Image by Nick Rennard via Digital Reach Agency
The information that is packed into a single website is astounding, from browsing through CNN to an old MySpace website, within both nests several pages of content. The multi-paged websites have pages that consist of photos, posts, contact information, and more. However, sometimes, a one-page approach results in a better design.
Which design is best?
| Website Type | Design | Reason |
| Clothing Store | Multi-Page | They offer several goods and services which would display on several pages. |
| Soda Pop Company | Single-Page | The only details necessary would be photos, contact details, and a few paragraphs about their brand and service. |
| Hospital | Multi-Page | Websites for hospitals must contain a great deal of information for visitors to navigate through their many services. |
| Portfolio | Single-Page | The employer only needs general information about the candidate that contains projects and contact information. |
Differences
Multi-Page
Image via Giphy
Multi-page websites contain multiple pages. At the top of most multi-paged websites, there is a menu that has subpages for more straightforward navigation. The optimal way to navigate through a multi-page website is to click on the hyperlinks within the menu.
Anybody can use Multi-page design with any particular scope in mind because it offers the most flexibility. ECommerce sites (i.e. Amazon) and eLearning sites (i.e. Lynda) are great examples of multi-page design.
Pros:
- Flexibility
- More Space
- Great for SEO
Cons:
- Can produce unnecessary clutter
- May be more difficult to navigate
- More challenging to adapt to other devices.
One of the main reasons someone may prefer to use multi-page design is the powerful SEO capabilities that come with it. Since multi-page sites contain more content than single page sites, there is a higher chance they have great SEO. Although SEO potential for websites is also dependent on digital marketing strategy, having more content boosts the potential to optimize a site’s SEO.
One strong reason someone may not prefer multi-page design is because it is more challenging to adapt to mobile and other devices. Since single-page design uses the same backend code that is used to develop mobile sites, multi-page designs require extra coding to produce a mobile version. In contrast to single-page design, multi-page design results in a costly and time-consuming endeavor that may result in losing visual consistency across the different platforms.
One Page
One-page design displays content on a single page. After someone clicks the link to a single-page website, all of the content loads onto the first page resulting in the visitor having a more fluid browsing experience.
The visitor will navigate through the website by scrolling down through the page or selecting links to navigate to different destinations on a single page website.
Image via Visual Hierarchy
Pros:
- Clear formatting
- Custom transition effects
- Easier to Navigate
Cons:
- Limited Options
- Not the best option if SEO is important
- Not best for growing brands
Some people will opt for single-page design if the main prerogative is to develop a clean website that separates the content into sections. These sections help unclutter the UI, plus it is easier for visitors to take in. Single-page design is intuitive for visitors because there is only one page to navigate the content. Plus, the flow of the website is not scattered but flows in a linear fashion that has a beginning, middle, and end.
As mentioned above, single page websites are highly adaptable because they use the same backend code that is used to develop mobile sites. With small less content, it is much easier to adapt single page websites to various screen sizes maintaining design consistency.
3 Cool Examples of One-Page Web Designs
Now that we understand a few basics about one-page websites, it’s time to check out this design approach in action. The following sites are not only inspirational but fun to navigate through.
1. Kit-Kat
The Kit-Kat website is an excellent example of how to creatively inform visitors about a product on a single page. The website’s use of transitions are dynamic, interactive, and can make you feel as though you are experiencing the product via an animated story.
Within the site’s single page, a visitor could find out about the Kit-Kat’s history, candy design, product pitch, and share the website on various social media platforms. Scrolling to the bottom of the website, you will find a small excerpt of small text that is personable and fun, which evokes a sense of personality and humor into the product.
2. Formation
Formation is a business that has a vast inventory of beautiful stones and unique tiles available to homeowners, contractors, and architects. Stone has a lot of texture and a wide array of patterns. The website, Formation, is designed to give the same impression as the earthy element. The landing page was strategically designed to pique the interests of visitors for their products. By having the visitor scroll down, they will be able to understand the business’s history, their contact information, store locations, and small excerpts about the variety of stones they carry.
The design itself is quite simple with a gold, white, and black color theme with large margins on the left and right of the website to give breathing room. To liven up the page, they include a small gallery of the different stones they carry along with a few sentences detailing the stones.
Every Last Drop is a UK based interactive website that informs visitors how much water is wasted on a daily basis. Scrolling through, the website provides ways we can reduce water waste and how these actions benefit everyone. The design drums up hope and encourages the audience to be more conscientious of their water usage.
Every Last Drop could have opted to create a simple informative site but by focusing on digital storytelling, it boosts its influence. Overall, the site is a successful example of how to design a compelling story on a single page that inspires change.
Conclusion
If used correctly, one-page websites can be engaging and informative. Because there is not as much information to shuffle through to find what they are looking for, it may raise visitor satisfaction encouraging more engagement.
Though it could be tempting, not every website should convert to one-page sites overnight, if at all. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, clothing stores should not switch to one-page design because each product requires a page. But if someone is creating a landing page or an online portfolio, a single page is all that is needed.