When planning a website for your Perth small business, one of the first decisions you’ll face is whether to build a single page (one-page) website or a traditional multi-page site. This choice affects everything from development costs to search engine rankings and user experience.
This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each approach, with specific recommendations for Perth cafés, restaurants, and service businesses.
Understanding the Difference
What is a Single Page Website?
A single page website presents all content on one continuous page. Visitors scroll through sections rather than clicking to different pages. Navigation links scroll to different sections on the same page.
Characteristics:
- All content on one URL
- Smooth scrolling between sections
- Linear storytelling structure
- Simpler navigation
Common sections on single page sites:
- Hero/header with key message
- About the business
- Services or menu highlights
- Testimonials/reviews
- Contact form and location
What is a Multi-Page Website?
A multi-page website has distinct pages for different content, each with its own URL. Visitors click through a menu to access different sections.
Characteristics:
- Separate URLs for each page
- Traditional navigation menu
- Non-linear exploration
- Content organised by category
Common pages:
- Homepage
- About Us
- Services/Menu (often multiple pages)
- Gallery/Portfolio
- Blog
- Contact
Comparing the Two Approaches
| Factor | Single Page | Multi-Page |
|---|---|---|
| Development cost | Lower ($2,000-5,000) | Higher ($4,000-15,000+) |
| Ongoing maintenance | Simpler | More complex |
| SEO potential | Limited | Extensive |
| Content capacity | Restricted | Unlimited |
| User journey control | High | Variable |
| Mobile experience | Scroll-focused | Navigation-focused |
| Update frequency | Easier individual updates | More pages to maintain |
| Loading time | Can be longer | Spread across pages |
When Single Page Websites Work Well
Perfect for:
1. Event-Focused Businesses
- Pop-up restaurants
- Festival vendors
- Special event promotions
- Limited-time offerings
2. Simple Service Offerings
- Food trucks with short menus
- Single-location takeaway shops
- Specialised services (only one core offering)
- Personal chef services
3. Portfolio and Showcase
- Photographers’ work samples
- Artists and designers
- Freelance professionals
- Agency capabilities overview
4. Landing Pages
- Marketing campaigns
- Product launches
- Seasonal promotions
- Specific offer pages
Perth Examples Where Single Page Works
Consider a Fremantle coffee cart that:
- Has 8-10 drinks on the menu
- Operates at one weekend market
- Relies mainly on Instagram for marketing
- Needs basic contact info and location visible
For this business, a single page website with menu, location map, Instagram feed, and contact form covers all needs without unnecessary complexity.
When Multi-Page Websites Are Better
Essential for:
1. SEO-Focused Growth
- Businesses wanting to rank for multiple keywords
- Venues targeting different suburbs or services
- Companies building long-term organic traffic
- Brands creating content marketing strategies
2. Complex Service Offerings
- Restaurants with multiple menus (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Venues with function spaces and catering services
- Businesses offering varied service types
- Companies with multiple locations
3. Content-Rich Businesses
- Those planning regular blog content
- Venues with galleries and visual content
- Businesses with detailed service explanations
- Companies with resource libraries
4. E-commerce Integration
- Online ordering systems
- Multiple product categories
- Customer account features
- Payment processing needs
Perth Examples Where Multi-Page Wins
Consider a Mount Lawley restaurant that:
- Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Offers private function space
- Provides catering services
- Has a regularly updated seasonal menu
- Wants to rank for “breakfast Mount Lawley” AND “private dining Perth”
This business needs separate pages to address each offering and capture different search intents.
