The web is already overflowing with sites of all varieties, and new ones are emerging daily in massive numbers. It’s estimated that more than 1.25 billion live active websites are scattered on the web like stars in the galaxy. There are just so many of them!

Website design has come a long way from being purely text-based to fully interactive visual experiences. The range of website types is combining into a new hybrid form that’s almost impossible to categorize accurately. Although there are a lot of websites today, none of them are exactly the same. Websites are classified according to their purpose, design, and cost.

There are ten types of websites that you might see on the internet. Some websites have similar purposes, but each has its own objectives and a set of best practices. Learn more about these types of websites and what makes them different.

 

What are the 10 Types of Websites?

Here are the top 10 types of websites that you should know about:

Blogs

Blogs are websites where people can write about important events in their lives, like weddings, babies, or other special moments. It’s also a great platform to showcase your personal style and share your favorite recipes, hobbies, books, films, and other interests.

Today, influencers across industries use blogs as an online platform to grow their reach. It’s a great tool for knowledge sharing and building authority to position yourself as an expert in your field.

A good example is Neil Patel, who has several blogs about SEO, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. His personal blog has become an common reference for novices and experts alike to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in digital marketing.

The most common way to build a blog is by using a Content Management System (CMS). This is a software that helps you create and manage your content. Some examples of CMSs are WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, and Ghost. WordPress is the most popular CMS, used by small bloggers to high-end brands.

Blog Design Best Practices

• Choose a font that is easy to read. Make sure your headings stand out from the text.
• Have a color scheme in mind. Choose colors that are pleasing to the eye and don’t hurt your reader’s eyes.
• Include visuals like photos and videos to give readers a break from reading long chunks of text. Visuals also help boost engagement.
• Make sure you have an easy-to-navigate menu bar, so users can find what they need quickly.
• Embrace the blank space. White space is essential in a blog design to make sure your text isn’t overwhelming.
• Use HTML tweaks such as bold, italics, and headers to make the text easier to read.
• Include social media sharing buttons so readers can easily share your content with their friends and followers.
• Learn the importance of CSS and use it to make your blog look aesthetically pleasing. CSS is a style sheet language that tells the browser how to display a web page’s elements.

 

Business/Corporate Websites

It is a fact that every business in the 21st century should have a website. Most consumers go to your website to learn more about you before they make a purchase. Corporate websites are the face of your business on the internet and should give potential customers the impression that you are professional and can deliver what they need.

A good business website should have all the important information about a company. This includes addresses, contact information, and even extra information like short staff bios or a mission statement. Your website should also showcase your portfolios, customer reviews, and other content that proves your business’ capabilities.

The goal here is to get people interested in working with you. If your website falls short of the information needed to convince your prospects to choose you, it will be difficult to convert.

Most business websites have a call-to-action, which is something that allows the visitor to act and engage with your business, like scheduling a meeting or phone call or at least getting their questions answered by a person. Call-to-actions are necessary as it gives the visitor a way to take action and helps encourage them to do business with you.

Business websites must reflect the company’s branding; for instance, if you’re a tech firm targeting youthful users, then your design should be modern and utilize informal language. On the other hand, if you own an established law firm catering to adult clients, visuals would need to look more mature, and content must remain professional.

Business Website Design Best Practices

• Make your site mobile responsive. People are increasingly using their phones and tablets to browse the web, so you want your website to be mobile-friendly.
• Make it easy to find. Your domain name should be simple and related to your business.
• Choose an attractive design. Most web visitors judge a website based on how it looks, so make sure yours is pleasing to the eye. If you don’t know how to do this yourself, hire a professional web designer.
• Make sure it loads quickly. People want fast loading times, so make sure your website is optimized for speed.
• Place your contact information above the fold. When people visit your website, make sure they can find your contact information quickly and easily.
• Make it easy to navigate. Have a navigation bar so visitors can easily find the information they need.
• Keep your pages uncluttered. Don’t overwhelm visitors with too much content on one page; having multiple pages for different topics is better.
• Include strong calls-to-action. Make sure visitors know what action you want them to take, such as signing up for your newsletter or scheduling an appointment.
• Keep your design simple. Simple designs are easier to understand and navigate, which can help keep visitors on your website longer.
• Make sure your website copy is customer-oriented. Your website should talk about how you can help the customer, not just what your business does.
• Incorporate SEO best practices. This can help your website rank higher on search engine results pages.
• Test, test, and test again. Test your website on different browsers and devices to ensure it looks great everywhere.

 

Ecommerce Websites

If your goal is to make the most out of selling online, you will want to ensure that your eCommerce site has what it takes. You need a platform that looks great and offers appealing products – but more importantly, one with seamless payment methods like credit cards, PayPal, or cryptocurrency for customers’ convenience.

Retailers who sell many kinds of products will need to invest more in building their websites and should have a dedicated page for each item they sell. Product pages help you convince people to buy the product by using exciting descriptions, pictures, and videos.

