Why do you need a website?
If you run a business, you need a website. If you want public exposure, you need a website. If you want to do pretty much anything in the 21st century, first you need a website.
But what exactly does a website offer?
Gain more exposure
A huge 47% of people visit a company website before making a purchase. Plus, with 4.54 billion people accessing the internet regularly, there’s a good chance that new users discover your website each day — particularly if you manage to climb the search rankings.
Not only does exposure expand your reachability, but it may also increase your brand awareness in the most cost-effective way
Allow easy access
Shockingly, 60% of small businesses operate without a dedicated website, despite being the first port of call for most people interested in a company. Getting a website gives you a 60% advantage over your competitors.
A website allows 24/7 access to your content. People can quickly obtain the information they need from you anytime they want. Not just that, but they’re also able to do it without having to meet you in person. All users have the same ability to access the website and its information regardless of their location.
Build your image and credibility
Over 30% of online shoppers will choose a company based on the quality of its website. Whatever type of website you have, it’ll help convince potential customers you’re trustworthy.
Having a website is an effective and affordable way to establish an online presence and authority in your niche industry. It’s easier to leave a positive impression on others — further benefiting your branding.
Stay on top of trends
It’s predicted that by 2040, 95% of transactions will be via eCommerce. Keeping on top of trends doesn’t just mean fresh marketing, but also following the trends of how people shop and consume.
Generally speaking, managing a website requires you to keep creating content and making sure it’s up-to-date information. To do so, you must stay on top of the industry’s latest innovations and the market’s demands. This can not only directly benefit the growth of your website, but also keep you on your toes regarding changes that may affect your brand.
How to choose the right type of website for you!
When considering having a website, you might ask: what sort of site do I need? To have your website, you really need to know the answer to this question before you can go further. In the long run, this will save you much time, effort, and potential headaches in future.
Consider your website ideas and end goals. For some, choosing which type of website to create might be an obvious decision–if you are starting a business, a business website is the logical choice, and if you’re starting a blog, it makes sense to choose a blog template.
But the choice may not always be so simple and there often is overlap. You may want to start an eCommerce site that includes a blog, or an event website with a members-only area. For example, Mammoth March, a nonprofit organization that hosts a variety of hikes all around the US, has a dedicated blog page with tips and inspo.
Websites perform multiple functions and offer multiple services, and as such can require different technology or infrastructure.
Key factors to consider when your choosing a website include the following: the audience it will be aimed at; how many daily and weekly visitors it’s likely to get; whether it’s likely to be viewed on standard or non-standard devices; and whether external system integrations, like address look-ups or drop shipping, will be required.
Journey Towards Success
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eCommerce website
This allows you to sell products from your online store. You can even incorporate a drop shipping model into your online business to sell products from a third-party distributor, when someone places an order, the company sends it to the distributor, who then ships the product directly to the customer.
Portfolio website
Creative professionals, such as graphic designers, artists and writers, use portfolio websites to consolidate and display examples of their work. That way, potential employers can head over to someone’s portfolio to easily check out their skills and expertise.
Membership website
This ensures exclusivity by requiring visitors to sign up or pay a fee to receive full access to its services, tools or resources. Perhaps you have an online magazine or publication that requires membership to read. Alternatively, you may have a business or nonprofit site that you want to add a members-only page to access additional content. Doing so can increase revenue streams, builds trust and loyalty between your members and increases website traffic.
Educational websites
These serve as the portal for online courses. These types of websites aim to enhance people’s learning experiences — both inside and outside the classroom. For educators, educational institutions, or professionals who want to share their knowledge with other people, having an education website is an effective and relatively cheap way to do so.
Business website
Whether you’re creating a consulting website or a startup website, a business website establishes your brand’s online presence. Your website imagery, including your photographs, logo and color choices, will draw people into your design and sell the entire vibe of your brand.
Event website
An event website allows for streamlined event management, from invites to marketing, and even through follow-up. Your site is your event’s central command station, acting as the anchor of your event marketing efforts. If you’re looking to reach a wide audience, you can even use your site as your virtual event location—which may not be a bad idea, as 80% of event organizers claim virtual events reach wider audiences.
Nonprofit website
You can create a website that informs visitors of your organization’s mission, goals and core values. Whether a school website, church website or animal rescue site, be sure to include information about past events, your mission statement, and a donations page.
Online forum
Allows you to build community around a shared interest, and even allow site owners or businesses to earn profit by restricting access to members only. Users can discuss topics, compare experiences, ask questions and interact with people with similar professions, hobbies or worldviews. They also allow for user engagement between the site owner and visitors. Whether your online forum is dedicated to gaming, environmental sustainability or gluten-free dessert recipes, it’s an ideal place to digitally congregate.
Blog website
Blogs are a space for people to share written and visual content about whatever they desire. Most popular types of blogs include travel blogs, food blogs and lifestyle blogs. 86% of businesses now employ blogging as part of their content marketing strategy to acquire leads through organic traffic and social shares.
Personal website
This is a great way to give your online presence a boost. You can create a personal website to promote your individuality and interests, such as fan websites or hobby websites. People also utilize personal and CV website templates to display who they are and what they’ve accomplished professionally. These personal sites are similar to portfolios but typically contain fewer visual elements, as the objective isn’t necessarily to display past work. You can create a personal website to promote your individuality and interests, such as fan websites or hobby websites.
Informational websites
This act as a resource to convey information. Examples include encyclopedias and news outlet websites. They often include long form content to satisfy reader curiosity and implement search functions, so visitors can find what they are looking for.
Infopreneur
These types of websites focus on selling digital information in the form of tutorials, webinars, eBooks, and videos. For this type of website to succeed, you need to be willing to put in the work and build a successful and well-known brand
