What Type of Web Site That’s Right for Your Business

June 19, 2009 by BizMind
Filed under Entrep Tips, Online Business

There are many types of sites on the Web. For our purposes, let’s break them into four categories:

1. Basic/informational
2. Marketing
3. Relational/interactive
4. Virtual storefront

Many Web sites have elements from multiple categories. Because your goal is to determine which type of site is right for your business, you need to know the various types of Web sites available. However, you’ll likely find that although you select one type, you’ll leverage elements that are dominant in one or more of the other types to truly achieve your Web site goals.

Let’s look at the elements of each site and the benefits these offer your business.

Basic/Informational
If you’ve reviewed the previous questions and found that you need a basic Web presence, the informational Web site is the place to start. By purchasing a domain name and hosting services, you’ll be able to set up a basic Web site and e-mail. The benefit is that your business will have a
Web presence, which helps legitimize a small business in today’s market.

An informational Web site is exactly what it sounds like — a tool for providing information to your customers and prospects. Think of it as a virtual brochure. This Web site should provide the who, what, where, when, and how of your business. Most important is that prospects understand what you are offering them and how to contact you. This type of Web site lends itself to a simple site design because you won’t need a lot of bells and whistles.

A simple design doesn’t imply “slapped together.” In fact, with an information-only Web site, it’s particularly important to present your business in a highly professional manner because you won’t have the frills to impress visitors. Make sure the Web site is visually appealing and offers enough information to spark visitors’ desire to contact you to find out more information.

Marketing
A marketing Web site ideally has some bells and whistles. The goal of this Web site is twofold: draw “passersby” in and support marketing efforts. Passersby are Internet users that may have used a search engine to find you and other businesses in your industry or linked to your Web site from another site. Supporting your marketing efforts means that you feel confident that the content on your Web site supports the messaging in your marketing materials and provides additional information that your prospects and customers will find valuable.

Your marketing Web site needs to grab visitor interest before they wander to another site — you have about 3 seconds to do this. So, your Web site needs to have language that draws visitors in — product teasers, promotions, invitations to events, and registration for newsletters, for example — and a design that lends itself to easy navigation. Visitors will quickly abandon a site that’s frustrating to use.

Consider creating special pages on your site, called “jump pages,” to support specific marketing efforts. For example, if you’re sending a direct mail piece to promote a particular product or service, build a page on your Web site featuring that product or service and use its specific URL (Uniform Resource Locator), for example, http://www.fortunemoney.com/greatproduct, in your direct mail piece.

Relational/Interactive
If relationships are key to building or retaining business, this is the Web site for you. By creating a Web site that promotes two-way communication and automates process, you’re providing a valuable service to your customers and prospects. There are many elements you can incorporate in this type of site — so many that a comprehensive list isn’t available. To determine the elements you need, brainstorm the types of online services that’ll assist your customers and prospects.

Here are some ideas:
Do your customers want or need to receive information from you on a regular basis? If so, create a registration page where they can select how they want to receive this information — by signing up for your newsletter, being invited to events, receiving weekly product updates via e-mail, or even being added to your mailing list to receive communications via snail mail.

Do you provide product support? How about creating a work order submission page that enables your customers to communicate their issues and the level of urgency? What if your system then automatically e-mails them a confirmation of receipt with an order number and directions for checking on the status of their request?

There is a plethora of ways to create an interactive site. Let your imagination come up with the right ones for your business.

Virtual Storefront
Are you selling products with a fairly inexpensive price tag and a short or immediate sales cycle? An online storefront might be the approach for your Web site.

Establishing an online store extends your ability to sell far beyond your physical location and your store hours. This storefront can offer a catalog of your products, a search tool for customers to find a specific product, a virtual shopping cart, and secure online purchasing.

More great information to make your business website a great success here:

What Are the Benefits of Taking Your Business Online?

How to Outline the Goal for Your Website?

How to Select and Register Your Domain Name?

What Are the Elements of Great Business Website?

Great Reason Why You Should Determine Your Level of Security

How to Select Your Design and Hosting Vendor?

How to Build Your Business Web Site?

How to Identify Trustworthy Web Hosting Vendors?

Why You Should Understand Hosting Business Website?

Traditional Marketing Mean for Your Business Website

Electronic Marketing You Can Use to Market Your Business Website