As your inventory expands, navigation can become increasingly complex. You must not only devise an efficient layout to showcase all of your products but also include filtering or category tags for customers searching for something specific. These elements will ensure that visitors can easily locate what they need on your site.

Remember that online shoppers are more cautious than in-store customers because they can’t inspect the product themselves. Therefore, having high-quality images is important. You need high-resolution photos and videos that display the item from all perspectives should be used to provide buyers with a better idea of what exactly it looks like. Doing so will give them greater confidence when making an online purchase.

Ecommerce Website Design Best Practices

• Get a relevant theme. Your eCommerce website needs an attractive and professional-looking theme that reflects your brand.
• Use strong branding elements. A consistent logo, color palette, font family, and other visual elements will help your brand stand out.
• Make sure it’s easy to find what customers are looking for. Have an effective search bar and well-organized categories so visitors can quickly find the product they want.
• Provide detailed product descriptions. Make sure all products have detailed descriptions, including measurements, materials used, and other relevant information. Include customer reviews as well.
• Have a section where customers can share their experiences with the product and include ratings for each product.
• Use attractive photos and videos. Take attractive, high-resolution photos of your products from all angles, so potential customers have an idea of what they are purchasing.
• Offer a variety of payment methods. Make it easy for customers to pay by accepting multiple payment options, such as credit cards, PayPal, cryptocurrencies, and more.
• Include customer service information. Your website should have all the relevant contact information so customers can easily reach you if they have questions or need help.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. More and more people are accessing websites from their mobile devices. Your eCommerce site should look great on both desktop and mobile browsers.
• Ensure that there is a clear call to action throughout the buying process. Your website should include well-placed calls to action to encourage visitors to take the next step in the buying process. Make sure your website is secure.
• Ensure that all transactions are secure using SSL encryption and other security measures, such as two-factor authentication, to keep customer data safe.

 

Portfolio

Portfolio sites are practically identical to business websites, but they have a few distinct features that make them ideal for visually-inclined companies such as design agencies or photographers. Just like their corporate counterparts, portfolio sites exist to inform website visitors and draw in new customers. However, with portfolios come real-life examples of the work being done so potential clients can get an accurate grasp on what you’re offering.

Generally, portfolio websites focus more on exhibiting their finished works than detailing their services. It is typical for these sites to have galleries with visual samples of projects along with tags or categories that make it easier for visitors to navigate and explore its content.

Don’t forget the basics, like your contact details and a concise bio. Just as with business websites, visitors must affirm that you are authentic.

Portfolio Website Design Best Practices

• Add a gallery of high-quality images and work samples.
• Add information about the professional or agency.
• Provide an explanation of your services.
• Use strong call-to-action.

 

Membership Website (Streaming, Online Tools, Etc.)

For some companies, their website is their business. Think of Netflix, DuckDuckGo, and Google Translate. Not only do they provide customers with a vast array of entertainment options but they also offer easy access to necessary services like search engines or online tools that have become essential in our everyday lives.

Sites that provide services are usually designed to make the service accessible at first glance. Think of Google’s home page with its search bar in front and center or Grammarly’s spell-checker feature featuring a text box right away—there’s no confusion about how to get started.

Paid subscription services, such as Netflix, prioritize a direct call-to-action. For example, when an unfamiliar visitor lands on the page for Netflix – they are presented with a bar to enter their email and immediately given a sales pitch. They made it easy for customers to understand what are the steps needed to take so they can start using their service.

Membership Website Design Best Practices

• Provide easy access to the tool
• Include multiple payment options for subscriptions
• Should have personalization features such as favorites, recommendations, taste tracking, etc.

 

Landing Page

Landing pages are incredibly useful and quite simply designed, often made up of only one page. The most popular function for a landing page is to capture emails like when signing up for newsletters or other subscriptions. However, they can also be used to download apps or redirect visitors to another website.

For a successful landing page, you should strategically position the call-to-action (CTA) in an eye-catching spot and direct the visitor’s attention exclusively to it. Adding lead text is also beneficial as this helps illustrate why they should take action as well as address user apprehensions as

Landing pages are a powerful and effective tool to integrate into your comprehensive marketing campaigns. Let’s say you want to collect emails for an upcoming online raffle. Instead of adding another page to your existing website, why not create a special one-page site exclusively dedicated to that purpose? You can sponsor ads on your website and others that link directly to the landing page. Once the campaign ends, you can delete the page. This is far easier than if it were a part of your already existing website which will require you to do redirections and update sitemaps.

Landing pages can also be used as placeholders. If you’re still building your website but want to generate interest in it beforehand, then a landing page is the perfect solution. These pages usually ask for email addresses so that when the final site is up and running, they can send out notifications. This simple technique has been proven effective by businesses across industries who are eager to get their product or service into the spotlight before its official launch.

This will give you a head start when you launch. This will also help you predict how many people will visit your site, so you can make sure you have enough hosting or bandwidth to accommodate everyone.

