Curious about creating a website for your business without diving into code? You're in the right place! This series will go over everything you need to know—from crafting content to costs, collaboration, data privacy, and more.
Let's start things off with the basics: we'll explore the various types of websites, the differences between websites and web apps, and even discuss why you might not need a website just yet. This is just the first step in a journey that will guide you through planning, budgeting, designing, developing, and launching your own website—all without writing a single line of code. Let's get started!
The internet is humanity's collective knowledge, and it’s organized (sometimes unorganized) into various types of websites, each built for a specific purpose and audience. Before diving into creating your own website, it's helpful to consider the different types that exist. Here are a few examples:
Portfolio websites showcase your work, skills or achievements visually. Depending on your industry, you may consider showing off your creativity through advanced interactions or unique layouts. These websites usually have image galleries, sliders, testimonials and a simple contact form. Focused on personal branding, production work, and concept work. Portfolio websites are great if you are trying to get a job or attract potential customers.
A brochure website is like the digital version of a print brochure. It’s usually small, straightforward, and does the job of giving essential information. Most of the time, it has just a handful of pages - the basics like 'Home', 'Services', 'Contact', 'Book Appointment', and 'FAQs'. It's perfect for businesses that want to have an online presence, share key information, and be easily contacted, without getting into anything too complicated or fancy. They are ideal for startups and small businesses with a limited budget.
Blog websites are all about sharing content on specific topics or niches. Whether it's one author or many, these sites organize content with categories, tags, archives, and often allow readers to chime in with comments. Most blogs usually have RSS feeds for those who want to subscribe and get updates without signing up for a newsletter. Blogs are awesome for sharing knowledge, opinions, or stories with people online. Just keep in mind, they need regular updates and a bit of moderation to keep things running smoothly and keep the audience engaged.
A business website is a step-up from the brochure website. It's not just about showcasing the company's products and services, but also its values, mission, and more. It usually comes with a content management system (CMS) for managing blog posts, press releases, announcements, and the like. It can also act as a tool for communicating with potential customers, partners, and investors, and often includes handy stuff like downloadable resources. Besides helping to establish a company’s brand identity and increase its visibility, a business website plays a crucial role in generating leads and converting sales. Plus, it can also have features like payment processing, customer support, community forums, and social media integration to make it a one-stop-shop for everything a company wants to offer online.
Ecommerce websites are pretty much a household name these days, thanks to giants like Amazon. Simply put, these websites are online marketplaces that allow you to buy or sell products or services. They usually come with features like product catalogs, shopping carts, payment processing, and order management systems. These websites require a high level of security and functionality to ensure smooth transactions and protect user data. While Ecommerce websites have become incredibly popular for running online businesses, setting up and managing one can definitely be a bit of a challenge.
In the last section, we talked about different kinds of websites. But you might have heard people use the terms 'website' and 'web app' like they're the same thing. They're actually not. And if you've never heard of progressive web apps (PWAs), don’t worry, I'll explain.
So, at this point you already know that websites are basically a bunch of pages with information about a topic, product, or service. They usually don't change much based on what the user does, although that's starting to change as advanced functions become easier to replicate. Simply put, websites can be simple or complicated, but they're usually not as interactive as web apps.
As for web apps, they're much more advanced websites that act like software. They usually do computations on a server to modify data and perform certain functions. Even though you access them through a web browser, they allow for more user input and interaction. Web apps are used for all sorts of things, like managing data, business analytics, social media, and more. They often need users to log in and can process a lot of data.
Lastly, PWAs are web apps that look and feel like the apps on your phone or computer. What makes PWAs different from web apps is that they can work without internet, send push notifications, and update automatically. Like a native app, you can install PWAs from the app store and access them from your device's home screen.
Creating a website can be a great way to establish your online presence, reach your target audience and achieve your goals. However, it is not always necessary to make a website. If you’re just starting out or don’t have a lot of money to invest in a website, you might want to consider using social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram to promote your business.
In these cases, you might want to consider alternatives that have a lower barrier to entry that better suit your needs than creating a website.
In the previous segment, we delved into the basics of website types and their purposes. But before you invest time and resources into developing a website, it's worth considering the alternatives available. These platforms can cater to your online presence needs without the commitment and intricacy of a full-fledged website.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn offer a space for businesses and individuals to connect with their audience, share content, and even make sales.
Good for creatives interested in building a community, influencers, content creators, writers, and small businesses that want an immediate online presence.
Platforms like Etsy, Amazon, Gumroad, and eBay allow businesses to list products and make sales without a dedicated website.
Ideal for physical and digital product-based businesses such as retailers, artisans, designers, inventors, and vendors wanting to sell products without setting up a specialized e-commerce site.
Websites like Adobe Portfolio, Behance, Dribbble, ArtStation, or Portfoliobox let creatives showcase their work to potential clients or employers.
Advantages:
Good for designers, artists, photographers, and other creative professionals.
Platforms like Medium, Blogger, or WordPress.com provide a space for writers to publish content without the technical aspects of managing a website.
Best for writers, journalists, and content creators wanting to share their ideas without the complexities of website management.
While building a website can offer a comprehensive digital footprint, it's not necessarily the first step. Depending on your goals and resources, starting with one of these alternatives might offer a quicker, more efficient path to online visibility. Once you've built an audience or have more concrete goals, transitioning to a full website can be the next logical step.
In my next blog post, I’ll go into common website objectives and how a website fits into marketing funnels. If you found this blog useful, consider subscribing to my newsletter for more content like this.
