Almost every custom website design meeting starts with the same question. Business owners want to know which is better, a single or multipage website design.
The answer is complicated and about more than aesthetics. Your website design decisions directly impact the efficacy of your SEO lead generation strategy.
To help you make an informed decision, we broke down the pros and cons for single and multipage websites. By the end of this article, you’ll know which design gives you the best chance to attract new opportunities through SEO.
Pros and Cons of a Single Page Custom Website Design for SEO
A single-page custom website is just that, all the information you want visitors to have on one page. There is no navigation menu to click through, visitors simply scroll up and down the page to find content.
Pros
Cheaper, faster, easier to build
The simplicity of single-page sites means that the custom web designer you are working with will be able to build out your site quickly and at a lower cost than a multipage site.
Low maintenance
Fewer features and no internal links mean you won’t have to constantly update your site and there are fewer possibilities for coding errors.
Great for mobile
Single-page sites convert more easily to mobile devices and are easier to navigate on smaller screens.
Cons
Simple design actively hurts SEO
Single-page websites cannot follow SEO best practices. The inherent structural limitations prevent optimizations and make it difficult or impossible for prospects to find you through search.
Keyword limits curb your potential
A single-page website will never rank for as many keywords as a multipage site. If you choose this design, your site will struggle to rank high in a search engine’s results.
No internal links further sinks SEO
SEO prioritizes sites that have both internal and external links. These are links that will take visitors to other pages within the same site or to other websites. By definition, single page websites can contain only external links.
It’s difficult to describe multiple solutions
Everything you want visitor to know about your business must fit on a single page. Discussing multiple services and solutions, who you are, and why people trust you clutters your page and makes navigation difficult.
You are also unable to provide the depth of content on a single page website that could help differentiate you from your competition.
Unforced errors in your website design drive away prospects
Fix the 13 issues that hold you back from success
Pros and Cons of a Multipage Custom Website Design for SEO
A multipage website includes a home page, navigation menu, strategically placed internal links that take visitors to additional, information-rich pages about your company, and the products or services you provide.
Pros
Set a focus keyword for each page
Individual pages on your site can be designed around a focus keyword that aligns with your solutions and services. Each page then has a chance to rank for its keyword.
More pages mean more chances one of them will show up when a prospect performs a search. Overall, this approach is better for your lead generation strategy.
You target each phase of the Buyer’s Journey
Each page is a different entry point to your site from a unique search result – mirroring the way prospects come to your business through multiple channels.
Once on your website, internal links draw visitors onto additional pages with content to keep them engaged, learn more about your products and services, and offer them compelling calls to action.
Greater marketing potential
With multiple pages on your website, there is always a place for fresh content to interest visitors. You will also have the flexibility to target specific customer segments through specially designed pages.
Cons
Updates and management require more resources
The more pages you have, the more time is required to keep content fresh and links accurate. Search engines are optimized to rank recently published material higher than older content. It is also necessary to have internal and external links checked regularly to ensure that they still work and are relevant.
Not immediately mobile friendly
The size and features within multipage websites can result in longer loading times on mobile devices. Navigation through menus or hyperlinks can also be trickier on smaller screens.
It’s difficult, but not impossible. Work with a digital marketing company offering web development services to create a mobile-friendly site.
Potentially high bounce rate
Bounce rate is the term used to describe the number of visitors who leave after viewing only a single page. This is always a risk with multipage websites but less so if your site is properly set up for SEO. If your keywords and content are targeted to the prospects you are looking to draw in, they will be more likely to stay on your site and explore further.
Multipage Websites Create More Business Opportunities
Overall, multipage websites have the edge in SEO and therefore in drawing more traffic to your site. Except in a few specific cases, a multipage site will have the functionality your complex company needs in its digital content strategy. It will also complement your lead generation efforts and support your customers on their Buyer’s Journey.
How to eliminate the cons of multipage web design
The drawbacks outlined above can be easily managed by a website development company that offers SEO consulting services.
If you are concerned about the time needed to update and maintain your company’s website, or you want to ensure that you are employing the best SEO strategies, KLA Group is here to do it for you.
Get a Custom Website Design from KLA Group
We’ll keep your site up and running, optimize every page for SEO, and create opportunities to drive traffic. You can focus on your core business with the confidence that we’ve got your back.
When you work with KLA Group you get a multipage, content-rich website that engages people at every stage of the Buyer’s Journey.