Single page vs multi-page websites: which is right for you?

Do you want a single-page or a multi-page website? This is one of the first questions a web design agency will ask you when building a new website for your business.

We know that 38% of web visitors will leave a site with poor design and irrelevant content, so it’s important to pick a site format that delivers for your target market.

Both single-page and multi-page sites have their pros and cons. The type of website you choose will depend on your business, your products or services and your website objectives.

In this article, we’ll help you to make a decision by looking at:

• What is a single-page website?
• What is a multi-page website?
• Advantages of a single-page website
• Disadvantages of a single-page website
• Advantages of a multi-page website
• Disadvantages of a multi-page website
• A single-page or multi-page website: which is right for you?

What is a single-page website?

On a single-page website (also known as a one-page website), all your site content fits onto just one page. This single web page features information about your brand, product and/or services, and elements like a contact form.

A user can use navigation links at the top of the page to jump to different parts of the page. Alternatively, they can scroll down through your webpage content to reach each new section.

A website on one page can be used to tell a story. With no other pages to navigate to, single-page websites can create an immersive experience for website users. The one-page format is also well-suited to landing pages, portfolios and product or event launch sites.

What is a multi-page website?

A multi-page website is a website with multiple pages.

For a brochure site, that might include a home page, a service page, an about page, a blog and a contact page. For a big e-commerce site, a multi-page website may have hundreds or thousands of pages, with lots of product categories and product description pages.

Using the website menu, hyperlinked text and call-to-action buttons, users can navigate between these pages. If menus and site structure are designed well, users can find the information they’re looking for quickly and easily.

Multi-page websites are much more common than one-page sites. They allow businesses to communicate lots of information without overwhelming a user.

Advantages of a single-page website

So why would you choose a one-page website over a multi-page website? Let’s look at some of the advantages of a single-page site.

Simplicity

A single-page website is simple and easy to navigate. Usually, there are no buttons or menu options. Instead, users get to scroll from top to bottom, consuming your content as they go. And if they need to find specific information — like your contact form — they can click on a link to jump straight there.

A great mobile experience

Because one-page sites tend to be simple and free from clutter, they usually provide a good mobile experience. Scrolling on a smartphone comes naturally. And there are no complicated user interface features to squeeze onto smaller screens.

Low maintenance

One-page sites can be quicker and cheaper to build than multi-page sites. They tend to involve less web maintenance, too. You only have one page of content to update. There are no links to other pages — so no broken links to fix. And if anything does go wrong with your website, it’s generally pretty easy to find and fix the problem.

Take customers on a journey

One-page websites allow you to tell a story, particularly if you incorporate eye-catching images and web animation techniques. Because users don’t have the option to switch between pages, you can take them on a journey. You can give them an immersive experience and get them to consume your content in the order you see fit.

Keep your site focused on one conversion

On multi-page sites, users have lots of options. They can visit any page and see many different calls to action. On a single-page site, you can be very focused on what you’re trying to achieve. Your site leads users to a single call to action, with no distractions along the way. This can help to boost conversions.

Disadvantages of a single-page website

There are lots of advantages to one-page website design. But there are some downsides to this format, too. Here are some of the disadvantages to consider when deciding whether a single-page website is right for you and your business.

Not SEO-friendly

One-page website design isn’t SEO-friendly. It’s hard to rank highly in search engine result pages (SERPs) because, with just one page to work with, you can’t provide in-depth content.

You can’t target multiple keywords across different web pages either. And without a blog, you’ll probably struggle to update your website regularly.

Because Google looks for fresh content and topic authority as signs that your site is useful, relevant and up-to-date, a single-page website can harm your SEO efforts.

Harder to measure website interaction

With just one route in and out of your website, developing a better user experience on your one-page site can be tricky. Analytics can’t tell you which content is proving useful to users — and which is leading them to leave your site. So you can only guess how to make your site more user-friendly.

You can’t personalise the experience

Everyone who lands on your website gets exactly the same information, delivered in the same order. That may work perfectly well for your brand and your offering. But if you want to show users specific and targeted information, a one-page website isn’t going to deliver.

Just one URL

Having one URL may keep things simple. But it has its drawbacks. First, you only have one URL to share in your marketing materials — you can only direct potential customers to that one page, which may or may not contain information relevant to your marketing campaign. Secondly, you’ll only have one URL showing up in search results. This reduces your online visibility.

Difficult to scale

The average website lifespan is between two and three years. But your site may last longer if it’s built with your future business in mind. Unfortunately, a single-page website doesn’t adapt or scale well. If you want to change or expand your product or service offering, it’s likely that you’ll need a website redesign.

Advantages of a multi-page site

So how does a multi-page site compare to a single-page site? Let’s take a look at the advantages of a website with multiple pages.

