One Page Websites… Good or Bad?
This blog post is for web designers. Today I’d like to talk about one-page websites, and why they may seem attractive (website mimimalism!), but often fail service-based professionals, and what you should consider before recommending one.
This isn’t theory, it’s a real case study, conducted by me, in 2025.
I recently worked with a real estate agent who had over 15 years of international experience. Her brand was polished, her photos were professional, and the website was beautifully designed. I was hired behind the scenes (white labeling) to do SEO for the site. But now, half a year later, the traffic just isn’t coming in.
She isn’t ranking on Google, isn’t appearing for local search terms, and isn’t getting the visibility her experience deserves. Let’s look at why!
✅ What Is a One-Page Website?
A one-page site displays all content in a single scrolling layout. There are no separate pages for About, Services, or Contact. Everything is stacked in sections.
Designers often recommend them for their simplicity. And yes, they can work in certain situations. But in competitive service industries, especially real estate, they often create more problems than they solve.
⚖️ Pros of a One-Page Website
Let’s be fair. One-page sites do have some benefits.
They’re fast to build
Great for single offers, portfolios, or personal brands
Easy to manage on mobile
Simple user flow toward one call-to-action
But simplicity comes at a cost, especially when visibility matters.
🚫 Why One-Page Sites Fail in Competitive Industries
1. Limited Keyword Targeting
On a one-page site, you only get one meta title and one meta description. That makes it difficult to optimize for multiple services, such as buying, selling, investing, or relocating.
In the case of the real estate client, her homepage talked about buying and selling, but Google didn’t see enough content to rank her for either.
2. No Internal Linking Structure
Google relies on internal links to understand content hierarchy. With a single page, there’s nowhere to link to. This flattens the site structure and limits how search engines crawl and categorize the information.
3. No Room for Depth
Realtors and other professionals need space to show trust signals, testimonials, credentials, and specializations. With only one page, these important elements often get squeezed into short sections, reducing their impact.
4. No Flexibility for Growth
Once a business grows, a one-page site quickly becomes a bottleneck. Adding new services, highlighting testimonials, or publishing blog content becomes awkward or impossible without a full rebuild.
🧠 Why Some Clients Ask for One-Page Sites
Because it sounds easier. Less content, fewer pages, and quicker to launch.
But easier to build doesn’t mean easier to rank. If the goal is to be found online, especially in a city with lots of competition, a one-page site is usually not enough.
✅ A Better Approach: The 5-Page Minimum
For most service professionals, including realtors, this structure works much better:
Home – Introduction, positioning, clear CTA
About – Story, credentials, personal touch
Services – Split by audience or goal (e.g. Buying vs. Selling)
Testimonials – Adds trust, even with just 3–4 reviews
Contact – Mobile-friendly form, phone, email, and map
This keeps things streamlined but gives Google and users enough context to understand what the site is about.
Final Thoughts
The one-page real estate site looked great. But Google doesn’t rank design. It ranks structure, clarity, and content.
If you're a designer working with service providers in competitive industries, think twice before defaulting to a one-page layout. What seems simple can quietly undermine your client’s visibility.
If your client wants to be found online, their website needs room to grow, rank, and convert. That usually means more than one page.
