Like anything, there are big benefits to a one-page website and there are also some downsides.

What you really need to consider is your type of business, what you want to achieve from your website, and whether a one-page site is the best option for you.

Here we’ll outline some of the pros and cons of a one-page website in a bid to help you make the right decision.

First off, what is a one-page website?

Well, it’s pretty simple really – a one-page website does what it says on the tin.

All the information about your business is contained on one single page which can be as long or as short as you wish.

The pros of a one-page website

Before we get into this it’s worth stating that what we list as pros and cons, you may view differently.

Each business (and each visitor) is unique and so your approach to website design will be different from everyone else’s.

However, one of the most notable pros that aren’t really argued over is that you can easily condense all your information into one place.

This really helps drive home your key messages without diluting them over several different pages.

Another benefit is complete ease of navigation – or rather, there is no navigation!

With multiple-page sites, you risk visitors clicking on this, that, and the other, and ending up down the rabbit hole without finding what it is you want them to find.

Thirdly, one-page websites are more often than not very mobile friendly.

They usually have a simple, clean design, they’re easy to optimize and they don’t have lots of extra tabs or links to lure people elsewhere.

The cons of a one-page website

While having all your information on one page definitely helps target your messaging, it does limit your keyword capability.

Or rather, it means you need to try and get as many of them on one page as possible without keyword stuffing.

Along the same SEO lines, a one-page website has a major drawback in that you won’t have a blog to lean on.

Blogs are a great SEO tool and a well-optimized article that ranks highly can really boost your visitor numbers.

Additionally, as strange as this may sound, a single-page site may actually take longer to load than one with multiple pages.

This will happen if your one-page site is particularly long and contains lots of images, text, and other graphics all in one place.

Next up, it’s time to think about your products and/or services. This isn’t really a con, more of a consideration.

If you are selling lots of products, then a one-page site is almost definitely not for you.

Or if you have various branches of your business which each need explaining then you’ll likely need more space than a one-page site can offer.

The bottom line

It’s clear there are many pros and cons to a one-page website.

What you ultimately need to consider is the type of content you’ll need on your website and how you want it structured.

If you’ve got lots of strands to your business, or lots of products, then a one-page website isn’t going to cut it.

If however, you want a simple, clean website with easy navigation that won’t run the risk of your visitors getting lost, then perhaps a one-page site is the right choice.

Whatever you decide, we’re here to help.

If you’d like a hand building your website please get in touch below.

Not sure where to begin?

They are, after all, both types of websites; however, the differences lie in their structure and content.

Perhaps more confusingly, a blog can be a website on its own or one part of a larger site.

If you’re starting out and wondering whether it’s a blog or a website you need (or a website that contains a blog!), then you’re in the right place.

Here we’ll break down the subtle differences between a blog and a website to help you decide which direction to head in.

So, what’s a blog?

A blog is a type of website where the content is updated very regularly – sometimes every single day (and, if you’re super keen, multiple times per day).

Blogs focus on a niche topic, such as vegan shoes for women or home baking for beginners, and pretty much all the content will focus on this topic.

The most successful bloggers are seen as credible voices in their chosen industry and, as such, have a loyal fanbase who keep coming back for their content time and time again.

A blog is different from a regular website in that the content or ‘posts’ are organized in chronological order, with the newest content appearing first.

Good blogs will categorize the posts so that you can easily find the type of content you’re looking for.

For example, in the home baking for beginners blog we mentioned earlier, you could have categories such as ‘chocolate bakes’, ‘traybakes’, ‘birthday cakes’ etc.

Some of the most popular websites in the world are blogs and that’s because they’re updated regularly, provide valuable content, and are easy to navigate.

If you’re thinking of starting your own blog we’d highly recommend using WordPress, and you can check out this guide here on how to get started.

And what’s a website?

Essentially, anything with a URL (www.example.co.uk) is a website.

But for the purposes of this article, it’s best to think of blogs as ever-changing and websites as largely static.

The information on a website is organized into pages, and these don’t change much on a day-to-day basis, if at all.

The only time the information will really change is if you undergo a rebrand or want to freshen up your copy, or if you updated your website seasonally, for example at Christmas.

Another way to think of a website (as opposed to a blog) is like a book. Once the book is written, it has its structure, its chapters, etc, it doesn’t change.

There may be revisions or updates to the book over the years, but the fundamental information stays the same.

Blogs are more like magazines – each issue is completely different and unique and readers get value out of each one on its own merit.

So which one do I need?

It’s best to think about your business type and your goals, both short and long term.

For example, if you want to be selling products online then you need an eCommerce platform that is absolutely not suitable for a blog.

However, if you’ve got a lot to say about a certain topic and feel you could keep up a schedule of regular content, then a blog is your best bet.

