Different types of websites

Due to the rapid increase in internet use, there are already almost 1.8 billion websites today. There are different types of websites, so how can anyone stand out among many websites growing in numbers every minute?

Before starting a website project, ensure you know the website’s purpose and target audience.

• Who will use the website?
• Why will users use the website?
• For which problems or needs does the website provide solutions?
• Will users revisit the website?
• What are the features that distinguish the website from similar sites?

Answers to these and other questions will determine the type of website. In summary, what can users expect from the website, and what can the website offer users? With these criteria, a website project can be started.

Static, dynamic, or interactive?
There are three main groups when it comes to websites: static, dynamic, and interactive websites. Which leading group(s) your website belongs to depends on the regularity of substantive changes and how you communicate with your visitors.

• Static websites
  The content of these types of websites mostly stays the same. In addition, the content is not created by users. Such websites are provided for informational purposes and not for interaction with visitors. As an example, I will take websites for simple business promotion. These create information about the company and need to be regularly updated. There is also rarely any interaction with the visitors.
• Dynamic websites
  Dynamic websites are sites whose content is regularly updated. You should also put websites with many moving parts in this category, but I won’t. For example, a news website could be dynamic as new content is added daily. Although a dynamic website can be interactive, this is only sometimes the case.
• Interactive websites
  These are websites where the interaction with the visitors is central. A forum is an excellent example of a very interactive website. Without the visitors of such a website, there would be no reason for this website to exist. Many car brands have a forum, but imagine the value of such a forum if there are no visitors or interaction. For dynamic websites, the example of news websites is given. A news website can have a lot of new content, but that does not mean that there is also interaction. The basic form of interaction on such a website is the opportunity for visitors to respond to articles and other visitors.

Types of websites

Of course, it continues with these main groups. The main groups can be subdivided into categories independently of each other:

• Personal websites
  These are websites where people share their personal experiences or use them as CVs. Usually, these are static, but they can be interactive.
• Company websites
  These are websites that aim to promote the company or the company’s products or services. Our website is an example of a company website. A company website needs to give confidence to the visitor, and trust can be increased by providing information about the company, services, and products or by sharing the experiences of others.
• E-commerce websites
  These websites are also called web shops and are intended to sell products or services to visitors online. E-commerce sites are divided into two types: those with one or more brick-and-mortar stores and those that only sell on the Internet without a physical point of sale.
• Educational websites
  These are online platforms to educate users. Here, the differences between a static and dynamic website can be more significant than the other categories. Lessons are offered by teachers and other developers of teaching materials and are taken by students. Depending on the platform you are on, you can interact with the teachers or with other students. As a student, you listen to the lesson and often have to carry out assignments to show that you have mastered the material.
• Video websites
  The most famous video website is YouTube, but other renowned video websites are Vimeo and Dailymotion. The entire content of these types of websites consists of videos. It can be pre-made videos as well as live-streaming videos.
• Crowdfunding websites
  This is a relatively new phenomenon, and the most famous crowdfunding website is Kickstarter. Projects and (small) investors come together on these types of websites. For example, you may want to develop a product but need help finding investors through regular channels. The product or the idea for the product is presented on a crowdfunding website, and anyone in the world can make a financial contribution to it. In return, the investor can get a share, an honorable mention, a first version of the product at cost, or something else.

Of course, there are more types of websites, but I limit myself to these common types in this article.