Question

7 types of web pages: which website do you need?

Answer 1

What types of websites exist today? The 7 most popular types of web pages
Conclusion: what type of website is best for you?
Corporate website
Portfolio
Blog / magazine
Microsites
Landing pages
Online store
Web applications

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7 types of web pages: which website do you need?

A website is a fundamental part of any successful business. But how should it be better designed? It all depends on your goal. Do you want to collect applications for an online course or make a name for yourself as a photographer? Do you plan to sell jewelry or do you want to create a blog? Depending on your answer, your website may need a completely different look..

Whether you create your own website or hire a service provider, you should think about what type of website you need beforehand. In the end, only you as an entrepreneur can make this strategic decision. With this summary on types of web pages we will solve your doubts.

Index

1. What types of websites exist today? The 7 most popular types of web pages
   1. Corporate website
   2. Portfolio
   3. Blog / magazine
   4. Microsites
   5. Landing pages
   6. Online store
   7. Web applications
2. Conclusion: what type of website is best for you?

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What types of websites exist today? The 7 most popular types of web pages

Around 380 new websites are created on the net every minute. Not all of them fall into the categories that we present, especially since they are not always clearly distinguished from one another. However, we have chosen this typology to present the most important web page formats with their most striking differences.

Corporate website

For whom? Companies, agencies and freelancers

Purpose: presentation of the company itself with the possibility of establishing contact

The classic corporate website corresponds to what is associated with a web page in general. It is a collection of several individual pages with the main purpose of providing information.

The company presents its services, its team and offers opportunities to make contact. A corporate website is the digital business card of the company. However, websites can also contain dynamic elements, for example a news area or a blog, the content of which is regularly updated. Larger websites often integrate other types of web pages, such as landing pages or microsites, so that companies can pursue different goals with a single Internet presence..

To get your own brand or website known to the target audience, companies should take additional measures like search engine marketing.

An example of a classic corporate website is the KPMG website:

The KPMG consultancy website is a classic corporate website, with a focus on informational nature (source: https://home.kpmg/xx/en/home.html)

If you want to create a corporate website yourself and have little or no programming knowledge, you can use website builders such as the MyWebsite creation service. This makes it easy to get professional results. You can also hire an agency or, if you want to save your budget, you can use the IONOS MyWebsite design service for experts to implement a website according to your specifications.

Portfolio

For whom? Artists and creatives

Purpose : presentation of mainly visual work samples

Portfolio web pages are optimized to present visual work in an attractive way . This type of website is ideal for designers, photographers, or artists.

The themes of the web pages for the portfolios are characterized by a minimalist design, which already on the page puts the focus on the graphic elements and samples of the artist's work. Unlike corporate websites, the amount of text is usually small .

A portfolio website is very easy for non-technical people to create. CMS like WordPress offer a huge selection of themes, which you can easily adapt and fill with your content. The only technical obstacle is accommodation. Choose a provider that specializes in WordPress hosting and supports a one-click WordPress installation. IONOS offers affordable prices for WordPress Hosting plans.

How can a portfolio web page be? Portrait photographer Martin Schoeller's website is a fairly typical example of this type of website:

Creative people's websites are often designed as a portfolio (source: https://martinschoeller.com/)

If you want to create a web page with a portfolio by yourself, you should pay attention and present only the best work samples. It's better to present less and include your best work than to overload the site with too many mediocre references.

Blog / magazine

For whom? Bloggers, companies, journalists, influencers

Purpose : regular editorial information or entertainment

A blog or magazine website focuses on editorial content . Do you want to regularly report on bitcoins ? Planning to create a local online newspaper? While blogs sometimes welcome readers to a static home page, online magazine home pages often look like classic print magazines. They directly show the latest content.

Some blogs and online magazines also offer products and services related to your topic, but this is rather secondary. The actual content and regulate plays the lead role and this is also reflected in the design of the website.

