Single-Page Website: The Right Strategy for Your Business?

I’m working with a client who has a new business that he wants to promote. It’s related to his existing business, but we decided to brand, launch and market this as a standalone entity. We also decided that a one-page website was the perfect solution for his online presence—at least for now. 

Is a one-page website right for you?

How does a single page site work? It’s simple. There’s no clicking. Ever. No complex navigation schematic or buttons. Everything lives on one page. All you do is scroll. 

There’s lots to love about single-page websites

• Professional-looking sites; can be built in a matter of hours; they’re easily updated.
• High conversion rates—no distractions!
• Fall within mobile-friendly guidelines, look great across all browsing devices.
• Ideal for those who need a quick site for a promotion–a pop-up event or store. 
• Perfect solution for an artist, for instance, who might be doing a gallery showing. User lands on the site and simply scrolls down the page. 
• Call out contact information on the header and footer, plenty of room for featured information. 
• Ideal way to set up landing page for a campaign.  A single-page site lets you create messaging and efficiently run A/B tests.

Ideal for users accessing information on mobile devices

Another thing that makes this model attractive is that with an increasing number of users accessing information via mobile rather than their desktop computers, information delivery has been reengineered from a formal dropdown schematic with drilldown to one that is less structured and relies on scrolling. A single-page site fits perfectly into this design model.

Drawbacks? You’re missing out on search engine optimization opportunities (SEO)

Single-page websites are designed around a central topic or theme—a keyword–so single-page websites can only target that single phrase. Multipage websites have more chances of ranking higher in search because they’re optimized for more keywords.

Something else to think about: We’re on a site to find more information

On a single-page website, it’s generally hard to find specific, comprehensive content–there isn’t space to create a separate page for each topic. It can be frustrating to land on a site and find a couple of sentences that really don’t provide enough details to answer our questions. For a single-page site, you really need to think about key messaging, then minimize everything else. 

Include a strong call to action

On the other hand, with single-page sites, there’s nowhere for the user to get distracted — every part of the page leads them toward a conversion point, driving more leads and business. 

The right tool for the job: Single-page design deserves a place at the table 

While single-page design won’t take over the future of web design, it likely will continue to be included in web development conversations because it fulfills a genuine need. 

Do you have a business or product launch that would be a good fit for a one-page website? Contact Top of Mind Marketing about a one-page website for your business. We’re writers and content marketing experts.

Is a Single-Page Website Design Right For You?

You may have noticed single-page websites popping up around the internet. They’re especially popular with designers because they’re a great way to host portfolios. Apps and product sites also favor this design option that doesn’t require a lot of content or drilldown.

A single-page website: One that fits on a single page

Single-page websites are fully loaded in the initial page load. There’s no drilldown, no navigation bar or clicking because there’s nowhere else to go! Single-page sites can be efficient, and they’re a natural outgrowth of the mobile movement–visitors don’t have to wait for pages to load.

Things to love about single-page sites

• Ease of use and maintenance.
• High conversion rates.
• Look great on every browsing device, falling within mobile-friendly guidelines.
• Professional-looking sites can be built in a matter of hours; updates easily achieved.

There are other scenarios when a single-page site is the perfect solution

• If you’re a freelancer, a single-page is the perfect way to host your work and give potential employers a bit of information about you. You can also include a simple contact intake form.
• Landing pages. This is the ideal solution for a campaign. A single-page site lets you create messaging and efficiently run A/B tests.
• Simple website needs.Think about a pop-up store. A simple website with a brief introduction, photos and contact information is the perfect solution for a temporary business.

The downside

The average website is likely optimized for 20-50+ keywords. Remember that one-page sites are all about images or other information. How can you optimize for 50 keywords on a site that has virtually no content? You can’t. And that’s the biggest drawback to single-page sites.

• If SEO is an important component of your website and marketing strategy, this is not the best solution for you.
• Real websites include multiple pages designed around a users’ needs and the website owner’s goals. Let visitors pick their paths based on their needs and then present them with information created just for them. We can do this with a multiple page website, but we can’t easily do this with a single-page website.

Popularity likely to continue, as it serves a need

In a traditional web environment, it’s all about grabbing users with keyword search, getting them to land on your site and then funneling them towards a contact form, page, or phone number. With single-page sites, there’s nowhere for the user to get distracted — every part of the page drives them toward a conversion point, driving more leads and business. While single-page design won’t take over the future of web design, it likely will continue to leave its mark through 2019 because it serves a real need.

Is this right for you?

The best approach: Think about what you want to include on your site. Sketch it out, identifying images and content. Give Top of Mind Marketing a call, and let’s determine if a single-page site is the right solution for your business.