If you type ‘Different kinds of websites’ into Google you will be presented with a long and daunting list. But don’t be put off. So long as you provide your website developer with a detailed brief of what you want your site to achieve, you won’t have to worry about selecting which type of website is best for you. A competent developer will do that for you. However, to give you some idea of the most common forms of website, here’s the shortlist.
Open Source Websites: Open source are powered by software which is freely available to everyone. Perhaps the most popular at the moment is WordPress, an award-winning content management system (CMS) which enables the building of sites with powerful online applications.
Open source solutions often provide one solution for everyone, which can limit flexibility and often incorporates too much functionality which can overwhelm and confuse the end user.
Other open source applications include Drupal and Joomla.
At Website Rescuers We use out our Content Management System developed internally to achieve ease of use. This usually comes standard with your overall website package and once the website is complete is yours to own freely.
Brochure Style Websites: Although the title suggests a sales brochure online, the typical brochure style website is ideally suited to promoting products and services that seldom change. These sites are considered ‘static’ and the information on them can usually only be altered by the website developer. Having said that, brochure sites are inexpensive and can prove cost-effective for certain clients.
Custom Designed Websites: Many website designers/developers use readily available templates and pre-packaged graphics to create your site, then maybe change the typeface and background colour and add your company logo and text. A truly custom designed site is just that. The designer starts with a blank page and builds a site specifically for you.
Ecommerce Websites: Websites from which visitors can browse through a range of products and actually purchase them online are known as ecommerce sites. The purchasing function requires a shopping cart, a secure payment facility and must be backed up by an experienced delivery service. Online purchasing can be added to most existing sites as and when the customer considers it necessary.
Mobile Version Website: It is estimated that mobile devices such as smart phones, iPads and tablets will take the place of the fixed Internet access by the end of 2014. More and more people will be accessing websites on their mobile devices. It is important therefore to consider designing websites that can be displayed on these devices with the minimum loss of impact and information.
Responsive Design Websites: Currently at the leading edge of website technology is the development of responsive design websites which allow the information onsite – both text and graphics – to be displayed automatically in the most appropriate way on any mobile device. The process uses a ‘fluid grid concept’ to resize and position pictures and text so they always appear within their maximum containing element.
Now, if all that seemed a little scary give us a call on (08) 9279 8685 to discuss all the options and recommend the best type of website for you and your business.