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Should I design a single-page or multi-page website for my advisory business? This is a question we get A LOT and we’re here to guide you so that you can make the decision that’s right for you !
What Is A Single-Page Site? What Is A Multi-Page Site?
The name is enough to tell you the difference between these two site designs. A single page site contains one HTML page, and users simply scroll down to get the information they need. Services, contact info, features, etc. are all listed on the same page instead of being on separate pages. On the other hand, a multi-page site has multiple pages where users have to click on different links and navigate through the site to get the information they need. Both of these designs have their own set of pros and cons, but the ultimate decision depends on your advisory business and the content you provide!
Single Pages Are Simple, Comprehensible, And Mobile-Friendly
There’s no doubt that single page sites are easier to navigate- all you have to do is scroll! A single-page website offers a clean user journey as the information is split up into small chunks. The information tends to be concise on a single-page site, but if you are a large brand with a lot of information, it may not be ideal to use this design.People can more easily comprehend single page sites as well because they don’t need to click on different links to get the information they need. They are less likely to get lost and confused as the whole story is described on one page. In addition, single-page sites are very popular designs for mobile-friendly websites. If you’re on your phone looking at a website, it is much more natural to scroll down than click on the different page tabs.Below, our client Tobin Investment Planning uses a single-page site.
Multi-Pages Are Complex But Traditional
A multi-page website is great for those firms with a lot of content and information. If you feel you need multiple pages to organize the vast, varied content you have, a multi-page site may be more practical. Multi-page sites have also been around for a long time. In fact, when visitors arrive on a site, they expect to see multiple pages. People are familiar with this site design and know how to use it. Multi-page sites can, however, lead to some confusion if your navigation flow isn’t easy to follow. In order to make sure your site is effective, it should be a breeze for users to get the information they need.Below, our client Tapparo Capital Management uses a multi-page site.
Are Single-Page Websites Bad For SEO?
One of the most important differences between a single-page and multi-page site is the effect on SEO. A lot of people come to us and say that they were researching the pros and cons of single-page sites and multi-page sites. While they were searching they saw that a single page site is disadvantageous for SEO over a multi-page site.
OUR RESPONSE:
The way our frameworks function, you are not limited from an SEO perspective whether you choose a multi-page or single-page scrolling website. Meaning, you’ll still have the opportunity to optimize your meta descriptions, title tags and header tags for each individual page. Even if you opt for Iris, our single-page scrolling experience, it will still be structured in a way with separate pages/URLs so Google Analytics and GoogleBots will be able to crawl each individual URL.We also understand that creating a website takes a lot of time and effort. If you want to experiment and compare your results from a single- page to a multi-page site, we make it as easy as it can be. Changing your framework is not a problem at all. Iris is our single page scrolling option whereas all other frameworks (fresnel, rod & cone, acuity & pupil) are all multipage, and you can change or upgrade your website’s framework at any time. While all of your existing website content and website settings will be retained, you may experience formatting issues, especially if you have custom styles in place. However, you can always switch back to a previous framework or version.
So, What Should You Do?
Now that we’ve talked about some of the pros and cons of single-page and muti-page sites, it’s time to think about which one is right for you. Both single page and multi-page websites work well, and if you use our framework, you won’t need to worry about the SEO aspect. So, ask yourself, what do my clients want? How much content do I have? What is my vision?
Related: 10 Critical SEO Success Factors For Financial Advisors In 2020