We already know that a website is part of the fundamental tools of any successful business.
But the question is, how should it be designed?
This will depend on the type of business you run.
Want to get registrations for an online course or just make a name for yourself as a photographer? Are you planning to sell jewelry, or do you want to create an information site? Depending on your needs, the look of your website can take any form.
Whether you intend to create your site yourself or hire a development agency, you need to know beforehand the type of website that will correspond to your business. This strategic decision will have a major impact on your business.
This article is an overview of the different types of websites that exist and is intended to help you take informed decisions during the design process of your website.
Here are 7 of the most popular types of websites
About 380 new websites are launched every minute on the Net. They do not all fit into the categories we’ll present in this article, especially since they are not always well thought out before implementation. However, this article will mention a good number of the choices available, without claiming to be exhaustive.
Corporate Website
For whom? Companies, agencies and freelancers
Objective: Presentation of the company and contact possibilities
The classic corporate website corresponds to what we know as a website in general: it is a set of several individual pages whose primary purpose is to provide information.
The company presents its services, its team and offers the ability to contact them.
However, these websites may also contain dynamic elements, such as a news area or a blog, whose content is regularly updated. Full-featured websites often integrate with other types of sites such as landing pages or microsites, so businesses can pursue different goals.
In order to make the brand or site known to their target audience, companies must implement specific measures such as search engine marketing.
If you want to create a business website yourself but have little or no programming skills, feel free to check out our catalog of website templates. The latter makes it very easy to obtain professional results. You can also hire an agency or, if you want to save your budget, use our design service so that experts can create a website in accordance with your wishes.
Portfolio
For whom? Artists and creators
Objective: presentation of samples of mainly visual works
Portfolio sites are optimized to present visual works in an attractive way. This type of site is ideal for designers, photographers or artists.
The design of portfolio sites is characterized by an airy, often minimalist design, which, from the home page, emphasizes on graphic elements and examples of work. Unlike corporate websites, there is usually little use of text.
A portfolio site can easily be implemented by people who do not have programming knowledge: CMS like WordPress offer a wide choice of suitable themes, which you can easily customize and complement with your content. The only technical obstacle is hosting. Choose a provider that specializes in WordPress hosting and supports the installation of this CMS in one click.
If you want to create a portfolio website yourself, be sure to present only the best examples of your work. It’s better to take less and include only your best accomplishments rather than overloading your site with mid-level references.
Blog/Magazine
For whom? Bloggers, companies, journalists, influencers
Purpose: regular information or entertainment
A blog or magazine website puts editorial content at the center of attention. Do you want to make regular reports on bitcoins? Thinking of creating a local online news newspaper? While blogs often feature a static homepage, online magazines usually look like regular print magazines. They show the most recent content first.
Some blogs and online magazines also offer products and services related to their subject, but these remain rather secondary. Recent and current content play the main role – and this is also reflected in the design of the website.
However, keeping a blog is a time-consuming process. Ask yourself if it is possible for you to keep your blog or magazine updated yourself or if it would be better to find a team of authors. If you want your blog to become a reliable source of information and be attractive, new articles should be published at short and regular intervals.
Micro-site
For whom? Companies
Purpose: information or entertainment on a specific topic/product
A micro-site is the little brother of the corporate website: at the heart of its design is its informative nature. However, the microsite is limited to a few subpages or even a main page.
It presents a concrete new product or a clearly defined topic, unlike the corporate website, which presents a series of topics and services.
Microsites are often characterized by unusual designs that highlight a product or topic. They rely on interaction possibilities and animations to create a positive user experience.
Landing page
For whom? Companies, self-employed
Objective: lead generation or purchase confirmation
Landing pages are designed to inform the visitor about a specific product and, ultimately, seek to motivate him to take a certain action. The page has a clear advertising character.
There are no subpages. Landing pages are more like detailed sales information, which can be enriched with videos and graphics.
Ideally, the user will be convinced by the content and will be willing to pay for a physical or digital product or service or even simply give their email address.
Most landing pages are designed as part of online marketing campaigns: Users click on an ad on Google or a social network and are redirected to the landing page.
Online shop
For whom? Enterprises
Objective: sale of digital or physical products
A single product can be sold using a landing page, but for several products, an online store is required.
Clear menu navigation helps users quickly find a suitable offer.
Guides and informational articles can of course be integrated into the site in order to attract users to the site, especially through better SEO, but the focus is on the range of products.
Whether it’s Zalando or Amazon, large online shops follow a fairly similar structure that has been widely proven:
The technical implementation of an online store is particularly difficult, as it is necessary to map the entire ordering and payment process. Small shops can be created by the users themselves thanks to tools such as Woo-commerce on the WordPress platform, while for large shops it is advisable to seek help from a specialized agency.
Web application
For whom? IT companies, SaaS companies
Objective: Provision for online use
Web applications are not websites that advertise a product; they constitute the product itself. Whether for project management, financial administration or travel expense accounting, these web bases tools can be used directly in a browser as a web application.
Certainly, even a web application needs a few classic web pages to provide information about the functions, benefits, and prices of the product or service.
Trello is one of the most well-known project management tools, the app is designed as a pure web app. Users only need access to the internet and can connect to the app from any location using a browser. These web applications are often a convenient solution for remote teams.
In summary: what type of website is best for you?
Hopefully, our overview was able to show you that sites can be created in very different ways.
Before embarking on a modular website system or hiring a professional, take the time to create a concept and understand the type of website you really need. Otherwise, you may need to readjust it after a few weeks or months simply because the expected success will not be there.
The clarity of your requirements and needs as well as a good knowledge of the different types of websites that exist will also help you in communicating with agencies and service providers: that way, you will be able to proceed more efficiently and achieve better results.