There are endless amounts of pages that you can create for your WordPress website. A Splash page and Holding page are two of the first pages that you need to think about when building or updating your website. Both these pages are usually the first, or one of the first, pages before entering a website. Although these pages do differ a lot, there is one main function that both of these pages share: relaying important information to the customer/client.
What is a Holding Page:
A holding page can simply be seen as a temporary place holding page. It’s one of the first pages that need to get built after buying and securing a domain name. This is, most commonly, used when a website is under construction or is being built. It can even be used as a ‘soft launch’ of your website.
Information about the company, like contact info, the logo, or when the website will go live is mostly displayed on the Holding page. They sometimes even a subscription box where your prospective clients can sign up to your newsletters. It’s also the perfect place to showcase your social media links to encourage your visitors to follow you. From an SEO perspective, a holding page is most beneficial for start-ups and businesses who do not yet have an online presence. This is because they do not yet have an SEO ranking.
What is a Splash Page:
The splash page is also used to relay important information and is mostly used by companies who already have a live website. Its main function is to help people find what they are looking for. Whether it is a promotion or showcasing an upcoming event, a splash page is made to make navigation easier. It’s bringing the most important information to the viewer before they click through and enter the website.
When developing a splash page for your website, it’s important to remember what you are trying to achieve. Do I want more people to sign up for my newsletter? Do I want to inform my customers of my new trading hours? Is there currently a sale running on my website? This will dictate what will appear on your Splash page.
To conclude, there are specific situations where you would use a holding page and other situations where you would use a splash page. If you are building a site from scratch, your best option would be to start out with a holding page. This way you are informing people that your website will be launching soon. During the website building process, your developer can build a splash page for your website. This will help guide your visitors in the direction they need to go. A splash page can also be added to an existing website to improve your navigation or inform your visitors of any important information or promotions.