9 compelling reasons to build a single-purpose website

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Single–purpose websites and web apps are growing in popularity. Heck, even I’ve built a few (see Nearby Tweets and PXtoEM.com). Here are some compelling reasons you should be working on your first single–purpose website/app.

1. Easier for people to explain and therefore share

People don’t want to take the time or energy to explain a complicated service to their friends. Easy services on the other hand are summed up in 5 seconds, and people don’t mind taking 5 seconds to share something cool. With Nearby Tweets and PXtoEM.com, the purpose is summed up in the domain alone. Now that’s easy to share!

2. Save time

Big websites and apps take a lot of time. Chances are someone else out there is developing the same thing and may have a head start and/or more people. Single–purpose websites have a quick turn–around time and—because of the reasons listed here—may have a great impact for you and others.

3. Don’t try to be everything to everyone

I can’t say this enough, and I don’t think anyone else can either. Too many people are just adding features to add value to their products. Features and value aren’t synonymous. Instead, focus on the primary use of your product and do it better than anyone else. Why do you think Google only has search on their homepage?

4. Grow your portfolio

To some extent your portfolio is a numbers game. 5 popular websites looks better than 1, no matter the size of each. This will help you whether you’re looking for a job, looking for clients, or looking for some capital.

5. Fun

Single–purpse websites are fun to make. I’ve had a blast creating PXtoEM.com and Nearby Tweets because I wasn’t overwhelmed by a bunch of to-dos and tedious complexities. I was able to get wrapped up in the experience of creating valuable tools and helping people live better or do their jobs easier.

6. Try new directions, push boundaries

If you spend months focused on a massively complex website, your productivity may stall as you think about your next “new” project. Furthermore I know you have a ton of ideas built up in your head. Don’t waste them all on one website, try new directions and possibilities with each project!

7. Get more links

Single purpose websites if done well get a ton of links and bookmarks. Take it from me. PXtoEM.com couldn’t be any simpler and it has about 2,000 delicious bookmarks. Nearby Tweets has about 1,000. Yet both only do 1 thing, but they do it better than others. All those links eventually funnel to you, the creator.

8. Spread your worth and reputation

Each of your niche single–purpose websites/apps can serve a slightly different community, yet in each of these communities you will get recognition and grow your reputation. Thus, instead of a reputation in one community, you could have a reputation in 5 niche communities in just about the same amount of work.

9. More chance of creating the next big thing

The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” works here. Just because you’re putting a ton of work into something doesn’t mean it will actually “click” and become popular. Developing more smaller single–purpose websites increases your chances of building the next big thing. And just because it’s single–purpose doesn’t mean it won’t be the next big thing.

Think Twitter. Think Twitter and Facebook. Twitter = Simple. Facebook = Complex. Twitter = Facebook Killer. ‘Nuff said. Removed because it’s easy to focus on this statement rather than the merit of this article, and because people have provided great arguments to the contrary.

22 comments skip to comment form

  1. Ruhani Rabin said— 23 hours later

    Couldn’t agree with you more!! I like the ending

    “Think Twitter. Think Twitter and Facebook. Twitter = Simple. Facebook = Complex. Twitter = Facebook Killer. ‘Nuff said.”

    So very true..

    PS: I’m drooling at your new theme =)

    #1

  2. Brian Cray said— 1 day later

    Thanks Ruhani, that means a lot coming from you! :)

    #2

  3. jorge said— 1 day later

    couldnt agree more with you like the way you think. looking forward to collaborate or work together

    #3

  4. mightyuhu said— 6 days later

    I agree with you in the most parts, but idk what to say to point 4.
    So its better if i like have 10 Websites which dont work / are unfinished/ not maintained instead of 1 which works perfectly?

    #4

  5. Chris said— 6 days later

    Fantastic blog post – I especially like the line, “Think Twitter. Think Twitter and Facebook. Twitter = Simple. Facebook = Complex. Twitter = Facebook Killer. ‘Nuff said.”

