8 Steps to Build One Page Website From Scratch With Samples

Introduction

When we hear creating a single page website, we are always struck by questions on its effectiveness, usefulness and benefits. Single page website hasn’t been a new concept, it’s been there along with multiple pages website. One of the major reasons for its less popularity has been very little information or understanding of how a one page website can also work wonders for your business. Especially when you’re a small business entity that wants to build its online presence but is on a tight budget or schedule? 

It's a given fact that websites that require expansive and elaborate structures, multiple pages, and comprehensive navigation are not so affordable. Though, there are options of some website building tools that offer you website design on minimal charges. But then again, maintaining such a website on a shoe-string budget would not only harm your business revenue but also deter your potential customers to create a connection with you.

So why let some price tag nip the chances of your budding business idea to turn into an amazing brand value. Or have your months or years of customer loyalty and hard work behind building your business to bite the dust when you’ve an alternative to multiple page websites: Simple one page website design or Single page website designs. 

Not just budget, there is another reason for choosing one page websites design. 

With mobile and social media surfing on the rise, simple, quick and responsive single-page websites are becoming crowd favourites as 47% of users expect a maximum of 2 seconds loading time for an average website. We all know unlike, multi-pages websites, single-page websites try to promote one thing in an uncluttered, direct manner. This allows the visitor to make a quicker decision rather than sending them to a bloated website with many options. 

But you might be having a lot of questions like:

Is a one page website design good or bad for startups?

Is a single page website good for small business?

How to create a one page website?

Can I create a single website for free?

Can I optimize a single page website for mobile phones?

How can I do SEO for a single page?

… these and more

In this blog, we’ll help you find answers to these questions, giving you an in-depth insight into how you can build a single-page website, we’ll also share the benefits and disadvantages of having one. So that you not only know how to build a single-page website but also know when to go-for one page website design.

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What Is A One Page Website: A Brief Introduction

According to One Page Love, a website with thousands of collections of One Page website references, “A One Pager or a Single Page website is a website with no additional pages like About, Team or Services. All the content sits within the same webpage, traditionally in a long-scrolling layout.”

This is a one page website design where a professional photographer lets his work/picture speak for himself. This site has literally four words on the entire website and two social media buttons at the bottom. That’s it.

Simplicity at its best!

Now that we know what a single page website is? And how it looks like, let’s discuss what makes one-page websites an enticing option or... probably not.

The Yay Points! 

• Cost-Effective Websites to Build & Maintain 

Since you don’t have to use multiple pages for different purposes, a simple one page website design is quite affordable and quicker to build than a site with multiple pages. Also, if you want to add, remove or even fix something, it’s all on one page so maintaining it is easy and cost-effective too.

• Enhances Site Speed

Unlike with multiple pages, with one page website, you save time by omitting the reloading process. Since it’s a single page website covering all the necessary content in one place, it will be quicker to launch and load. Your user will notice this improved performance of your website and appreciate this fast-loading and quick one scrolling page.

• More Mobile Responsive Friendly & Adaptive Designs

No extra efforts in making it mobile friendly or adaptive to different screens or platforms. Since you’ve less content to arrange and display you can easily turn your content structure into a highly responsive design. One page website design gives the user the freedom to scroll through-a common method of navigation for small screens such as mobile phones- providing uniform & more intuitive user experience to the users. 

• Higher Conversion Rates 

Due to simplicity in design, direct brand messaging, there usually isn’t that much for a user to get distracted with. So having a website with a single call to action, you communicate all the required features and messages which could mean more browsers converting into customers and reducing your bounce rate significantly. 

Now, the Bad!

• SEO Friendly or Not

Lot of people say that it’s impossible to optimize a one page website or rank it higher on search engines. However, to this, Matt Cutts, Google Software engineer suggests, “It’s going to depend on what your particular area is, what the topic is, and what kind of layout you come out with. But if it works for you and for users to have that all on one page, for the most part, it should work for Google as well.”

So long story short: It’s not impossible but not easy since you don’t have an option of giving content, videos or images throughout your pages. But don’t worry, just come up with a one page website design filled with great fonts, graphics and smooth transitions and you’re good to go!

Wanna know how to create a one page website that’s highly functional? We can help!

• Analyzing What Works or What doesn’t is Not Easy

Google Analytics is one of the powerful tools to track & figure out the performance of your website. It helps you check how users navigate your website, what pages they quickly exit and what pages or content make them stay longer. It’s nearly impossible to track your performance on a one page website because there’s no way you’d get insights into which element of your web page is working for you and which isn’t.

• Scaling Up the Website is Difficult

A one page website is not ideal for you when you've a plan of growing your business or brand. Single page website designs have a narrow focus, so if you’ve a small site or just started with your business, consider where you want to see your business in the next few years and choose wisely between single and multi-page design.

Key Elements To Remember When To Go For A One-Page Website & When Not

Like every other page website, a single-page website has its own advantages and disadvantages. They can be a fantastic choice for you and can also bring you a disastrous outcome if you don’t know when you should go for them and when not. Fret not, we’re presenting you a few examples of business types that go well with one-page website design so that not only you know how to create a one-page website but also know when to go for it. 

Simple one-page websites are a fantastic choice if you don’t have a ton of content or if your content is closely related, for example:

• Personal websites or online portfolio
• Small business websites that sell only a few products or a service
• Campaign-specific landing page
• One-time events (such as weddings and conferences)

If your website is content-heavy, complex, or has tons of information, a one-page website isn’t a good choice. 

