More and more businesses are building single page scrolling websites, but is it the right choice for your company? Here we will talk you through the pros and cons of single page scrolling websites to help you make up your mind.

#Pros

1.Controlling information

Single page scrolling websites enable webmasters to have more control over the information their users view. When viewing a multi-page website, users are unlikely to read the information displayed on every single page, meaning they could miss important information. By having a single page scrolling website you can control what your users view and when they view it.

2.User engagement

Having a single page scrolling website will allow you to take your users on a virtual journey. This form of design is particularly useful for businesses that have a story to tell. Animating a single page scrolling website with a story is a great way to engage readers and offer something unique. Offering short snippets of information as they scroll down the page will help to retain their attention and prevent them from getting bored.

3.Web design

Many website owners with multi-page website spend a lot of time making their homepage look attractive but then fail to ensure the internal pages are up to the same standard. Single page scrolling websites promote consistency in terms of design. They are also very aesthetically pleasing.

4.Conversion rates

Studies have shown that websites with single page checkout processes have higher conversion rates than those that spread the process out across a number of pages. The quicker your users can access the information they need, the more likely they are to transform from being a visitor to a customer.

#Cons

1.Search engine optimisation

It is very difficult to optimise a single page of content for more than one keyword. Many webmasters with single page scrolling websites will even find it difficult to optimise their website for a single keyword, especially if there is a lot of content covering different topics on the page. With a single page scrolling website you only have one title tag, one URL and one meta tag, which is obviously not as great for SEO as having multiple URLs and tags. Single page scrolling websites can also load slowly and as you will know, page loading times have an impact on your website’s overall SEO.

2.Website analytics

Single page scrolling websites make it difficult for website owners to determine what is working and what isn’t. Analytics websites provide an insight to what features and pages are working well, but as you only have a single page, you will only really get an insight to the number of visitors your website receives and how long they stay on your website for. This makes it difficult for website owners to know how they are supposed to make changes in order to increase conversion rates and improve their users’ experience.

3.Requires more creativity

Some people may find single page scrolling websites very challenging to structure. You need to be able to display a lot of information on one page, in a way that is both aesthetically pleasing and engaging. Finding an interesting way to structure your content will take time and effort. For some people it may be too much work, whereas others may enjoy the challenge it presents!

4.Unsuitable for blogs

Blogs and news feeds have great SEO benefits as they keep websites updated with fresh content. However unfortunately blog feeds do not work particularly well on single page scrolling websites. The fact that they are fairly difficult to update makes it almost impossible to implement a blog.

Conclusion

Although single page scrolling websites are currently very popular, they do not work for everyone. Single page scrolling websites are a suitable choice for those who want to create a portfolio or campaign website. They also work well as brochure websites. If you are looking to create a website that features a wide range of topics, it would be best to choose a multi-page website instead.

Author Bio :This article was brought to you by Hallway Studios, a creative digital marketing agency serving London, Herts, Beds & Bucks.

Image credits: SEOPlanter