Branding
Have you ever asked yourself, how many websites are there on the internet? Too many to count, but thankfully they all fall into 4 simple categories, authority, lead-generation, utility, and sales websites. Some websites are combinations of two but still have their main category determined and prioritized.
Understanding the type of website you need and looking at some layouts with specific web pages, you can avoid failure and jump straight to developing the perfect website for you and your business. This also helps to define your website costs and budget.
Learn your ways around websites as we run down the list of websites that are the most popular on the internet. Let’s go!
- Authority Websites
- Lead-Generation Websites
- Sales Websites
- Utility Websites
Authority Websites
The main objective of an authority website is to guarantee an online presence and generate leads offline. As the name suggests, authority websites are there to prove the legitimacy of your company or showcase what you can do for the website visitors.
Personal Website
When creating a personal website, your primary purpose is to have an online CV or portfolio to showcase. Andrew Huang, a musician and video producer’s website, is an excellent example to look at. He has a lot of content describing him, his professional achievements, services, and ways to cooperate.
Source: Andrew Huang
Corporate Website
Corporate website design has to be informative and straightforward. People visiting your business website presumably, already know their way to you. All they need now is an easily navigated menu and all the latest service updates.
Government Website
Governmental organizations are notoriously famous for their low-effort designs. That’s because people will visit their page anyway, so they invest in having instructional and descriptive content where users of all backgrounds can find the website information with ease.
Source: Government of Canada
Wedding Website
With technological progress, even traditions as long as time are migrating to the digital landscape. Having a simple wedding website allows for both eco-friendly and cost-efficient invitations, a photo library accessible to all the guests, and lot more.
Source: Zola
Lead-Generation Websites
These websites are SEO optimized and expect leads coming in online. Many lead-generation websites provide their services offline but still aim to appear in search results as part of their marketing efforts.
Local Business Website
As a local business trying to get new customers and popularity in the community, it’s essential to use a lead-generation website. Those are usually one-page websites that offer a backstory insight, contacts, occasionally menus, and offers.
Source: The People VS Coffee
Non-profit Organization Website
Charity and non-profit organizations are an exciting mix of authority and lead-generation websites. The page intends to convert users while also being an online brochure of all the achievements and projects completed, to showcase legitimacy and invite interest.
Educational Institution Website
Higher education is not a topic university website visitors don’t know about; that’s why some ask why aren’t those authority sites? The answer is simple, the demand for education and a wide variety of institutions turned academic counseling into the Wild West of the internet. It’s in the interest of the institution to rank high and potentially get more admission applications. Buckle up, learners!
Source: The University of Chicago
Sales Websites
Now, in the case of sales websites, both leads and sales come online. These websites mainly focus on SEO and conversion efforts while content-vise building a clear and easy process for eventual clients.
E-Commerce Website
The apparent primary intent of sales websites is to sell stuff. E-Commerce is one of the fastest-growing disciplines and not unjustified. With 18% of global retail sales happening online, no wonder that a lot of international conglomerates, Apple, H&M, IKEA, switch efforts to E-Commerce. Notably, many direct E-Commerce and cloud computing websites have emerged in the past decade, with Amazon and eBay leading the market.
Small Media Business Website
Small businesses have grown into a popular shopping choice for people worldwide. Those businesses are usually operated by a small team and use a one-page E-Commerce website structure. Their prominent advertising happens on social media, so the website doesn’t generate leads but aims for a more convenient product-to-purchase system.
Source: Bluboho
Streaming Service Website
It has become an older people’s thing to have cable TV, and streaming services have become an inseparable part of our lives. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ have recently come to the internet landscape, but we can’t imagine life without them, can we?
Crowdfunding Website
Do you have an idea worth spending money on, an educational goal to meet, or a cause to support? In the 21st century, you don’t need corporate investors and insane bank loans. Set up a crowdfunding website, collect donations, or offer pre-purchase contributions, to start your business journey faster. Many websites on the internet exist only to provide crowdfunding services, as are Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Indiegogo, and Patreon.
Source: Patreon
Utility Websites
These types of websites are the business itself. The page isn’t developed to sell the product, the page is the product. These websites don’t generate leads, they are open to anyone who wants to use and access them.
Social Media Website
The prime examples of a utility website are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and many other social media platforms. Our social media profiles have become free web pages for personal and often commercial use. Yes, many social media platforms started getting into sales and advertising platforms, but their initial intent is to provide a space to be in touch with friends, family, and the world.
Community Forum Website
Chat rooms and forums were the first utility websites on the internet. When personal computers just became a thing, communities of people got together to discuss prevalent issues and personal experiences. This led to the further development of social media as we know it today.
Source: Wedding Bee
Video Entertainment Website
With the attention span of an average human exponentially decreasing, video entertainment has become a new age addiction. Toddlers who can’t read or write can find their favorite cartoons; elders can watch recipe videos, and youngsters are all over the place. Who hasn’t spent hours upon hours diving into the rabbit holes of YouTube, right?
Wiki Website
Developed from the communal spirit of forums and the Wikipedia website, wiki pages became a social phenomenon. People contribute their free time to edit, develop, and update book lore, movie details, and celebrity profiles. Wherever your interests lie, there is a wiki website for it.
Source: Fandom
New types of websites keep emerging to meet user needs, and it’s impossible to cover and know all of them. Get inspired and find out more creative website ideas and topics. Learn about Renderforest Website Builder’s latest updates and start creating now.
