The Truth About One Page Websites

A one-page website is exactly what it says – a website that consists of only a single webpage. A one-page website does not contain multiple web pages such as About Us, Contact Us, or an individual Product/ Service page.

Instead, all these pages are integrated into a single page. A single page consists of all the information that a customer or other stakeholder would want to know about the business.

Is a one-page website best for your business? It may be or may not. Choosing a single-page website depends on your business needs. As with multi-page websites, single-page websites have their own pros and cons.

If you are planning to use a one-page website for your business, then know about the pros and cons beforehand. With awareness, you can make a well-informed decision about having a one-page website for your business.

How one-page websites can boost your business

A one-page website consists of scrolling navigation that enables users to view content easily. A single-page website presents many positive aspects, such as presenting a clean and clutter-free design.

Given below are some key advantages of single-page designs:

Impress users with their ease of use

Simplicity is the primary advantage of a single-page website. Content is presented on a single page. Users can perform a task as simple as scrolling to view content. They do not have to deal with multiple clicks as they may have to on multi-page websites.

In case of complex navigation, users have to click deeper to reach desired web pages on multi-page websites. This can make navigation complicated for users on multi-page websites.

One-page websites make navigation easier regardless of the quantity of content. For example, if the content is lengthy, then a menu can be created listing the respective headers. Users can simply click the header to reach the specific portion of the webpage.

Deliver an excellent mobile experience

With customers increasingly using their smartphones and mobile devices to access websites, it is important for businesses to ensure they have a great mobile website experience. Single-page websites make the task easier for you.

You can design a one-page website to be mobile responsive, meaning your website adjusts its size to suit the dimensions of the device screen your customers are using.

The website experience is further enhanced with a one-page design. Users do not have to keep on clicking to browse pages. They can simply jump between desired sections and get all the information from a single page.

Engage users better

A one-page website consists of only a single page. So, users find it easier to scroll through and jump to required sections faster.

Calls-to-Action such as contact forms and contact information are easily available and visible, which encourages them to take the next step faster. This translates into faster conversions for your business.

Web users are known for their limited and extremely short attention spans. A one-page website helps you address this challenge. You get to capture as well as retain user attention faster with as little as a single page.

As user engagement improves, visitors are more likely to stay for a longer time on your website. Search engines are designed to observe bounce rates too. Algorithms consider your website’s bounce rates while ranking. A greater bounce rate impacts your website’s ranking and visibility.

Increased user engagement on single-page websites can lower your website’s bounce rates and boost your search engine rankings.

Work great for image-based websites

Images work for every website, given their visual appeal. But if your business specifics rely heavily on images for promotion (e.g., restaurants, flower shops, apparel boutiques, etc.), then a one-page website can greatly work in your favor.

As a one-page website consists of only a page, required images can be strategically positioned on the page to increase visibility. Users visiting your website are not likely to miss these images. This visual ambiance helps deliver the desired impact and boost user engagement further.

This impact may not be possible on multi-page websites where high-quality images can get lost in the clutter of too many pages. The audience may not even notice their presence.

Affordable and scalable

A one-page website is affordable compared to a multi-page website. It also takes lesser time than designing a multi-page website. If you are looking to build a website faster, then a one-page website could be a great solution.

A single-page website gives you the flexibility to scale as your business grows and your needs expand. If your business grows up to need multiple pages, then you can always add more pages.

A single-page website is easy to maintain as well. Whether you want to remove or add content, you can always manage the backend work easily. This ease is a major reason for single-page websites being popular with people with beginner technical skills.

Be aware of these cons of one-page websites

One-page websites are not without drawbacks. Being aware of these limitations will help you assess if the design can help you achieve your online objectives.

1-page websites have SEO limitations

The inability to include as many keywords may be essential for SEO purposes is a major drawback of one-page websites. As there is only one page of content, the number of keywords you can include is not as extensive as it can be on a multi-page website. The quantity of content too is limited as there is only one page.

You cannot, as an alternative, fill the single page with content or keywords. If you are using more content than is advisable for the page, it poses the risk of the design getting cluttered.

Stuffing keywords would make your content sound unnatural and unworthy of user engagement.

Both these factors reduce user experience on your website.

A one-page website also makes it harder to use SEO analytics. These tools are a barometer of user engagement on different web pages. Different web pages can be compared to understand the pages that made a positive impact on users and those that did not. You can improve your web pages based on these insights.

Since a one-page website features only one page, a comparison is harder as there are no pages to compare. This drawback can make it difficult for you to assess content performance and implement changes accordingly.

Risk of longer loading times

A poor design strategy can result in this drawback. If you are using different content types, including videos, images, text, and links, all on a single page, then loading problems can occur.

In addition, the webpage becomes crowded and unappealing.

Cluttered web pages and long waiting times are more than enough to send your users to your competitors’ websites.

Scrolling can impact user experience

Scrolling can become annoying for your users if it has not been incorporated thoughtfully. If you have lengthy content, then users have to keep scrolling to reach the desired content. This can be extremely annoying for users as they have to scroll a lot.

A better design idea would be to incorporate separate sections and headers, which allows for easier navigation within the page.

Conclusion

Single-page websites are great for any business, provided they fit your business needs. They are particularly great for small businesses and businesses looking to newly create a digital presence.

If you are a business in search of a web design strategy that is affordable and delivers to expectations, then a one-page website is for you.

Whether you want a one-page or multi-page website for your business, a thoughtful design is key to its success. When it comes to creating brand-empowering websites, Thrust leads the way.