SEO Implications: A Critical Difference
The search engine optimisation difference between single and multi-page sites is substantial:
Single Page SEO Limitations
| Challenge | Impact |
|---|---|
| One URL to optimise | Can only target one primary keyword set |
| All content on one page | Difficult to maintain keyword focus |
| No internal linking structure | Misses key SEO signals |
| Limited content depth | Hard to demonstrate topical authority |
| Single meta description | One chance to attract clicks from search results |
Multi-Page SEO Advantages
Keyword targeting:
- Homepage: “Perth restaurant” + brand terms
- Menu page: “Italian food Perth CBD”
- Catering page: “catering services Perth”
- About page: “family restaurant Perth”
- Blog posts: Long-tail and informational keywords
Technical benefits:
- Individual page titles and meta descriptions
- Internal linking between related pages
- Better content organisation for crawlers
- More pages indexed = more ranking opportunities
Real SEO Comparison
For a Perth café targeting local customers:
Single page approach:
- Optimise for: “cafe Perth CBD” + “best coffee Perth”
- May rank for 2-3 primary terms
Multi-page approach:
- Homepage: “cafe Perth CBD”
- Menu: “breakfast menu Perth”
- Catering: “office catering Perth”
- Blog: “best coffee beans for home”
- May rank for 10+ terms across pages
Over 12-24 months, the multi-page site typically generates significantly more organic traffic if content is properly optimised.
Cost Analysis for Perth Businesses
Initial Development Costs
Single Page Websites:
- Basic template customisation: $1,500-2,500
- Custom design: $2,500-5,000
- Premium with animations: $4,000-7,000
Multi-Page Websites:
- Template-based (5-7 pages): $3,000-6,000
- Custom design (5-7 pages): $6,000-12,000
- Premium with CMS (10+ pages): $10,000-20,000+
Ongoing Costs
Annual maintenance comparison:
| Item | Single Page | Multi-Page |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | $100-300 | $150-400 |
| Security/updates | $300-600 | $600-1,200 |
| Content updates | $500-1,000 | $1,000-2,500 |
| SEO work | Limited benefit | $2,000-5,000 value |
Long-Term Value
When considering total cost of ownership over 3-5 years:
Single page:
- Lower upfront + lower maintenance = Consistent lower cost
- BUT: Limited SEO returns on investment
- Potential need to rebuild if business grows
Multi-page:
- Higher upfront + higher maintenance
- BUT: Compounding SEO value over time
- More scalable as business expands
User Experience Considerations
Single Page UX Strengths
Storytelling control: Users follow your intended narrative from top to bottom. You control the flow of information, guiding them toward contact or purchase.
Mobile simplicity: Continuous scrolling feels natural on mobile devices. Users don’t need to navigate or wait for new pages to load.
Focused conversion: All roads lead to one call-to-action. Users can’t get lost in navigation.
Single Page UX Weaknesses
Information overload: Long single pages can overwhelm users. If you have substantial content, scrolling fatigue sets in.
No bookmarking sections: Users can’t save or share specific content sections directly (though anchor links help somewhat).
Repeat visit friction: Returning users must scroll past familiar content to reach what they need.
Multi-Page UX Strengths
Direct access: Users can jump straight to what they need—menu, contact, hours—without scrolling through irrelevant content.
Clearer mental model: Traditional website structure feels familiar. Users know how to navigate.
Better for repeat visitors: Regulars can bookmark specific pages (your menu, for example).
Multi-Page UX Weaknesses
Navigation dependency: Poor navigation design frustrates users. Menus must be intuitive.
Mobile navigation challenges: Hamburger menus can be overlooked. Critical pages may be hidden.
Drop-off points: Each page click is a potential exit point.
Industry-Specific Recommendations for Perth
Restaurants and Cafés
Recommended: Multi-page (4-7 pages)
Why:
- Menus deserve dedicated pages (easier to update, better for search)
- Booking systems work better on separate pages
- Location and hours need prominent, easy access
- Photos and atmosphere deserve gallery space
Essential pages:
- Home (overview + atmosphere)
- Menu (with PDF download option)
- Reservations/Book
- About (story, team, values)
- Contact + Location
- Gallery (optional but valuable)
Bars and Nightclubs
Recommended: Hybrid or multi-page
Why:
- Event calendars need regular updates
- Drinks menus change frequently
- Atmosphere photography is crucial
- Location and hours are priority information
Approach: A content-rich single page can work if events are promoted via social media, but multi-page allows for event archives and better SEO.