Although, as we’ve alluded to already, the two don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

Say you’re selling products, so you set up a website with a shop, but you feel you’ve also got some blog posts in you – great!

You can form a blog as a sub-section of your shop website, which you then update regularly thereby keeping your website fresh and providing great content for your customers and social media followers.

Websites vs blogs: it’s down to you

Hopefully, that’s provided some clarity so you now know the best way forward for your particular goals.

If you’ve got any questions or want help setting up your website, please get in touch below.

Not sure where to begin?

That’s where great website design comes in and is why we’ve put together our top website design tips for 2021.

Follow this advice and adapt it for your own site in order to get more value from each and every one of your hard-earned website visits.

1. Make your homepage headline as powerful as possible

When someone lands on your website, what’s the first thing you want them to see?

If you don’t know the answer, we’ll tell you.

It should, quite simply, be a highly powerful, descriptive headline that instantly tells your visitor what it is you do.

Not only that, but it’s also the first chance (after your URL) to include a target keyphrase that will drive even more people to your site.

2. Use a clean, simple design

People don’t like clutter.

They want a site that is great to look at, easy to navigate, and has lots of white space.

This was proven in a 2012 survey conducted by none other than Google which revealed complex designs are less likely to be viewed as beautiful by the user.

It concluded that ‘designers should regard not only visual complexity but also the factor prototypicality very carefully when designing a website ‘.

In plain English, that means keep your website in line with what a visitor would typically expect from it, i.e. clean design, easy navigation, and digestible information.

3. But, make sure your website is more than just a pretty face

While a great design is important, it’s not the be-all and end-all.

Most people have landed on your website because they want to find information or buy something.

If you make it easy for them to do that, they’re going to stick around for longer and potentially even return in the future.

But, if you focus all your attention on your design and don’t give a second thought as to how easy it is for people to get what they want, they’ll be heading elsewhere.

In fact, a survey by Hubspot proved that a whopping 76% of people said finding what they want is the most important factor when it comes to website design.

4. Avoid using a ‘false bottom’ on your homepage

A lot of websites are built-in blocks, which complements that simple, clean design we talked about earlier.

However, some sites fall into the trap of creating what’s known as a ‘false bottom’ simply by picking the wrong color for one of their blocks.

Footers generally have a darker background, so people naturally recognize them as the bottom of the page.

Therefore, if you color your block with a dark background, chances are people will reach it and stop scrolling, thinking they’ve reached the end of the page.

It may not sound like a huge deal, but you’d be surprised by the number of drop-offs caused by false bottoms.

5. Try to stay away from stock images

Stock images undoubtedly have their place, but if you stuff your entire website with them you lose your brand’s personality.

If you’re selling a physical product, organize a photoshoot to show it off.

If you’re selling a service, the same thing goes. Have some shots staged of you at work, your office environment, etc?

Pepper your website with a mix of stock photos (though avoid stock photos of people – they’re the worst) and your own product/service images.

6. Write meaningful subheadings

By this, we mean avoiding bog-standard subheadings such as ‘products’ and ‘FAQs’.

Instead, think of this as another chance to insert target keywords.

For example, rather than ‘products’ why not say ‘Baby changing mats’ or ‘Decorative throws’

7. Use calls to action regularly

People generally need to be told to do something before they do it.

Which means you need to know where and when to tell them to do it.

Make sure you have buttons included at regular intervals throughout your website page guiding people to take action.

This could be as simple as getting in contact with you, or you can be more direct by sending them to a specific product or service page.

8. Check your copy carefully

Okay, this one might not sound like a design tip per se, but it does affect the way your website looks.

Big lumpy paragraphs of text are not appealing to the eye, whereas snappy one-liners are.

As well as being unappealing, it’s also incredibly hard to read.

As a general rule, keep paragraphs to no more than three or four lines long.

9. Embed an email sign up form on your site

If people like your product or service but perhaps aren’t quite ready to buy yet, they’ll likely want to sign up for your newsletter.

Make it easy for them to do so by either embedding an email sign up form on your homepage or including a pop up (but beware, pop-ups are pretty annoying).

Website design tips

We hope you’ve found our website design tips useful.

If you’re still struggling and want some help making your website the best it can be, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Not sure where to begin?

It’s never been easier to build your own website thanks to the likes of Go Daddy and Wix.

However, easy doesn’t necessarily mean good.

If you want a quick website with minimal time and effort involved, then perhaps a DIY website is for you.

On the other hand, if you want a shop set up or have lots of information or forms you need embedding or require the whole look and feel to be completely bespoke, DIY probably isn’t the way to go.

In this blog we’ll outline the pros and cons of DIY websites so you can decide which option is best for your business.

The cost of DIY websites

One of the biggest pros of using a DIY website is the low cost involved.

Generally speaking, you can get yourself set up with a simple website for less than £50 (and it can be free, if you’re not bothered about your domain name).

