One-Page vs Multi-Page Website:

Which Is Better for Your Online Business

It’s no secret that you need a strong online presence to help your online business and brand succeed. The question is, what kind of website best suits your business’s needs? Should you consider simple, one-page websites or a more in-depth multi-page site? This is your guide to the advantages and disadvantages of each option to help you decided which one is right for you.

With so many people currently finding themselves having to re-invent their work and income earning potentials, it’s more important than ever to stand out amongst the crowd. Choosing between having a cohesive one-page experience versus a scalable multi-purpose and multi-page website can be tricky.

Each of the web design methods have their own unique advantages and disadvantages and if you want to know which is better, first, you need to figure out your business goals and the type of content that you plan to host on your website (services, blogging, eCommerce shop, portfolio, bricks and mortar boutique or café, etc).

One-Page WordPress Websites are definitely on trend right now. It’s a fast and affordable way to get your online business out there fast. As a business tool, it will provide credibility and professional online visibility to an audience who is searching for your services and/or products.

With that being said, let’s have a look at the One-Page and the Multi-Page web design options and see which type you can choose to maximize the benefits from your online presence.

ONE-PAGE WEBSITES

What is a One-Page Website?

A one-page website only contains one website page, not separate ‘About’ or ‘Contact’ pages, for example. However, this type of website design can still contain navigation links that can take users do different section of the page vs a different page. Since one-page sites tend to be in a scrolling format, they can be quite lengthy. The ability to automatically skip to certain sections of the site makes navigation much easier.

By removing the overwhelming fear of not having a technical website design background, a one-page website can be the answer to kick starting your online journey with a relatively low investment of both time and money.

For years the multi-page website has been the standard structure that most users are accustomed to using. But, with the advanced browser technology and content management systems improvements, one-page websites have become a trend in the web development industry too. 

Here are some Advantages & Disadvantages of a One-Page website design.

Why A One-Page Design Can Be Useful for Your Website

SIMPLICITY

There is something to be said for simplicity. One-page sites must be disciplined in being concise to tell a story and motivate your target audience: potential customers, prospects, partners, and interested enthusiasts to take the desired action on the website.

Users appreciate the simplicity and the ability to find everything they are looking for on one page. Many one-page websites are visually driven since images and graphics can convey messages simply, removing the need to have a copy and content heavy page…. a picture can speak a thousand words.

 INTUITIVE TO USE

One-page websites offer a logical and intuitive flow of progression throughout the page, with an easy-to-distinguish beginning, middle and end.

 If the users love the story you’re telling about your business and are engaged, they’ll keep reading. You just need to figure out how to place all the elements on the page for better conversion rate. It’s best to have your strongest content (message) towards the top. 

 The only thing that is left for the user is to scroll down to learn more, which is more intuitive than clicking on another page. Your message is being delivered directly and concisely and not dispersed over multiple pages.

 IT LOOKS GOOD ON ALL DEVICES

 The basis for navigating a one-page website is scrolling through the page instead of clicking links. This is appealing to mobile users who would rather scroll down a page to get to the information they seek rather than clicking on different links and waiting for the pages to load. Responsive design is the norm today and one-page websites are great responsive designs and easier to adapt to a range of mobile device sizes.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY

Did you know that being online and using the internet creates harmful emissions to the environment?  So, the less time we spend on the internet, the less of an impact we have on the environment. So, simple websites that aren’t over burdended with graphics, content and animation load faster so viewers aren’t waiting for long load times are more efficient and, in the long run, are more eco-friendly. To learn more about eco-friendly websites check out  my blog post “How to Create an Eco-Friendly Website”.

FEWER DISTRACTIONS

One-page websites offer fewer distractions for users. Typically, there’s only one action that can be taken and one-page websites tend to convert visitors to consumers at a higher rate that multi-page sites.

Why You Wouldn’t Opt for Single-Page Design

FEWER SEO OPPORTUNITIES

The ability to optimize one-page websites for search engine optimization (SEO) is limited since search engines do not have as many pages crawl and recognize as relevant. This is not to say that you can’t rank well organically for SEO, but it is much more of a challenge.

However, you can combat this with strategic digital marketing to drive traffic to your site by being active on social media platforms and creating ads.

LIMITED

With a one-page design, you need to be concise and not overburden your target audience with content. In this case for your site to be most effective, less is more. You don’t want your reader scrolling endlessly. Cramming too much information onto a one-page website will make for a confusing user experience and slow load times. For many, it’s just a matter of clever content and graphics that will convey your message in a visually interesting and informative way.

Think long-term about where your business will be down the road to determine if your brand will outgrow a one-page website in the near future. However, even one-page websites can grow and be redesigned if your needs change in the future. If you are just starting out and you don’t know what the future holds, you can start with a one-page website and slowly convert it into a multi-page site. A one-page site may also give you time to work and learn how to do it on your own and save money down the road.

NARROW FOCUS

A narrow focus is not necessarily a bad thing because you’ve really honed in on your audience which makes you’re marketing more targeted, but if you’re targeting more niches with your products/services and with your content, a one-page design may not be the right choice for you.

BLOGGING

If you want to add a blog to your website to provide ongoing content and information for your audience, additional pages would be required.

NO SOCIAL MEDIA SHARING

One-page websites do not give you the ability to share specific pieces of content. This can hurt your ability to reach your target audience. However, you can create the option for users to share the entire site.

ECOMMERCE BUSINESSES

 If you have a eCommerce online business with many products you would require multiple pages to showcase your products, gain the confidence of potential buyers and provide platform for purchases. Online shops are typically quite complex to build.

