What is a website and what are its advantages?

Index of contents

• The website, what is it?
• types of websites
• 1. E-commerce sites
• 2. Brand sites
• 3. Blogging
• 4. Landing Pages
• 5. Community Sites
• 6. Institutional sites
• 7. Wiki
• The importance of a website
• Advantages of having a website for your business
• 1. Increase the reach of your business
• 2. Improve your brand image
• 3. Increase your sales
• 4. It allows you to sell online
• 5. Improve customer service
• 6. Positioning in search engines
• How to have a good website
• Your brand grows with a website

Having a website is essential nowadays.

For your brand to be successful in the network of networks, you need a well-structured website that meets the personality of your business, your needs and those of your customers.

Since not only is it enough to be on the internet, but you have to apply the right strategies so that the internet starts working for you and not against you.

That is why in this article we will explain what a website is, what it is for and —above all— we will tell you what its advantages are.

The website, what is it?

Before seeing the benefits we have to give a little review of the definition of a website .

Surely you have seen the term web page as a synonym for website; It is quite common and although they have a lot to do with it, the reality is that they are not the same.

What is the difference between web page and website?

In a few words, we have that websites are a set of web pages that are related in one way or another, and that can be accessed through the Internet. They can also be known as a portal, or website in English.

So what is a web page?

The concept of a web page can be summarized as: a document adapted to the World Wide Web that can contain information in the form of text, images, videos, music, among other types of multimedia. It is also known as an electronic page or web page in English.

And what is the Web?

The Web , World Wide Web or www , is where all the world’s websites intertwine with each other, and which we can access through the internet.

To exemplify these concepts, we will use our digital marketing website : the website would be our entire internet space, its root URL (www.alohacreativos.com), and this specific blog post would be one of its many pages.

In the same way, there are other concepts that you must take into account for the theme of websites, for example:

• Web server: It is the one that hosts websites —with all their information— on a computer.
• Search engines: The one that searches for files on web servers. A very clear example is Google and Yahoo.
• URL: It stands for Uniform Resource Locator, and it is the unique address used to access information on the internet.
• HTML: It stands for HyperText Markup Language, and it is the language used on the internet to format documents. ‍
• Domain Name: It is the unique name that identifies a website.
• Hosting : web hosting service on servers.

types of websites

Now that you know what a secure website is, you are wondering what the ideal one should be for your business .

There are many types of websites, for example: a blog, landing page, wiki, download site, auction site, news, institutional, community, database, political, educational, among others.

Therefore, below we will explain the main ones, so you can see which one best suits the needs of your brand.

And you may even need a more specific web design , in which you combine several characteristics of each one.

1. E-commerce sites

Also known as e-commerce sites or online stores, they are those that directly offer products to their customers through the use of web pages.

In this way, people can use a virtual shopping cart to be able to select everything that interests them, and then buy it by credit card or with services such as PayPal.

If you have a business of clothing, shoes, electronic devices, or anything tangible, it may be convenient for you to have a site of this type, because that way you can have a greater reach by being able to send your products.

In fact, these types of websites are very common, because more and more people want to buy online.

A recommendation for e-commerce pages is that they show very well detailed photographs of the product , with information on measurements, colors, and everything necessary for the user to feel safe.

In addition, the ideal is that you have a page of the site where you can solve the problems and doubts of your clients.

Do you want to know how to create an online store ? In this article our friends Tiendanube explain it to you.

2. Brand sites

You probably already know about branded sites, as your business site may belong to this type of website.

Brand websites are virtual spaces where said brands create and maintain part of their image ; where they offer information and other valuable content for their clients and potential clients.

These websites usually have pages where they talk about the values ​​and philosophy of the brand, a contact page, services and products, among others.

3. Blogging

Internet blogs are an example that there are things that always work.

This does not mean that you have to stay stuck in the blogs of 10 years ago, but rather that you have to use these tools as we evolve and adapt to trends.

Blogs today offer many possibilities. They can be very valuable spaces for internet users who want to share content with the world.

And for brands it is an opportunity to get closer to their potential customers, generate leads, while humanizing their image.

Remember that a website may be devoted exclusively to blogging, or you may prefer it to be just a section of your site.

Everything will depend on the turn of your business, and the digital marketing strategies that you are going to implement.

4. Landing Pages

Just as we mentioned in What is landing pages and what are they for? , landing pages are essential to generate conversions.

These are single page websites, which have a specific objective and are oriented to the user filling in certain information.

Here professional web design and copy play a fundamental role in landing pages, since what you want is for the message to be clear, precise and to keep the user until they become a lead.

A simple example:

Imagine a website that has a blog format, in which it gives information on a specific topic; then at the end of the text there is a call to action (CTA) that invites the user to get an ebook that goes deeper into the subject.

The user must click on the CTA to be redirected to the landing page, where they fill out a form with their data. After doing so, you are sent to another page where you are thanked and allowed to download the ebook.

5. Community Sites

As the name itself indicates, they are the websites where internet users connect and interact with each other.

