The Pros and Cons of One Page Websites

Ah, the one page website. They're just regular websites with one page. Right? Well, technically yes, but also no. It is actually more helpful to think of them as essentially an entirely different animal, presenting their own set of unique benefits and challenges. Let's jump in and have a look in a bit more detail.

Say Hello to Super Simple Online Browsing

One page websites are totally dreamy for mobile browsers. Completely removing the need to zoom and tap here, there and everywhere, a simple scroll is quite literally all it takes. The influence you have over your site's user journey and experience is immense and there isn't any room for error. Cramming in too much content will result in a slow-loading page that is almost impossible to navigate. The pressure is on!

Branding, Branding, Branding

One page websites present a masterclass in strong branding and cohesive design. But only when they're done right. Literally everything you need to say will have to be displayed in the same place, which requires ultra-concise copy, well-chosen graphics and engaging imagery. You will also need an innovative layout that ensures you are still able to stand out from the crowd, regardless of the markedly more compact digital real estate you're working with.

There's Absolutely No Room for Waffle

This could be a positive or a negative, depending on how you look at it. On the one hand, constructing a one page site will force you to sit down and really think about what you need to share with your audience. Visitors aren't going to want to scroll forever so if something isn't absolutely vital, it shouldn't make it onto the page.

But this is great, right? You won't be taking up too much of your audience's valuable time, instead demonstrating that you understand they lead busy lives and can provide them with what they want quickly and efficiently. Totally. But if you get it wrong, you're putting yourself in a pretty vulnerable position. If your visitors can't find what they're looking for immediately, there's nowhere else for them to go and they're going to split ASAP.

The Challenge of Sequencing and Layout

As you'll be in complete control of the sequence in which your audience interacts with your content, everything needs to be in precisely the right place to avoid confusion, misunderstanding, and frustration. The most important stuff should obviously be placed at the very top, and one page sites should always be tailed with a compelling call-to-action (CTA). A single page will never be able to offer your audience a lot, so what you do provide really needs to be top notch.

Minimal content also makes it more difficult to rank well for keywords and phrases in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO is tricky at the best of times, but working with a one page site makes it that bit trickier.

If, after all that, you're still keen to explore the potential of a one page website further, give us a call. We're always up for a challenge but note that we will be totally transparent if we don't think this approach will be a match made in heaven for your business. Why? Because we genuinely want the best for you. Bit mushy, we know. But it's true. So, let's talk!