    #5

  6. dnnsldr said— 6 days later

    “And just because it’s single–purpose doesn’t mean it won’t be the next big thing.” –Very true. Nice job Brian

    #6

  7. Gopal Raju said— 2 weeks later

    Really agree with your 3rd point “Why do you think Google only has search on their homepage?”

    Gopal Raju
    productivedreams.com
    twitter.com/gopalraju

    #7

  8. aravind said— 2 weeks later

    Agree agree 100% agree..
    It’s been a while since I come across such an awesome post.

    Great job Brian…

    #8

  9. ranishchiaryil said— 2 weeks later

    Great article… good job BRIAN

    #9

  10. Bill Tamminga said— 2 weeks later

    This is an excellent article. A must read for entrepreneurs who use the internet as a source of income. You touched on it a bit in point #1, but I think the top benefit for entrepreneurs is that it brings focus to your audience. They are focused on one thing only and that is determining whether or not your product or service is worth buying. Rather than check out the rest of your site, they are forced to make a decision right then and there.

    #10

  11. Artie Kuhn said— 3 weeks later

    This is a good mantra, but a poor rule. It’s a good idea to build a single-purpose website, but not a single feature website. Google is a good example. Search is the purpose, but there a ton of features that enable and support search.

    #11

  12. Dave said— 4 months later

    Twitter = Facebook killer? That’s quite a leap.
    I’d agree … Twitter = Facebook threat … but killer isn’t even close to being guaranteed.

    #12

  13. Gabe da Silveira said— 4 months later

    Mark my words. Twitter will never kill Facebook.

    #13

  14. Grover Reed said— 4 months later

    Twitter is not a Facebook killer… No where near. What has Twitter taken from Facebook? Not audience, nothing.

    Also, you completely ignore SEO and ranking by splitting everything up.

    #14

  15. Dave said— 4 months later

    Some FB/Twitter comparison stats:
    http://siteanalytics.compete.com/facebook.com+twitter.com/?metric=uv&months=12

    I’d say FB guys can rest easy at night. They’ve got momentum, a massive user base, and cash …. on the verge of earnings. Furthermore … people “get” FB, while Twitter takes a little while to really understand.

    #15

  16. Brian Cray said— 4 months later

    @Dave, Gabe, Grover: Facebook is hitting majority adoption while Twitter is stealing the early adopters. They are simply in separate places on the adoption curve.

    #16

  17. Gabriel Shaze said— 4 months later

    Couldnt have said it better. Imagine if Envato put all its content on 1 blog instead of splitting them into Psdtut, vectortuts etc. Utter disaster!

    #17

  18. Jon Aston said— 4 months later

    Great stuff, as usual, Brian.

    Here’s a collection of single purpose sites that I thought you and your readers might be interested in browsing:

    http://www.kottke.org/08/02/single-serving-sites

    #18

  19. Robert Lachlan said— 4 months later

    Awesome. But this page would have been better as a single purpose website.

    #19

  20. thelma harcum said— 5 months later

    I love your blog. Your website designs are very creative and unique!

    I am looking for a album cover design for my latest music-jazz, dance, R&B.

    I am thinking of using my granddaughter’s art called, Crown Head, a project she did in school in second grade. She won class best artist last year and played solo piano for her Americanism Day Program at school; she is one of my piano students and is very bright! I’m thinking of running a contest for someone to sent me some ideas for the album cover.

    Do you have any ideas? You can see my granddaughter’s art, (my art too!) on my ebay site at http.www.stores.ebay.com/homedecorsandenterprises

    #20

  21. Erika Kotite said— 7 months later

    I’ve unconsciously noted the difference between single-purpose websites and octopedal websites (just made that up) but never really articulated it. You just did; thank you for a very valuable post.

    #21

  22. Dhane said— 9 months later

    I’m digging the new layout Brian. It’s took me a while to find what I was looking for though. I got use to that big search bar on your homepage which sped up the process. Keep the good stuff coming though.

    #22

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