Who’s A One-Page Website Design Recommended For?

Beginners on a Budget

Whether you are creating a DIY one-page WordPress Website or hiring a web designer, this will be a more affordable option and require less of a time investment.

Single Service or Product Based Businesses

If you have a business with a single focus such as Business Coaches for Women Entrepreneurs you can easily provide a brief overview of your many services, an about section, offers, testimonials and contact info just to name a few. Whether you are creating a DIY one-page WordPress Website or hiring a web designer, this will be a more affordable option and require less of a time investment. 

Portfolio Pages 

You can have separate pages for your projects on your multi-page website, but you’ll achieve greater effect if you place your most important portfolio projects on a one page design.

Landing Pages

If you want a landing page to capture someone’s full attention and have them carry out a particular action (set up a consultation or discovery call, sign up for your email list, etc), you don’t want to have a button or anything else that leads to another page and distract the user from the CTA.

Event Pages 

With one-page website design, you can include only the most important information and how can people access the event, nothing else is needed.

MULTI-PAGE WEBSITES

Multi-page websites have been with us from the beginning of the Internet dot-com era and are still relevant today. With a well-designed multi-page website, you can’t go wrong. Let’s look at the pros and cons of multi-page websites. Unlike one-page websites, multi-page websites offer a higher degree of complexity. There are distinct advantages to a multi-page website.

Why Would You Choose a Multi-Page Website?

LIMITLESS SCALABILITY

If you want to continuously shift your content strategy and expand the number of your pages, whether that’s your blog pages, product pages or portfolio pages, you need to have a scalable solution. In that case, multi-page web design is the clear-cut choice for you. The sky is the limit to how much your brand can grow and scale when utilizing a multi-page website. With an unlimited number of pages, sections, and links at your disposal to create, opportunities are unlimited.

ULTIMATE SEO POTENTIAL

With the ability to target multiple keywords on every page of your website, a multi-page design doesn’t limit you in SEO as the one-page design does. This means that you’re flexible to produce more content and rank high in searches. Multi-page websites are what search engines crave. SEO thrives on high-quality content and multi-page websites which give brands the ability to create, publish, and promote the best content filled with money making keywords and useful links. SEO is what it takes to get your website high on SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).

THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media platforms are powerful influencers, and the ability to promote your brand on social media is crucial to the growth of your business. Multi-page websites allow visitors to share specific pieces of content, promoting your brand and growing your audience.

FAMILIARITY

People are used to multi-page design and navigation menus and know immediately how to get around if they land on a systematic and well-organized website.

Why You Wouldn’t Choose Multi-Page Design

CONSTANT MAINTENANCE

The larger your website and the more content, plugins and integrations you have, the more difficult the maintenance and updating process is. It takes time to manage, update, and optimize each page which will require significantly more time than a one-page website.

DISTRACTING USERS

When a user lands on a multi-page website, the distraction level is a lot more intense than the One-Page website and the opportunities to click somewhere else and lose focus are always present.

MORE COMPLEX FOR MOBILES

It’s much more complex to adapt a multi-page website to be mobile friendly but with platforms such as WordPress, they have options to design your site as mobile friendly, then converting to a desktop version.

BEWARE OF BOUNCE RATES

Websites that have a great deal of content can be distracting and slow to load. Each of these may cause visitors to leave after visiting only one page, resulting in a high bounce rate. It is important to make sure your website has an intuitive architecture giving incentives for users to visit different pages of your website and is optimized to load smoothly and quickly.

Who is a Multi-Page Design Recommended for?

The multi-page design is suitable for every type of business, large or small. Just because you have can have multiple pages, doesn’t necessarily mean you need to create a labyrinth of pages and content just because you can. Keeping it simple is always the key to an effective website. Include as many well organized pages with a specific intent as you need, but not more.

As an eCommerce business, if you have multiple products that you want to sell online, you must have product pages, front page, contact page, and possibly blog pages as well. And if you offer services, depending on your service, you need to include details about pricing packages, terms of use, feedback forms, testimonials and other information that probably wouldn’t look too nice if you pack it all in a single page.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing between the two options, the winner will depend exclusively on your business goals and what you offer. The simplicity and minimalism of a one-page design can be excellent for a single service business,  your portfolio page or a one-product e-commerce site. On the other hand, multi-page design can be your pragmatic choice if you want to produce more content or create an online store with more than one product or service.

Bottom line, make sure that your website offers the best possible experience for your target users. Take a content-first approach, and understand what your users appreciate the most when it comes to online experience and content, and use the design pattern that is more suitable for that.

Overview: One-Page Websites vs Multi-Page Websites

One-page websites are great for smaller businesses and brands that are focused on a single product or service.

They offer:
• Easy adaptability for mobile devices;
• Easy-to-navigate content; and
• Fewer distractions, which leads to higher conversion rates.

Multi-page websites are ideal for businesses and brands that offer multiple products and services, are looking to grow and scale, and have a diverse audience.

They offer:
• Familiarity to users;
• Ability to grow and scale;
• Ability to optimize for SEO; and
• Unlimited amounts of content.

Which One is Right for You?

There is not a right or wrong answer when it comes to deciding whether you should go with a one-page website layout or a multi-page. The decision is dependent on your business’s needs and future goals. 

Whether you choose a simple, one-page design for your website or a multi-page layout, I am here to help you make sure you have a stunning, professional, and optimized website to take your business to the next level. For more information visit www.amyeperez.com or Contact Me today for more information and to schedule your free initial consultation.