In recent years, there’s been massive changes to the way websites are constructed, making the production process considerably faster and cheaper than days of old. Indeed, these days, it’s even possible to build a website with zero design or coding skills using so-called Web Builder platforms like Wix – although, it should be said that without a knowledge of programming or design, the results can often be mixed. Below you’ll get comprehensive Advice For Choosing The Right Type Of Website For Your Firm.
Nonetheless, the range of options open to companies looking to establish a presence online has never been greater with templates available for almost any conceivable end-use.
The growth of web templates – and why you should use them
In the not-so-distant past, when a firm looked to getting online, they would typically have enlisted the services of a professional web designer that would have built and coded a bespoke design from scratch. This approach not only took time, it also often resulted in high production fees.
However, with the growth of HTML5, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and Content Management Systems (CMSs), there has been an increasing trend for web designers to use pre-built, templated websites that ship with all the design features and CMS functions you could possibly need. This approach is now commonplace among all but the highest-end development firms, resulting in considerable time and cost savings for their clients.
How to choose from the different types of website
Before you even begin trying to think about having a site produced, you should first consider the type of website you’ll need. A skilled design and development firm will be able to help you with this process – but there’s no harm in at least being aware of your options. Below are a few examples of the most common site formats which you should consider:
Business showcase website
A business showcase site tends to be used to describe your firm and its products/services while also outlining the various advantages and benefits a client can expect from working with you. For example, a video editing firm might include pages showing its video projects while a construction company might have ‘before and after’ pages showing its development work.
E-commerce website:
As the name suggests, an e-commerce site is essentially an online shop and will allow your company to sell directly and securely to consumers over the web. This is clearly the ideal choice if your firm sells products and you feel you have a customer base that would purchase online. You will also have several options in terms of how you fulfil your orders – for example, dropshipping which has become an increasingly popular model.
Portfolio website
Primarily used by the artistic community, a portfolio site will often have minimal text, instead focusing more on the artist’s work (for example, photographs, designs, etc)
Blog website
A blog (web-log) website wouldn’t normally be considered substantial enough for a main, front-facing business site – however, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include a blog area alongside your primary pages. Blogs are a great way to post content online that might not be a natural fit for your more business-oriented pages (for example, how-to guides). Indeed, the iRide website could, in many ways, be considered a blog.
If you’re looking for advice on web development, you should contact a professional web development firm like Deepblue that will be able to offer you comprehensive advice.