• eCommerce with a heavy catalog of products
• Website designs relying on high res. visuals like Speakers or other electronic items

8 Effective Steps On How to Make One Page Website From Scratch

You know the ups and downs of building a simple one page website. Now, we’ll share a list of elements that you need if you want to know how to create a one page website. These elements are must haves in a single page website design that will bring you amazing results in terms of revenue and conversion rate.

1. Identify the Goal of the Website & Work Towards It

• It’s a very simple aspect of creating a website but it's a vital one. Whether you're a startup or a small business planning to build a one page website, there’s no point in creating a website when you’re not clear about its purpose. 
• So whatever your objective is behind creating single page website designs: to sell, to present or even to announce something, make sure you know it serves the purpose and then direct your users towards it; avoiding factors that stop them from taking something valuable from your site like poor navigation.

2. A Structure That Guides the Visitor

• The structure and hierarchy for any site plays a crucial role in its ability to succeed. This is doubly true for one-page sites. Without a linear structure focused on keeping the reader scrolling down the page, a one-page site is completely redundant. 
• So make sure your structure is as such that constitutes the most important element of its design at the top most so your user stays on your site as you guide them through your different products or services.

3. Choosing an appropriate Website Builder or a Development Agency

• If how to create a one page website bothers you, then Relax. It’s a lot easier and affordable than building a website with multiple pages. Although they are typically more complicated in terms of HTML coding.
• However, if you’re going for a DIY for your one page website on WordPress, Wix or among other website building platforms, it presents a lot of options of designs but at what cost?
• We recommend you to go for a Single Page Website Design and Development agency not just for a professional looking single page website designs but also to customize your web designs according to your needs and requirements. 
• Additionally, you’ll be relieved of managing or maintaining your website as the agency will cover it so that you can focus on providing high-quality services and content without worrying about the quality or your monthly or yearly subscription plan.

4. Choose a Theme & Layout that Suits Your Business Model

• It becomes easier to choose a theme of your choice if you’re creating a one  page website in WordPress. With Wordpress, you’ve a lot of options to pick from one page website themes that have been built specifically to help you design it. So explore and select. 
• However, if you’re not building your site on Wordpress, here are few points to remember while choosing a theme that makes it simple to include all the necessary information and also to give you an attractive design:
  • A page builder with the pre-built elements you’ll need, such as a contact section.
  • A tool or tech to break up your content into multiple sections. Sections that are easily distinguishable & are visually appealing too.
  • Intuitive Navigation that allows visitors to jump to various sections within your page.
  • An easy way to add CTA buttons and personalize them.
  • There are plenty of one-page themes available.

5. Website that is Easy to Navigate & Scroll

• You have a long-form one pager website and you can’t afford navigation or scrolling issues that make your visitors turn away from your site. 
• Designing your website’s navigation in a way that will keep visitors wanting to discover more. You can do it via a horizontal “stick” menu or a sidebar menu or a floating menu.
• Just make it easier for visitors to move to the content they want to see with a single click and provide engaging, user-friendly navigation & scrolling experience.

6. Ensure A Prominent Call to Action

• Your Call To Action (CTA) represents the first ‘touch’ element as it is essentially what you’d like the visitor to do on your site. This could be to sign up for an email list, make a purchase, or anything else that will further your site’s goals. 
• So go for a creative and dynamic CTA and place it properly on your single page site to turn your website into a streamlined conversion machine!

7. Crisp Descriptions of Your Products and Services

• This is an important section as a description about your products & services can provide the backstory of what you’re offering, and explain why you’re in business to your visitors. 
• Each subsequent section, if implemented correctly, can further add to that story. But do not write a novel when you do that, make it creative, precise and easy to read. 
• This enhances your site’s ‘scrollability’ (which means it leads your visitors to keep on scrolling down smoothly.)

8. Easy to Use Contact Information

• You need to give your potential customers a way to contact you. It can be via social media icons or a proper contact form. We recommend you to go for the traditional way of using contact form. 
• When you let your customers use social media platforms to connect with you’re actually asking them to leave your site to connect with you. Use the direct method of communication and make it easy to use contact form to keep the customers on your website and get in touch with them.

9 Captivating One Page Website Designs Sample to Inspire You to Have One

Below is the list of single page website designs that we curated for you so that you can get inspiration for your website. The list includes professional website designs to eCommerce websites to non-profit organizations websites. These 9 one page website design are selected on the basis of the simplicity yet highly functional designs that not only give visually appealing experience but also hook the users to your website and take action.  So know these single page website samples and inspire your own creativity on how to make a single page website.

Heart Kids

Women’s Health Foundation

Gucci Beauty

Delhi Timeline

DW

Kygo

Nigel Evan Dennis

Epic

Ood Studio

Final Thoughts On How to Build A One Page Website

You have started your own business with great efforts, time and money. Your website is an ideal way to redirect your visitors to get to know your brand value, product and services. If you are a small business owner or a start up with not many product or service pages, single page website designs can be a great option to enter the online world on a tight budget. But do remember before starting on how to build a single page website, one page websites are not the be-all and end-all for your small business website. It’s good to have a fair understanding of when to choose a single page website and when not to.

We hope this blog has given an insight into what single page websites are, and how to build a one page website. Additionally, we also shared a few samples for you to take inspiration for your single page websites.

And if you’re still not sure, let us help you out!

Do you’ve your own special tips for creating a one page website? Or you’ve got any questions? Doubts? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Interested in our Web Design & Development Services?

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