The One-Page Website Trend: Love It or Not It
You’ve probably seen them popping up. You know, those sleek, streamlined sites that ditch the multiple pages in favor of a single, scrolling experience. Here at Midnight Disco Marketing, we’re always keeping an eye on the latest web design trends, and this one definitely has some buzz around it. So, is a one-page website the right move for your business? Or is it just a fleeting fad that bucks all things we’ve been told about building a solid web presence? Not to worry – we’re here to break it down for you!
What's the Deal with One-Page Websites?
One-page websites can be looked at like your brand feed, presented in a beautifully organized, easily digestible scroll. Instead of clicking through multiple pages like “About Us,” “Services,” or “Contact,” everything you need to know is right there on a single, continuous page. Navigation typically involves clicking on anchor links in a top menu that smoothly scroll you down to the relevant section. It’s all about simplicity and a seamless user experience. This all sounds amazing, but is it actually?
As a web design company, we’ve seen a growing interest in this trend. This is especially true from smaller businesses, startups, and those with a clear, concise message to convey. But like any design strategy, it comes with its own set of pros and cons. From UX to SEO, we are here to walk you through this trend and all that comes with it.
The Pros of a One-Page Website:
- Simplicity and Clarity: One of the biggest advantages of a single page site is the sheer simplicity. Users don’t have to navigate multiple pages to find information. Everything is laid out in a logical flow, making it easy to grasp your core message quickly. This can be particularly effective for businesses with a limited number of key services or a very focused offering.
- Enhanced User Experience (UX): When done well, a one-page website can provide a super smooth and engaging user experience. The continuous flow can keep visitors scrolling and exploring your content without the friction of page loads. This can lead to higher engagement and lower bounce rates – all things that Google loves.
- Mobile-Friendliness: Let’s be real, most of us are browsing on our phones, so a website needs to be mobile-friendly. One-page websites often translate beautifully to mobile, offering a clean and intuitive scrolling experience on smaller screens. As a digital marketing agency, we know how crucial mobile-friendliness is for reaching your audience. We are all about sites that prioritize mobile UX!
- Storytelling Potential: The linear nature of a one-page site lends itself perfectly to storytelling. You can guide visitors through your brand narrative, your services, and your calls to action in a deliberate and engaging way. Our content writing team loves the opportunity to craft a compelling flow on a single page, and to be able to tell a story this way.
- Potentially Lower Development Costs: In theory, developing a single page can sometimes be quicker and less expensive than building a multi-page website. However, this depends heavily on the complexity of the design and the amount of content. This has been a big reason for the emergence of this trend, but it is important to prioritize functionality and flow over a quick and cheap page.
- Higher Conversion Rates: By keeping all the essential information and your primary CTA on a single page, you can streamline the conversion process and reduce distractions. Advertising landing pages are a huge reason this trend has spiked. They provide all the valuable information in one place, seamlessly leading a user to convert.
What About The Cons?
If you can provide a better user-experience, get more conversions, and spend less time building out a site, you should do that right? Well, not necessarily. While the pros were all great, there are some pretty major cons that need to be discussed.
Pitfalls of a Single Page Site
- Google Guidelines: First thing is first: your website needs to “please” Google and other search engines. Of course this will always depend on your goals, but if you want to get seen and to have search engines favor your site, you need to play by their rules. Google expects to see at least 10 pages on a website for best visibility, and loves nothing more than lots of fresh content. If you are just driving ads to a one-page site, then this is nothing to worry about, but if you want to be found more readily, then this is a huge concern.
- SEO Challenges: This is where things can get a bit tricky. As an SEO agency, we need to address this head-on. With a one-page website, you’re essentially trying to rank for multiple keywords on a single URL. This can dilute your SEO efforts and make it harder to rank for specific, long-tail keywords that target different aspects of your business. Careful keyword planning and strategic content placement are crucial, but it’s often more challenging than optimizing multiple, topic-specific pages. This plays back into the Google Guidelines point – more content and more pages equals better SEO efficacy and overall visibility.
- Limited Content Depth: Yep, another Google pointer. If your business offers a wide range of services or has a lot of detailed information to share, a one-page website can feel cramped and overwhelming. Trying to cram too much information onto a single page can lead to a poor user experience and make it difficult for visitors to find what they need. In addition to these points, search engines prioritize sites that push out fresh content.
- Navigation Limitations: While anchor links work well for navigating within the page, they don’t offer the same level of flexibility as a traditional multi-page navigation. Users can’t easily open different sections in new tabs or bookmark specific pages.
- Analytics Complexity: Tracking user behavior and engagement can be more complex on a one-page website. While you can track scroll depth and clicks on anchor links, getting a clear picture of how users are interacting with different sections can be less straightforward than analyzing page-specific metrics on a multi-page site. Because of these limitations, it is often difficult to properly optimize the page to fix any issues.
- Scalability Concerns: As your business grows and your offerings expand, a one-page website can quickly become hard to manage. Scaling a single page with a large amount of content can impact loading times and the overall user experience. If you plan on scaling at all, a singe page site is likely not the best option.
So, Is the One-Page Site Life Worth It For YOU?
The decision of whether or not to go with a one-page website depends heavily on your specific business goals, the amount of content you have, and your target audience. There are plenty of pros and cons on each side, but the ultimate decision is down to what you need.
Is A One-Page Website A Good Fit
A one-page website might be a good fit if:
- You have a single product or service.
- You’re launching a marketing campaign with a focused message.
- You need a simple online presence, like a landing page or a basic portfolio.
- You are only using it for advertising.
- Mobile-first design is a top priority.
However, a multi-page website is likely a better choice if:
- You offer a wide range of services or products.
- You have a significant amount of detailed information to share.
- SEO for specific keywords is a major priority.
- You want to be found more readily.
- You anticipate significant growth and the need for more content in the future.
Our Take on One-Page Websites
We love exploring new trends, and one-page websites definitely have their appeal. However, we always advise to prioritize a strategy that aligns with your specific business objectives. We want to set you up for long-term success!
While a sleek one-pager might look cool, we need to consider factors like SEO and scalability. As a digital marketing agency, we help our clients determine the best web design approach that not only looks fantastic but also drives results. You need to consider your content writing, ads management, and overall digital presence to create a website that truly works for your business.
Ultimately, whether you choose one page or multiple, the key is to have a website that works. It should be well-designed, user-friendly, and effectively communicates your brand’s message.
Our bottom-line verdict: Not It.
Unless your single page site is strictly for advertising needs, we do not recommend a one-page website.
Get In Touch With Us
If you are ready to take your business to the next level, Midnight Disco Marketing is here to help. Let’s chat about your goals and figure out the perfect digital home for your awesome business!