Familiar for users

The best websites are intuitive to use. A user understands how to navigate the website as soon as they land on it. Multi-page website design is familiar. Users know that they can use the menu and search bar to find what they’re looking for and this is a great foundation for good user experience.

Better for SEO

Multi-page websites are much better than single-page websites at driving organic traffic. That’s because you can use each page of your website (and your blog) to provide in-depth information, answer questions for your audience and target new keywords.

You can also regularly refresh your site with new content. This improves the visibility of your business in Google and other search engines, which means more traffic for your site.

You can measure page performance

Using website analytics tools, you can see which of your website pages is getting the most traffic. You can see which calls to action are prompting the most clicks. And you can see where visitors lose interest and leave your site. This gives you a ton of useful insight, which you can use to create an even more engaging and effective website.

You can provide in-depth content

If you’d struggle to fit your whole product or service offering onto a single web page, a multi-page website will give you the space you need. You can dedicate a web page to each of your services or products. Across your site and your blog, you can give users all the information they need as they decide whether to do business with you.

You can create multiple user journeys

Imagine you have a website that provides learning resources for parents and teachers. Or a site that sells clothes for men, women and children. Those different segments of your market need content personalised to their needs and pain points.

With a multi-page website design, creating multiple customer journeys across your site is easy. You can also use these customer-specific URLs in your marketing, directing potential customers to the most relevant page on your website.

Unlimited scalability

As long as your hosting package and server are up to the task, there’s no limit to where you can take a website with multiple pages. Add hundreds of products. Or thousands of articles. You can update your site to include as many pages as makes sense for your business. You can also create landing pages related to a launch or a new campaign.

Multiple calls to action and conversions

While having lots of calls to action can be confusing for website users, it can be helpful to offer potential customers a choice. If they’re not ready, they don’t have to schedule a call right now.

Instead, on a multi-page website, they can sign up for your mailing list. Or download the handy template you’ve created. Or take a look at some of your past work. They don’t have to part with their cash — but you still move them further down the conversion funnel.

Disadvantages of a multi-page site

As we’ve seen, there are lots of advantages to a multi-page site. But there are, of course, some disadvantages, too. Let’s take a look at them.

Lots of maintenance

Compared to a single-page site, a website with multiple pages requires a lot of web maintenance. You need to keep on top of SEO, content, plugins, links, product pages, images, videos and website security.

To ensure your site keeps working as well as it should, you’ll need to invest in regular website upkeep. Without it, your site stops providing a good user experience. Pages on your site may load more slowly or provide irrelevant information. This can increase your bounce rate and negatively impact SEO.

Responsiveness

The best websites feature mobile-first, responsive design. They work beautifully on all devices. But with the wrong approach, a multi-page site can fall short for mobile users. Complicated menus and cluttered design don’t always translate well to a small screen.

Responsiveness should always be a priority. This may be harder to achieve across a multi-page site — but it’s all in a day’s work for the right web design agency.

More complexity

When you’re packing a lot of information into a website, it’s harder to keep things simple and streamlined. The complexity (and cost) of building your website inevitably increases. Customer journeys can also become complicated and confusing. When creating a multi-page website, you need to take extra care to keep things minimal and user-friendly.

User distractions

There are lots of routes a user can take across a multi-page site. So you can’t control how they’ll consume your content. Their attention may flit from one page to another, which makes it harder for you to get key messages across.

A single-page or multi-page website: which is right for you and your business?

We’ve looked at all the pros and cons of both one-page and multi-page website design. But which is right for you and your business?

It all depends on your brand, your offering and your users.

A single-page website may be the right choice for you if:

• You plan to get site traffic from word of mouth, social media or other marketing channels — not from SEO
• You’re selling a single product or service
• You’re not selling online — you’re simply showcasing your bricks-and-mortar location or a portfolio of work
• You don’t need to personalise the customer journey for different market segments
• You want to save on web design, build and maintenance costs

A multi-page website may be the right choice for you if:

• You sell multiple products or services
• You have lots of information to share with potential customers
• You want to create personalised journeys for different customer personas
• You want a website that can scale as your company grows
• You want to implement an SEO strategy and get website traffic from search engines
• You’re happy to commit to ongoing website maintenance

Ultimately, when deciding between a one-page and a multi-page website, you need to think about your users. What information are they likely to need before deciding whether to work with you or buy from you?

If you can realistically fit all that information onto one page, a single-page website is a viable option. If you can’t — or you may want to include extra information in future — a multi-page website is the way to go.

Still not sure whether to choose a single-page or multi-page website for your business? Then the Radical team can help. Get in touch to chat about your project and we’ll be happy to share our advice.