They can be forums or social networks, as well as Reddit, 4chan, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, among many others.

6. Institutional sites

They are websites that provide information about an institution or company.

The clearest example of this type of sites are the sites of government, education and some organizations. Normally, they have the necessary information about their values, philosophy, mission, services, location, etc.

Institutional websites try to maintain a clean format , with as few web pages as possible, and only having the necessary information.

7. Wiki

These are virtual encyclopedias that are based on the collaboration of several users , so that they update information that is stored on said website.

In this way you can find Wikis of all kinds on the Internet, from information on movies, video games, computers, sports, among many others.

And of course, the most famous of all is Wikipedia.

The importance of a website

Having a website for your business is essential.

If you have thought about how many hours people spend browsing social networks and websites, then you can get an idea of ​​why it is necessary for your brand to have an internet presence. And it is that currently not being on the internet is practically non-existent.

Every day users use the web browser in search of information and content of all kinds; from blogs on specific topics, conversations in photos, news, tools, entertainment media, academic research, among many other valuable content.

And much of all that information is discarded in a matter of seconds if it doesn’t meet the needs and expectations of the user.

That is why having a well-structured, optimized website that has a good professional web design ensures that you capture the attention of your potential customers.

Advantages of having a website for your business

Now that you know what a website is, the classification of websites and what their importance is today, you are probably wondering: what are the benefits of having a company website?

It’s one thing that you need a website to be able to keep up with the demands of the market, but when you do it right you reap a number of incredible benefits.

1. Increase the reach of your business

One of the indisputable advantages is that it increases the scope of your business, since not only will those who go directly to your branches or offices see you, but anyone with internet access will be able to see what you offer.

Do not forget that precisely because you will have a lot of reach, it is that you must take care of the image of your brand with a good web design. An example of a business that has grown considerably by having a website is the real estate sector, we tell you more about the subject in our article What is real estate marketing and how is it applied?

2. Improve your brand image

Something that has to do with the previous point is that if you have a good web design you will improve the image of your brand.

Today those who are not on the internet do not exist, and having your own website is a statement that your business is professional and that it is up to date with new technologies and trends.

It is very important that you give priority to the design of your page, and that you hire trained personnel or a design company for this task.

3. Increase your sales

Having a website is like having your business open 24/7 , which means that your customers can review your catalog of products or services at any time.

In this way you can generate leads and make sales outside of conventional hours.

4. It allows you to sell online

Due to the previous point, e-commerce sites are at their peak, since they offer the possibility of carrying out the entire sales process from the website .

This is not only limited to companies that sell tangible products, but also those that offer digital products such as ebooks and software; and those that offer services such as online courses and consultancies.

The sales you make online are complemented by those you make in your branches, increasing your profits.

In one of the episodes of our podcast we talk more about how to do e-commerce:

5. Improve customer service

We repeat that “having a website is like having your business open 24/7”, because this also greatly improves the service you can give your client.

Since, through your website you can offer them information and resources even before a problem appears .

You can implement a web page with frequently asked questions, online chat, a comment box where they can leave their suggestions, among others depending on the line of business.

6. Positioning in search engines

If you have already read our articles on what SEO is and its importance and how to carry out an SEO audit on your website , you surely already know how important a good search engine positioning is.

Many of the users trust what they find on the first page of Google , and it is not strange, since most of the time it offers them what they were looking for. If you create good content and optimize it, then you will increase the reach of your brand even more.

How to have a good website

And what is necessary for your website to stand out from the rest?

The subject of web design is somewhat complex and extensive. That is why it is best that you take the time to analyze how your site should be oriented.

So that you can start on the right foot, here are some tips on what a good website should have:

• Take care of the content: Everything you share on your website must be thinking so that it is useful to your audience. Remember that Internet users come looking for solutions to their problems and needs, not looking for more questions.
• Be adapted for mobiles: Much of the information we consult is from the internet and the vast majority of the time we do it from a mobile device. That is why your website must be designed so that it looks good on computers, tablets and smartphones.
• Design according to your brand: If your business has a serious personality, your website should reflect it with sober colors, minimalist sections and a professional conversational tone. On the other hand, if you have a more relaxed and friendly personality, then it would be better to wear a more cheerful design. It all depends on the construction of the image.
• Keep updating: It is possible that later you will find errors or areas in which you can improve your website. Don’t worry, because updating and upgrading is part of a never-ending process.

Your brand grows with a website

For your brand to be successful on the internet, you not only need a presence on social networks, but it is essential that you have an optimized website that perfectly reflects your image.

You have to know how to highlight your content above the rest , and more so in these times when information flows at full speed, without waiting for anyone.

For this reason, your brand must be kept up to date with the latest trends in web design , and applying good digital marketing strategies .

Taking care of the virtual image of your business will not only make it look good, but it will also allow you to obtain the best possible results. Conquering the internet is possible.

If you want to continue learning more, we recommend that you visit another of our articles: Custom web design or WordPress, which is better?