Which is Better: A One-Page or Multi-Page Website?
Which is Better: A One-Page or Multi-Page Website?
This article is for those who work with churches, spiritual communities, organizations, or spiritual entrepreneurs who need to improve their digital presence in order to connect with their ideal audience more effectively.
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A few years ago, I wanted to level up my copyrighting game. I was considering a course from a very successful copywriter who had proven herself in the marketplace for years.
As I explored her course, it looked like it had everything I needed. In fact, I was sure I would get more than expected. But, then I discovered a tidbit of information that killed the deal.
The price tag.
To be honest, there was no way I was going to spend that much money on something that may or may not pay for itself, especially given the financial situation I was in at the time.
Sticker shock is a real thing. Sometimes, the shock can be so disheartening you feel like you’ve reached the end of the road and just want to throw in the towel.
But, I don’t think sticker shock is necessarily a bad thing. Rather, I see it as an invitation for discernment.
After all, anyone who is responsible for an organization needs to be responsible with their organization’s finances. Sure, it's possible with unlimited funds to sign up for every expensive course under the sun. And, I'm sure many (if not most) would ultimately pay for themselves. But who realistically has access to those unlimited funds?
So when it comes to the bigger purchases, it's important to weigh options. Yes, the more robust “Option A” may be far superior to the much slimmer “Option B”. But, maybe you don't need “Option A” just yet. Maybe the slimmed-down “Option B” is the smarter choice.
Now, let’s think about websites
I'm going to be upfront about this: For those who are responsible for purchasing a website for a progressive Christian community, ministry, spiritual entrepreneur, or business, the price tag needs to be a primary consideration.
In my last article, I talked about why a website is the best way you can present yourself online to your ideal audience. But when it comes to building or buying a website, you have two main options:
You have the more robust, fully-functioning multi-page website.
And you have the slimmed-down one-page website.
Yes, the multi-page website is, hands down, superior to the one-page website. But, is that what you need? Can you get by with a one-page website instead, thus saving you a chunk of change?
Today I want to talk about the most significant pros and cons of each type of website so you can make the best decision for your organization.
Multi-page websites
The primary purpose of a website is to present your brand in a way that helps people to get to know you, like you, and trust you so that they are more inclined to work with you in some way in the future.
There’s no way around it, a multi-page website is your ideal option for this. In fact, I'm going to go even further and say it's perfect for this.
Let’s look at a few reasons why.
1. Comprehensiveness
Because a multi-page website has unlimited space, you can put everything visitors would ever need to know on it. Here’s how it works…
Let's assume you are a progressive Christian congregation. When a visitor lands on your homepage, they should feel like they’ve landed on the front porch of a building with well-crafted signs that tease out a desire to see what’s inside. Each of these signs gives the visitor just enough information to make them want to go inside and find out more.
When they decide it’s time, they click the link to go to the page, which is like entering a room adorned with text and images they can relate to. This presentation allows them to experience what it might be like to participate in some way, thus inviting them to take that next step.
Let’s break out an example from the perspective of a visitor...
Imagine you are new to the area and happen to be searching for a “Presbyterian church near me” and land on a website. Near the top of the page, you see a small bit about a weekly, donation-supported community meal. “That’s interesting,” you think, “I wonder how this works.” And, you click the link.
The landing page immediately presents the heading, “Feed Your Community While You Eat.” Right underneath that, you read text that explains how the event works.
Here’s the deal…
The meal is donation only, and each meal costs about $5.50 to make (after considering meal prep and power consumption). Those who can afford it are encouraged to donate more; they are paying for those who can’t. It’s a way to empower the community to be there for one another in a time of need. Furthermore, you have the opportunity to sit with others who live in the area and get to know them, which strengthens the local relationships.
While you read about the event, you see images of people having fun making the meals, sitting around tables chatting, and overall having a great time. You get the impression that this is something you don’t want to miss out on.
To make sure getting there is easy, the page has the time, location, and even a link to Google Maps (in case you need your phone to read out directions while you drive.)
Now, staying in the shoes of the visitor, how do you think you will feel not only about this event, but also about this church after having this kind of comprehensive experience?
You can generate a lot of resonance with visitors through a high-quality website. And, because you have the space, it’s an experience you can scale.
2. Versatility
The more space you have, the more versatile it becomes. Welcome to the internet where you have nearly infinite space.
Because you have all the space you need, you can craft encounters like the one I detailed above for all of your church’s ministries and events. This will create a robust experience for any website visitor who may become an in-person visitor to your church.
For those website visitors who aren’t interested in attending your church, you can still do some good for your community. When you write and design pages to display how your congregation partners with other ministries in your area, you can actively promote those other mininisties. So, while a visitor might not be interested in your congregation, they may be interested in helping out the local food pantry you introduce them to. In my book, that’s a huge ministry win.
Of course, part of the trick is getting visitors to your website so they can experience all of this goodness. And that brings us to the next benefit…
3. SEO
Google's search algorithm will only work for you as well as the information you give it. There's a reason writers spend so much time with keywords when writing web pages or blog articles. They are crafting the content of the page in a way that signals to Google very clearly what the page is about. The clearer the communication, the happier the algorithm is.
To state the obvious, the more pages you have for your website the more information you have on your website about your website. You will typically optimize one page for one keyword. The more pages you have, the more keywords you can target.
If people are interested in all the information you have on your site, you receive another beneficial side effect: Visitors spend more time on your website.
This is important. Time on a website is a huge signal to Google. When Google sees people spending a lot of time on a website, it assumes they have found the kind of information they are looking for and that’s what keeps them there. Having proven to Google that you have a valuable website, you will rank higher in search.
As your search rank rises, you get more visitors. The more valuable your website is, the longer people stay on it. As visitors stay on your website for a long time they signal to Google that your search rank should be even higher.
Multi-page websites are the ideal choice for any church or spiritual business.
The alternative: One-page websites
I'll be honest. I believe there is really only one serious reason to choose a one-page website...
Cost.
Given that multi-page websites are more expensive, they are not always the best option for those on a strict budget. If you don't have the cash for the multi-page website, run with a one-pager.
And, here's something to think about…
Anytime you are building a website (whether it's multi-page or one-page), you will go through some form of branding process. That process is critical because the information you pull together for it is what determines all of the content for your website.
In fact…
You really do not want to build a website without going through some form of branding process first.
So whether you choose a multi-page website or a one-page website you are going to work through your branding.
That means if you choose a one-page website you will still end up with something that effectively and efficiently presents you to your ideal audience in a way that helps them get to know you, like you, and trust you. It might not have everything you want, but it will give you the barebones of what you need.
Once you’ve got your one-page website up, here’s the thing…
When you're ready for it, you can always turn a one-page website into a multi-page website.
So while you ultimately want to get to a multi-page website, a one-page website is definitely a strong step in the right direction. And it may be the right step for the time.
Want some feedback on your existing website?
If you need someone to go over your webpage and tell you how you can improve it, I would be glad to help you out. All you need to do is sign up for a Website Design & Copy Audit. It’s “pay what you want”, so if you are a spiritual entrepreneur or small church strapped for cash, you can get the help for free. Just place a “0” where it asks how much you want to pay for it.
I hope you’ve found this article helpful.
Peace, Bo
www.evolvingchristianfaith.net
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Credits
Thanks to NightCafe for the cover art