Web Design
How Websites Make You Buy Their Products: It’s Smarter Than...
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One page layouts are all the rage these days, they’re modern, they’re simple and they can look great, but are one page layouts really as effective as it would seem?
A one page website consists of only a single page which features different sections of the website on the same page. For example rather than clicking to go to new pages, you scroll down to view other sections or “pages” on the website. With me? If not here’s a few examples of some beautifully crafted one page layouts.
When used for certain purposes single page layouts can be a great choice, for example if you want your website to be more like a landing page or your main source of traffic is through a PPC campaign then a one page website could be ideal. However if you’re wanting to get found through SEO or you’re selling online you’ll definitely have a more difficult time generating business with a one page layout.
One of the best Search Engine Optimisation practices is ‘on page SEO’ which where you feature descriptions, keyword rich titles, meta tags, links and headers on your website. For the best results it’s best to have a page per topic meaning each page can be optimised specifically for that topic, using the best headers, tags, descriptions and content. Having one page with lots of topics means you’ll have lots of different headlines, tags and content which will ultimately confuse any search engines when they come to scan your page.
One page layouts are usually quite simple which makes them quite limiting. If you want to add descriptive text on each section, too much content can look out of place. The idea of a one page layout is that it’s simple, easy to use and not too wordy, so it’s best if featuring text to keep it simple, which could turn away visitors if they want to know exactly what you offer.
It’s easy to see what others are doing with one page layouts and to want something similar, however just because something is on trend, it doesn’t mean that it’s best for your business. One page websites can be beautiful and fun, especially for blogs, brochure style websites and portfolios however if you’re wanting to get found and attract visitors who’ll want to use your services or buy your product then a traditional multi page website is the way to go.