Landing Page Design Best Practices

• Add a single, prominent call-to-action.
• Include a brief description of services/sales pitch.
• Use visuals to establish trust with customers.
• Make sure the page is not too long or overwhelming.
• Optimize for mobile visitors as well as desktop users.
• Cross-promote products and services on the landing page.

Wiki/Database

Wikis such as Wikipedia and databases like IMDb are incredibly useful digital encyclopedias that provide convenient access to valuable knowledge. Every topic receives its own page, with all the necessary information easily accessible in one place. Wikis also enable users to make edits or create new topics. However, these modifications require account creation privileges as well as moderators who moderate the wikis’ content.

Wikis have become an essential part of many people’s lives, with a wide range dedicated to specific subjects. Most wikis are created by fans and focus on individual topics such as television series, video games, books, or musicians. There is also a plethora of wikis for hobbies and interests. Wikipedia remains the most popular wiki around but there are now hundreds more available that offer detailed information on various topics.

When building a Wiki or database, it is essential to have enough storage space and bandwidth to cover all the pages you need. While text forms the basis of these websites, visuals should be included as well in order to make them more appealing. To guarantee this capacity expansion, you may even require upgrading your hosting plan so that you don’t run into any technical issues later on.

Wiki/Database Website Best Practices

• Create an intuitive navigation structure.
• Create pages that are easy to read and understand.
• Include visuals, such as photos or videos, on the page.
• Ensure all content is fact-checked for accuracy.
• Allow users to submit their own content with moderation if necessary.
• Update frequently with new topics and information.

 

Forum

Online forums are much like the historical places they get their name from: a digital space that enables users to connect and discuss shared interests. These websites not only feature helpful content in the form of links but also offer visitors an opportunity to interact with one another, creating relationships among strangers all around the world. Much like social media websites, these online forums provide unique opportunities for anyone to share their own content with others.

When designing a forum, the primary goal should be to construct an ordered navigational system allowing users to locate the various discussion boards easily. You or your users can start discussions. But the key here is to ensure that topics are easy to find and are organized in such a way that everyone can find what they’re looking for.

You should also consider the different user roles when building your forum. Moderators are essential to ensure all conversations remain civil and appropriate; administrators control who can access the forum, modify permissions, manage users etc. This way, you can keep the forum running smoothly without any trouble and avoid scam or spam content.

Forum Design Best Practices

• Create a simple, intuitive navigational structure.
• Incorporate user roles and permissions.
• Optimize for mobile devices as well as desktop users.
• Ensure all content is moderated by knowledgeable moderators.
• Organize topics in an easy-to-navigate way.
• Allow users to create topics and post content.

Event

Event websites are often single-page websites designed to market or promote an event or series of events. These websites are usually used as a central hub for potential attendees, providing them with all the necessary information about the event, such as date, location, and ticket prices. Creating an attractive website for your event is essential for attracting visitors and giving them a great first impression.

Before building an event website, it’s important to clearly define the purpose of your event and what information should be included on the website. You also need to determine which features and tools you will need to make your site engaging and interactive, such as a registration form or a chat feature. Additionally, it’s important to consider SEO tactics to help ensure your page is easy to find.

Event Website Best Practices

• Create a clear and concise website layout.
• Include all necessary event details such as date, location, ticket prices etc.
• Add visuals such as photos or videos of previous events to create interest.
• Integrate a registration form for attendees if needed.
• Include a chat feature or other interactive features to engage visitors.
• Allow users to submit their own content and reviews.

Nonprofit Websites

Nonprofit websites are designed to inform visitors about the mission of an organization. These are generally used by schools, churches, animal rescues, and other nonprofit organizations to provide information and connect with the public. When building a website for a nonprofit organization, it’s important to create an easy-to-navigate site that clearly communicates the organization’s mission and values.

It’s important to consider how you want to present your cause and how best to attract visitors. You can add visuals such as photos or videos, tell your organization’s history and background, feature brand partners, and also feature stories of people whom your organization has helped. You can also add a donation page that allows visitors to donate money or time to the organization.

Nonprofit Website Best Practices

• Create a website centered around your mission and values.
• Include visuals that help communicate your message and attract visitors.
• Optimize your website with SEO tactics.
• Include a donation page to allow visitors to donate money or time.
• Provide stories of people your organization has helped and their successes.
• Allow users to submit content or reviews about the organization’s work.

How to Choose the Right Type of Website for You

The type of website you should choose depends on your objectives and end goals. Do you want to create a website to inform, engage, or promote? Once you have determined the purpose and objectives of your website, it’s easier to determine which type of website is best for you. When in doubt, it’s always best to consult a web design expert like Public Advertising Agency who can help you make the right decision.

No matter what type of website you choose, it’s important to ensure that all the necessary features are included and optimized for various devices. Additionally, make sure your website is organized in a way that makes it easy for visitors to quickly and easily find what they need. With the right type of website, you can create an engaging and informative online presence that helps attract visitors and drives the success of your business or organization.

At Public Advertising Agency, we have the expertise and experience to help build a website representing your business or organization. Contact us today to get started!