What do you want your website to do for you? Do you have a clear vision of how it will accomplish that? Do you know what other options are out there? Over the years we’ve encountered many different types of websites. While few are as direct and straightforward as one of these six, we think that just knowing the most common categories may help you clarify a few things in your mind.
Validation
From time to time there are companies, like government subcontractors and professional support agencies that just need a website that says “we’re here and we’re real.” At most, you’ll find a mention of their website somewhere in a proposal or bid. The website itself contains just some basic information about the company and their services. Often times it wouldn’t even exist, were it not a requirement of the application or bid request they are submitting. Being located so close to Quantico & Washington D.C. we often have the opportunity to support these entities. A “Validation” website might be a no frills website, but it still ought look professional. When presented with a client like this, we recommend our ValueWeb Package.
Brochure
Essentially the ‘Validation’ website for a private sector business, the ‘Brochure’ website is intended to provide a secondary source of static information on the business/organization or it’s services. The website is usually mentioned at the bottom of business cards, postcards, and mailings and reiterates the information you might find on a brochure with a bit more detail. We have created many websites with this simple and direct purpose. With some personalized style, “Brochure” websites do provide you with an opportunity to impress. And depending on the client base, mobile friendly design may be important as well. For those reasons we often find these types of clients are best matched with our BusinessWeb Package.
Lead Capture
Where a website starts to do some work for the business is as a Lead Capture tool. This type of website is one where visitors are directed manually to the website, through marketing efforts like Yellow Pages ads, postcard mailings, and referral networks. A “Lead Capture” website goes beyond the “Brochure” website by having a clear “Call To Action” such as “Call for a free quote”. The design, content, and flow of the website are all built to encourage visitors to contact you to place their order or request an estimate. This type of site can also be enhanced with instant quote features! Ultimately the goal of a “Lead Capture” website is to turn someone who already knows about you into someone who pays for your services.
Lead Generation
Intended to help your company grow over time, a website focused on “Lead Generation” should be backed by an active Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign. In seeking to collect new leads from online search engines such as as Google, you must fill your website with robust content and build it in a Search Engine friendly framework. Once the foundation of a professional, content-rich, engaging, and SEO friendly website is built then the site can be regularly promoted by SEO professionals (like ours) to attack the search keyword phrases for your target market.
Sales
Always built upon a ‘Lead Generation’ or ‘Lead Capture’ website is the ‘Sales’ website. By constructing a website with a Shopping Cart (E-Commerce), Online Order Form, or Online Purchase tools, you can convert visitors into dollars! Whether delivering digital products like e-books or selling physical merchandise, a “Sales” website has one direct, clear goal: make money, now. Depending on the number of products and growth plan of the client, we may recommend either our UltimateWeb or ShopWeb package.
Service
The variety of ways in which a website can provide service directly to the customer is innumerable. FAQs or How-To’s, as well as Invoice or Order History are the most common. But the possibilities are truly endless. The majority of the time a “Service” website is created by extending the functionality of a “Lead Generation” or “Sales” website.
That’s All She Wrote
So there you have it: the 6 types of websites. Ok, well the 6 main types at least. We’ve learned as well that few sites exclusively serve one purpose and we’ve seen all sorts of combinations. If your business or organization is looking to get some help with creating a website, please reach out to our team. We can create a professional grade website for you, empower you with support to maintain it, and of course we’ll follow up to help you make the most of your new website!