with giving users the personalized experiences they want.
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