When it comes to a professional website design, obviously, this is going to cost you significantly more.

And if you go further still and need complex technical elements to your site, the cost can skyrocket into the thousands.

However, you get what you pay for (usually – make sure you do your research if you go down the web designer route!).

Flexibility

A big con to DIY websites is their lack of flexibility.

Some sites like WIX do have something resembling an editor mode, which does give you more freedom to create bespoke elements.

However, you are still restricted by their templates, fonts, layouts, etc to a degree

SEO

Most DIY website builders offer at the very least a set of basic SEO features such as adding keywords to pages and in-site analytics.

If you’re just getting started, this is most likely all you’ll need to begin with.

However, if you want to up your game and get your site noticed, it’s likely you’ll need to go much more in depth with your SEO.

Future proofing your website

If you’re a start-up business and only need a few pages on your website, then a DIY builder may seem like a good choice initially.

However, as your business grows you may well find yourself in need of something with greater capabilities.

It’s almost impossible for a website designer to copy a website from a DIY builder into another platform like WordPress, so it’s worth bearing this in mind.

The bottom line: DIY website or professional build?

Hopefully that’s given you a better understanding of the pro and cons of a DIY website.

They can be great fun to use and give you a sense of pride that you’ve built your own site from scratch.

DIY sites are also a low-cost option for those on a budget.

However, if you need something more technical to really showcase your business then hiring a professional website designer is the best route to take.

 For help designing and building your website, please contact me via info@bybodigital.com.

If you know you’re in need of a website but have no idea where to start, look no further than my website planning template.

Would you try to build a house without planning it?

Of course not.

So why would you build a website without laying down the framework first?

Benjamin Franklin said: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

It sounds simple, but so many people dive in headfirst without any real idea of what they want their site to look and feel like.

This guide will explain exactly why you need a website planning template, and how to get your hands on mine for FREE.

What is a website planning template?

Good question.

Quite simply, it does what it says on the tin.

It provides you with the framework to start planning your website.

These days there are countless resources out there to help you build your own site, but hardly any that encourage you to spend time planning it first.

I wanted to change that, which is why I designed my FREE Website Planning Workbook to help you.

Why should I plan my website?

Where do we start…

Personally, I think you can get yourself in more of a muddle if you begin building a website without a plan.

It’s like stabbing in the dark and hoping for the best, and here’s why.

Planning your website can save you money in the long run.

If you have a clear idea of what you want your site to look like, you can easily communicate this with your website designer (if you’re using one) in the first instance to avoid having to make changes further down the line and incurring further costs.

Most website designers will quote upfront for their services and this will include a certain amount of time spent on amends.

For within reason, they will be expecting the website to evolve as it is built; however, if you haven’t got a clear vision of your site in mind and start requesting extensive changes, there may be additional charges.

As well as saving money, you’ll be saving time, which is the most valuable thing you have.

Think of your website plan like a Satnav in a car – if you try making a journey without one, you’ll end up spending a lot more time when you get lost!

You’ll get better results if you have a clear plan for your website too.

Instead of thinking purely about aesthetics, properly planning your website and thinking about functionality means you’ll get the website you need, not just one that looks pretty.

Layout what you want from every element of your site and you’ll get better results, rather than leaving it up to chance.

Your business will benefit from a properly planned website, meaning you’ll make more money.

Ultimately, your website needs to be meeting business objectives, be that an increase in sales or bookings, which in turn makes you more money.

There’s really no better reason to plan your website than that, is there?

What does planning a website involve?

First up, WHY do you need a website?

What purpose is it serving?

How will it benefit your business?

It’s easy to set generic goals here, but you need to get quite specific from the outset, which will help guide the direction of your site.

At all stages during your planning, keep coming back to your ‘why’.

Next, you need to work out your niche, and who your ideal customer is.

Then comes thinking about the kind of website your business needs to be successful.

Finally, you need to research how you want your website to look by finding websites you already like and emulating them.

This is, of course, a very condensed outline of a much more involved process.

Where do I get my hands on your website planning template?

If you’d like to start planning your website, look no further than my Website Planning Workbook.

It’s a FREE PDF download designed to get you thinking about your website roadmap.

Once you’ve accessed it you’ll see there are various sections to complete to start laying down the framework for your new site.

The book works best in conjunction with my Website Planning Toolkit, the details of which will become available to you once you’ve downloaded the PDF.

Okay, I’ve planned my website – what next?

Well done!

By planning your website you’ve given yourself the best chance for success.

Next, you need to decide if you’re happy building your website yourself, or whether you’d like to save yourself the stress and hand it over to a website designer.

If you’ve purchased my Website Planning Toolkit then please go ahead and book your FREE strategy call with me using the link provided, and we can discuss your options.

If not, please do drop me an email at info@bybodigital.com and we can have an initial chat.