Four Types Of Web Sites

Every site is an individual, of course. But the truth is this: your web site almost certainly focuses on one or more of the following: credibility, information, transactions and advertising.

Credibility: I put this first because that’s the primary driver for many of you to have a site. I often use the phrase ‘business card’ for this. When people look at the web site it creates an immediately positive impression which makes people want to contact you—just like a classic, well made business card. Such a site may be as simple as one page, but it speaks volumes about the quality and attention to detail you provide. Tip: if your site is primarily about credibility, less is definitely more. In that case, a one-page site is often the way to go.

Advertising: Is there a definitive call to action? If so, does the site make it dead simple for visitors to contact you? Are you (gently) guiding the visitor through the process of learning about what you do and building their excitement? Can you easily track who is visiting so you can fine-tune your message and thereby improve your results over time?

Informational: Is the site designed to teach people? If so, is the site a ‘go to’ for the topics you want to cover? When people ‘Google’ a particular term, is your site at, or near the top of, the search results? This is fundamentally different from advertising in that you are consciously making every effort to let the visitor control the interaction. In this case, a good Search function is imperative.

Transactions: On-line orders. Do you have something you want to sell? If so, are you making the process simple? In many cases, people will choose to complete a sale at a site with the easier process over one with a lower price that is difficult to navigate.

It’s important to recognize that very few sites are purely one of the above. Usually there is one these types that predominates, but even so, the synergy between the secondary components is what makes or breaks the experience.

Tip: Oddly enough, a key mistake I find that most sites make is ‘too much information’. Many sites (especially older ones) seem to think that a huge quantity of mediocre pages is impressive. Wrong! Always have the minimum amount of information necessary to satisfy your audience. Identifying which type of site, you want to have is the first step towards having just the right content. And as I say again and again: content drives good design.