This can be seen on the Smashing Magazine website:

The Smashing Magazine website focuses on current content, which is consistently reflected in the structure, layout and writing (source: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/)

However, blogging is a time consuming process. Think if you can maintain your blog or magazine online on your own or if it would be better to find a team of writers. If you want your blog to become a reliable source of information and a magnet for readers, there should be no time gaps between publishing articles.

If you need help with the technical setup of your blog, use our step-by-step guide to creating a blog.

Microsites

For whom? Business

Purpose : information or entertainment on a specific topic or product.

A microsite is the little brother of the company website. The microsite is limited to a few subpages or even a main page. It presents a specific new product or clearly defined topic , in contrast to the website, which presents a broader range of topics and services.

Microsites are often characterized by unusual designs that put a product or topic in the spotlight. They are based on the possibilities of interaction, animations and the diversity of resources to create a positive experience for the user.

An example that was implemented with great attention to detail is the Adobe test microsite? Creative Type ?, where users can find their kind of creativity.

On the Adobe microsite, users can enter a contest to find out what "kind of creative" they are (source: https://mycreativetype.com/)

Landing pages

For whom? Companies, freelancers

Purposes : generation of potential leads or completion of the purchase.

The so-called landing pages are onepage that inform the visitor about a specific product, with the aim of motivating him to take a certain action . The page has a clear advertising character . Subpages are not used, but they resemble a detailed sales newsletter, which can be enriched with videos and graphics.

In the best case scenario, the user consumes the content and is willing to pay for a physical or digital product or service or to enter their email address.

If you're looking for inspiration to create a landing page, you'll find it on the American Association for Writers (AWAI) website. The association of copywriters advertises their courses using the classic landing pages :

The American Association for Writers uses landing pages to market its online courses as? Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting? (source: https://www.awai.com/copywriting/p/)

Most of these pages are designed as part of online marketing campaigns : users click on an ad on Google or on a social network and are redirected to the page.

The success factors to consider when creating a landing page can be found in our guide on landing pages .

Online store

For whom? Business

Purpose : online sale of physical products or services.

Products can be sold well through landing pages, but an online store is required for several products.

The products and their characteristics are presented in online stores without any problem. A clear navigation menu helps users find a suitable offer quickly. Content in the form of guides or informational articles can be integrated to attract Google users to your online store, but the main focus of attention is still the product catalog .

Large electronic stores like Zalando or Amazon follow a similar structure:

The Amazon website is an example of a typical online store where products are the center of attention (source: https://www.amazon.com/)

The technical implementation of an online store is particularly difficult because it includes the entire ordering and payment process. With tools like the IONOS web builder, small stores can be created. For larger projects, you can turn to a specialized agency.

Web applications

For whom? Tech companies, SaaS companies

Purpose : presentation of an online application.

Web applications are not websites that advertise a product: they are the product itself. Whether for project management, financial administration or travel expense accounting, more and more software does not require a download , but can instead be used in the browser as a web application.

It is true that even a web application needs a few pages of a classic corporate website to report on the features, benefits and prices, but unlike an online business card , the user can use the tool after registration.

Trello is one of the most popular project management tools. The application is designed as a web application. Users only need Internet access and can access the application from anywhere using a browser. Especially for remote computers, web applications are a practical solution.

After registering, users can use the Trello web application directly from their browser (source: https://trello.com/)

Conclusion: what type of website is best for you?

Our overview should have shown you how different websites can be. Have you still not decided which type of website is the most suitable for your objective? Here is an outline for you to make a quick decision:

With the right guiding questions, you will quickly find the right kind of web pages for your online project

Before experimenting with website building plans or hiring a professional, take some time to come up with a concept and figure out what kind of website you really need. Otherwise, you may have to make changes after a few weeks or months because success does not materialize. You can avoid this extra effort.

Clarity about website requirements and knowledge of the differences between website types will also help you communicate with agencies and service providers - you can proceed more efficiently and achieve better results.

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