Single Scroll – Should You, Shouldn’t You?

If you are a regular internet user, you may have noticed that 8 out of 10 websites you've visited recently have not had a traditional website infrastructure. The latest web design trend is to put all your content on a single page with moving visuals. We take a look at the pros and cons of this design trend that seems to be taking everything by storm.

PROS:

Hello Gorgeous!

There is no denying the fact that single scroll websites make for a gorgeous web browsing experience. This kind of a design is ideal for websites that hold scope for loads of visual goodies - images, background textures, videos, etc. The more your website appeals to visitors, the higher is the engagement rate and higher the engagement rate, better is the lead generation. Winning!

User Seizure

Essentially an extension of the above point, users like to be treated with care. Where single scrolling websites score over traditional ones is that unlike a traditional web page setup, single scroll is flexible. Users can navigate in any direction and you can even do away with linear narration if you want. This prods users to explore more, more exploration means more on-site time, which of course signifies the users' willingness to take substantial action - fill a form, buy a product, subscribe to updates, etc.

Flash in the Pan

Okay Flash was awesome. WAS. We have better options now. Flash wasn't exactly SEO-friendly; so much so that Google started indexing Flash pages only recently. Then again, Flash is not supported by all devices, HTML is. Think about it - larger audience!

CONS:

Slow-Mo

Since single scroll websites pack in much content (text and visual), the page load times can get awfully hampered, especially on slow connections. Some elements may not even show up. Doesn't put a good impression, does it? Worse, if your website carries animation content, the click and response timings can make you lose precious visitors.

Bring Back the SEO

Yes Single Scroll is better than Flash in terms of SEO, but it still lags the traditional Flash-less website with an orthodox site map. Having your entire content one a single page means that you are practically trying to stuff all your keywords on the same page, albeit for different section, but then, on the same page. Additionally, you lose out on Title and Meta for multiple pages and are forced to use multiple H1 header tags for the same webpage. Not a very SEO-pleasant situation that.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Single scroll websites may lack the same punch on mobile devices that they have on desktops or laptops. Designers have to work extra hard to get that 'responsive' aspect of their website right to accommodate single scroll.

Single scroll is easy to implement and pretty to look at, but it comes with its own set of Yay-s and Nay-s. Choose carefully, design carefully, but more importantly, opt for a single scroll website ONLY if the content on your site allows you to.