Which Website Is Right For Your Business?

Here, we look at the different types of websites to build. We also look at how each functions. This is by no means a complete list. Still, it is a great launch point. Every website can be built with a variety of different tools and programs. Consequently, they are all great examples, providing the perfect answer to the question “Which website is right for your business?” These common types of websites will you the general idea:

1. Portfolio Website

Ideally, a portfolio website allows creative professionals to showcase their best work. This makes it the perfect place for artists, designers, filmmakers, writers, and even furniture builders. A portfolio website is naturally creative.

Therefore, it is an ideal place to try unique layouts and add interesting features. Adding every single project you have previously worked on is not necessary when building a portfolio. What will count is that you focus on creating categories of items and highlighting each category’s best work.

2. Blog Website

Almost everyone is familiar with blogs, or you have come across blogs in your browsing experience. Typically, blogs are online journals. They are informational pages that undergo regular updates. Often, they are managed by an individual or a small group. Initially, compared to magazines, blogs started with more casual, personal content. Now, though, it is extremely common for major brands and businesses to have their blog. Blogs can cover any topic, from travel tips to financial advice. Most blogs are written in an informal or conversational style.  

Over time, professional blogging has emerged to be very popular. Besides providing material for social media posts and email campaigns, adding expert content improves the overall credibility of a company or an individual.

Keep in mind that a blog can become cumbersome for smaller companies. For this reason, you must establish a team and strategize to keep your content fresh before you consider launching one.

3. Homepage

A homepage is your site’s main hub. It is the face of your brand. When visitors want to go to different areas of your site, your homepage comes in handy. The design is critical here because most people come to you through your homepage. When designing a homepage, keep in mind that the homepage’s main purpose is that it should serve as the main point of navigation and point of interest for site visitors.

This is not to say that a homepage should take a particular look, no. It can take many different forms, provided you make clear what the business is and offer the unique value proposition upfront. Your homepage sets the tone of the business’ image- it should tell a story about who you are through images and words.

You can achieve this by utilizing your brand’s color palette, images, and logos highly relevant to the business. An excellent example of a homepage website is Matcha Kari. The navigation at the top of this page sets the tone for what you will find on the site. For this website, the homepage serves as the beginning of the conversion funnel. Consequently, visitors can get a coupon, watch a video about their products or subscribe to the mailing list.

4. E-commerce website

E-commerce websites are online shopping destinations where users can buy products or services from companies. This is an online store, which can function as a standalone website or be combined with a blog or corporate website. Take an example of a purely corporate business. Even without the eCommerce functionality, it can still indirectly encourage users to make purchases but cannot accept any payments.

If you are settling for this type of website, ensure it is a very versatile platform. It should enable you to sell across multiple channels, including Facebook, eBay, Instagram, and Amazon. Creating a robust e-commerce web page will make it easy to browse products, filter by categories, make purchases and highlight special sales.

When it concerns designs, e-commerce platforms offer various templates that match the needs of nearly any business type. E-commerce websites are websites to build if you want to earn money on the side or want to start a business.

5. Social Media Websites

With close to 2.77 billion people on social media, you can tell that its popularity cannot be understated. Different social media platforms exist. It does not matter what your target audience is. The high chances are that you will either find them on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or Snapchat. Still, social media sites may take many other forms. Usually, social media sites are created to allow sharing of thoughts, images, or ideas. Sometimes, it is simply to connect with other people concerning a particular topic.

While you may not be able to redesign the platforms themselves, you have some control over how your page appears. You can create content that attracts social media shares.

When doing this kind of website, go for a consistent look across all your social media pages and web pages. This allows users to know your brand is behind the page instantly. Settle for the same logo and color choices. Go for a specific voice and a personality that shines across all content.

Focus on content that has a high potential of being shared on social media. This includes entertaining videos, memes, infographics, free offers, and in-depth reports.

6. Non-profit Websites

Non-profit websites aim to provide information on a charity and set a platform where people can donate. Gone are the days when you could just provide a phone number for people to call. Today, it is possible to develop a non-profit website for a charity that accepts donations directly on the website.

Most charities often seek help with creating a website since they are usually on a strict budget and can’t afford to hire a large agency.

7. Personal Websites

As the name suggests, a personal website is just that- personal. For this reason, you can choose only to publish blog posts, or you can expand and sell merchandise. You can even decide to create a community. If you intend to feature a person as a brand, creating a personal website should be your go-to.

Ideally, what defines a persona website is the title. This title is the person the site is about. It is an ideal website choice for public figures and influencers. Aside from the title, there are no conventions for what personal websites include. The content depends heavily on a genuinely expressed topic and the personality’s style, tone, and point of view.

8. Wiki websites

A wiki website is a digital encyclopedia that allows people to collaborate online and write content as a community. With this type of website, you can submit and publish information. Wiki websites are of two variations. There are those like Wikipedia, whose goal is to create freely accessible knowledge about various topics. Other wikis are focused on specific interests like popular culture and so on.

Still, Wiki sites are not only for business- owners. Anyone can build this type of website. If you are an influencer, this may just be the website you need. It is a great way of engaging your fans.

 

In Conclusion

When it comes to the type of website to build, various choices exist. What you settle for will largely depend on your needs and resources. This article aims to give your insight into some of the common websites you can look into when creating one. Remember that good design is much more than simply an appealing look. It should potentially drive user engagement. It should be highly targeted to the needs of the audience viewing the site.