Updated on September 2, 2025
When starting a new business, a one-page website might appear to be a straightforward and cost-effective solution. It’s quick to create and simple to manage. However, for many businesses, especially those with growth ambitions, a one-page website can soon become an obstacle to success.
As your business expands, so do your offerings, products, services, and audience expectations. A single page may no longer be enough to meet customer needs, support a strong SEO strategy, or guide visitors smoothly through your sales funnel.
Below, we’ll explain why single-page websites often fall short and why a multi-page website is frequently a wiser long-term investment.
One-Page Website Limitations
Limited SEO Opportunities
A single-page site typically tries to rank for all your keywords in one spot. Search engines like Google prefer a structure where each page focuses on a specific topic, product, service, or search term.
At Garrett Digital, we follow the starter SEO strategy outlined by The Admin Bar, which focuses on creating topic-focused pages that match how people actually search. Instead of trying to rank one page for “Denver therapy,” you create separate pages for “anxiety therapy Denver,” “couples counseling Denver,” and “EMDR therapy Denver.” Each page can rank for its specific terms while supporting the others through internal linking.
A one-page site can’t execute this strategy effectively because you’re forced to dilute your focus across multiple topics on a single page. Google sees this as less relevant than competitors with dedicated service pages.
For example, if you’re a therapist offering EMDR, couples counseling, and anxiety treatment, trying to rank all these services on one page will hurt your chances compared to competitors who have individual service pages targeting each treatment type.
Poor User Experience
With a one-page site, visitors must scroll through long sections to find what they need. This creates frustration, especially on mobile devices where scrolling feels endless.
If someone searches for “teen therapy” and lands on a counseling practice’s all-in-one page, they have to scroll past adult anxiety content and couples counseling information to find the teen-specific section. A competitor with a dedicated teen therapy page will provide a better experience and likely convert more visitors.
Multi-page sites with clear navigation make it easier to guide visitors directly to the information they’re seeking.
Limited Scalability and Growth Potential
A one-page website may work when your business has just one or two offerings. But what happens when you expand?
A lawn mowing company may start with basic lawn care services. As it grows, it adds landscape design, irrigation installation, commercial contracts, and seasonal services like irrigation maintenance. With only one page, adding new services becomes messy and confusing. A commercial client looking for lawn maintenance shouldn’t have to scroll through residential lawn tips and irrigation maintenance to find the information they want.
Multi-page designs allow businesses to evolve, add new services, and give each offering the focused attention it deserves. Each service gets dedicated space for detailed explanations, pricing, and calls to action.
Considerations for Expanding Beyond a One-Page Website
How to Decide: One Page or Multi-Page?
A one-page site might still work for businesses that:
- Only offer a single service or product
- Operate in niche markets with minimal competition
- Rely primarily on word-of-mouth or referrals
But if you:
- Have multiple services or products
- Want to drive traffic from organic search
- Plan to grow your business or offerings
- Serve different customer segments
Then a multi-page website will serve you much better.
How Many Pages Do You Need?
The number of pages depends on your offerings and users’ needs:
Fewer than 10 products or services? A multi-page website with a service page for each primary offering plus supporting pages (About, Contact) will work well.
More than 10 products or services? Consider adding categories and subcategories, especially for e-commerce sites.
For example, a shoe retailer should organize pages into Men’s, Women’s, and Kids’ categories, with subcategories for Running Shoes, Hiking Boots, and Sandals. A therapy practice might create pages for each specialty (trauma therapy, couples counseling, teen therapy) with clear descriptions of each service.
Why The Upgrade Is Worth It
Transitioning from a one-page website to a multi-page design unlocks significant benefits:
- Higher conversion rates through focused messaging
- Better visibility in search engine results
- Improved user engagement and lower bounce rates
- Flexibility to evolve your marketing strategy over time
You’ll also create a better experience for mobile users, which matters since over 50% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. Plus, you’ll find it easier to implement features like contact forms, portfolio galleries, and targeted landing pages that help guide visitors and boost conversions.
Build a Website That Grows with Your Business
If you’re ready to move beyond a one-page website, Garrett Digital can help. We specialize in building multi-page websites for businesses of all sizes, from local service providers to e-commerce stores. Whether you need help with site navigation, SEO strategy, or creating high-converting landing pages, we’re here to make your website work harder for your business.
