Too many times small businesses hire site designers and developers with a thought in mind about the site they want, but without giving any real thought to the kind of site they truly need. Here I have compiled a list of site types to assist with making that decision.
Business or Corporate Sites: the corporate site is developed for the purpose of promoting services, products and sometimes, to simply have an online presence. The primary purpose is to bring attention to the brand and what they’re selling, not actually selling the product or service, because there may be a physical store. Adding booking to your business site will definitely increase profitability as it did for Total Image Clothiers.
E-commerce Sites: this kind of site encourages and allows visitors to purchase goods and services online. Many times these companies have no physical location, they’re strictly online. Their entire catalog is available 24 hours a day all over the world. Visitors can come to the site, search a product, place an order, pay, and input an address for the product to be shipped to. The products can be ordered directly from the company or there may be a third party that provides the expediting of the products. Saucey Chick, a site for “hand made gourmet sauces,” is a great example of an e-commerce site. You can order the sauces directly from the site to be delivered to your home, just in time for dinner.
Educational Sites: these sites provide educational content, resources, and tools to students, teachers and learners. Nothing is for sale, there is just lots of information, usually set up in modules and usually with accounts that the visitors log into to maintain their progress. Many companies wishing to teach their processes and methods set up this kind of site. Well With TK is a wellness site, chocked full of educational information about living a life free of illness and excess weight. There is also a paid membership only area that members can gather even more insight into a life a wellness.
Personal and Portfolio Sites: this type of site is created to showcase creative or professional portfolios, and occasionally resumes, and biographies. There may be merchandise for sale but the primary purpose is showcasing. Creative types typically utilize this type of site to showcase their work. Some have the work or the services for sale, but many just want to showcase. Taamico Lahari is a provider of voice services, such as commercials and audiobook reading. Her site is a testimonial to her accomplishments as well as a way to allow potential clients to experience her greatness.
Blogs: blog sites such as TLC Early Childhood Consulting are created to document thoughts, ideas, and experiences. Though any site can showcase a blog, these sites are designed and developed to not have much else except for the mind dumping, editorial and blogging of a company or individual. These sites are usually accompanied by a podcast and book and merchandise sales.
Though there are more types of sites such as news sites, social networks, forums, and review sites, those are usually reserved for larger conglomerates.
When deciding on the site type for your small business, look to this thread to decide which type best fits your needs.
