5 Different Types of Website Designs
With over one billion websites and nearly three billion internet users globally, each website must consider different aspects based on its purpose. Regarding design, the key is to ensure that users truly understand the content we want to convey and have a pleasant and comfortable experience while using the site. Here, we categorize and briefly introduce five different types of website designs. This aims to help those planning to build a website grasp their desired style and functionality, ultimately creating an ideal website.
1- E-commerce Websites
The goal of e-commerce websites is to sell products, with the focus being on the products themselves. Such websites have two crucial features:
- Product Showcase: Images are more important than text. We must present the products from various angles, colors, and with supporting descriptions to build trust in the products.
- Checkout Experience: This is a key aspect of e-commerce. During checkout, customers must feel secure and have a fast and smooth experience. If the checkout process is too long, customers may abandon it.
Using a shoe website as an example: When you first look at the homepage title, you will see a beautiful image of shoes (directly focusing on the product). Then, as you scroll down the web page, you will come across a showcase section featuring different displays of shoes, such as images or videos depicting various uses, or even creative images of shoes, like imprints on sand, even if the shoes are not physically present.
2- Corporate Image Website
Corporate image websites are the most popular. In this case, businesses do not aim to sell products online but rather to showcase their brand identity, product content, and mission. Therefore, these websites must exhibit the following qualities:
- Clear Descriptions: Clearly present the descriptive content, value propositions, and benefits. Who you are, what you do, why customers would favor you, how you stand out... This is where storytelling comes in, and words are crucial.
- Storytelling: Through the development of a story, highlight what makes you different from others, attempt to establish an emotional connection, and build initial trust in your brand.
- Social Proof: Showcase collaborations with businesses to gain deeper trust.
- Call to Action: Establish relationships with people through communication, contact forms, or other means.
The primary purpose of such websites is not to sell, educate, or convey a message but rather to build trust through storytelling and design.
3- Blogs/Articles
The purpose of these websites is to read. Therefore, the key aspects are:
- Article Content: Content must offer interesting information.
- Visual Appeal: Insert appropriate images in the articles to keep readers curious and engaged, especially for technical articles.
- Categories or Tags: Organize articles by categories to enable easy browsing.
- Social Sharing: Use social share buttons to attract more readers.
Example of an article: The text in the middle of the screen doesn't need to be too large, but it should contain a significant focal point sentence (people like to quickly grasp the main topic of the content they are reading). When scrolling down, use some images as illustrations to separate different sections of the article (making it easier to read).
4- Educational Websites
This type of website generally does not have a high level of popularity. The key is to use various types of media to educate people about something.
- Engagement: People can easily get bored after long learning sessions, so it's essential to surprise and entertain them during the learning process. Some beautiful illustrations or interactivity should be present.
- Guidance: Ensure users do not get lost during the process. They need to know their progress in the learning journey (e.g., how long it will take to complete a course).
5- Portfolio Websites
These websites are somewhat similar to business websites but focused on individuals rather than companies. The essential element here is showcasing accomplishments: who you are, what you can do, and what results you have achieved.
- Art Direction: The website must have visually appealing displays or designs.
- Personality: The site must demonstrate who you are, how you stand out, whether you are interesting, quirky, serious, or classic. We need to understand who you are and why we would want to collaborate with you. Establishing an emotional connection is crucial.
- Call to Action: Provide opportunities for visitors to connect with you through contact forms or other means.
Although there are five different types of websites, they can be mixed based on people's needs. For example, if someone wants to sell traditional products online (Category 1), the website should not only focus on the products but also narrate the story behind the tradition, attempting to create an emotional connection with visitors.
After understanding the characteristics of the five types of websites, we can proceed with further planning for what our own website aims to convey.
These are five kind of professional websites. Another type not mentioned in this article is "Landing Page." If you want to learn more about it, you can refer to this article.