Food Trucks and Pop-Ups
Recommended: Single page
Why:
- Simple menu sufficient
- Location varies (social media updates better)
- Low content volume
- Budget efficiency matters
Essential sections:
- Hero with brand and USP
- Menu highlights
- Where to find us (or social link)
- Instagram/social feed
- Contact/booking form
Service Businesses (Tradies, Consultants)
Recommended: Multi-page (5-10 pages)
Why:
- Multiple services need individual SEO focus
- Case studies and testimonials build trust
- Service areas/suburbs deserve targeting
- Blog potential for expertise demonstration
Essential pages:
- Home
- Services (1-3 pages)
- About/Team
- Portfolio/Case Studies
- Service Areas
- Contact
- Blog (recommended)
Making the Decision: A Framework
Answer these questions to guide your choice:
Choose Single Page if:
- You have one core offering or service
- Your content can fit on one scrollable page
- SEO isn’t critical to your marketing strategy
- Budget is strictly limited
- You don’t plan to add content over time
- Speed to launch is the priority
- This is for a specific campaign or event
Choose Multi-Page if:
- You want to rank for multiple keywords
- You have diverse services or extensive menu
- You plan to add content (blog, news, galleries)
- Customers need quick access to specific information
- Business growth is anticipated
- You want to build long-term organic traffic
- You have (or will have) multiple locations
Common Perth Scenarios
Scenario 1: New Leederville Café
Situation: Opening a brunch café with 20-item menu Marketing plans: Instagram focus, Google Maps presence, eventual food blogger partnerships
Recommendation: Multi-page website
Reasoning:
- Menu complexity warrants dedicated page
- Blog capability for future SEO content
- “Breakfast Leederville” and “brunch café Leederville” need separate targeting
- Will want press/review section as reputation builds
Scenario 2: Food Truck Launch
Situation: Starting a taco truck for weekend markets and events Marketing plans: Instagram primary, direct bookings for events
Recommendation: Single page website
Reasoning:
- Simple menu (10 items)
- Location changes frequently (social updates better)
- Budget better spent on truck and social content
- Quick launch needed
Scenario 3: Established Subiaco Restaurant Upgrade
Situation: 15-year-old restaurant with outdated website Marketing plans: Improve Google rankings, compete with newer venues
Recommendation: Comprehensive multi-page website
Reasoning:
- SEO recovery potential
- Multiple service offerings (dine-in, functions, catering)
- History and story deserve proper presentation
- Blog can leverage years of expertise
Technical Considerations
Hosting and Performance
Single page:
- Works on basic hosting
- Can have slower initial load if image-heavy
- Caching simpler to implement
- CDN still beneficial for images
Multi-page:
- Benefits from quality hosting
- Individual pages load quickly
- Caching more complex but effective
- CDN essential for performance
Content Management
Single page:
- Often doesn’t need CMS
- Direct code edits or page builder
- Simpler for non-technical owners
- Limited flexibility
Multi-page:
- CMS recommended (WordPress, Astro, etc.)
- More features and flexibility
- Requires some learning
- Easier long-term maintenance
Mobile Responsiveness
Both structures can be equally mobile-responsive. What matters is:
- Professional design implementation
- Image optimisation
- Button and link sizing
- Font readability at mobile scale
Next Steps for Your Perth Business
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Assess your content needs: How much information must your website communicate?
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Consider your growth trajectory: Will you expand services, locations, or content?
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Evaluate SEO importance: Is organic search traffic valuable to your business model?
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Determine budget reality: What can you invest now AND for ongoing maintenance?
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Research competitors: What website structures do successful local competitors use?
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Consult professionals: Get specific advice for your business situation
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to build the right website structure for your Perth business? Our website development team specialises in hospitality and small business websites across Western Australia. Contact us to discuss your project.