The world of online business is fast-paced and ever-evolving. In order to stay competitive, you need a digital marketing strategy that keeps up with changing trends and offers your customers a seamless user experience.
With the explosion in e-commerce, social media, and video sharing sites, it’s becoming harder than ever to stand out from the crowd. That’s why it’s important to know what type of website you should have as your starting point for a business venture.
Checking all the boxes for a potential site could seem daunting at first but with some strategic planning and research, you can create an ideal website without breaking the bank. There are five different types of websites that are commonly used by entrepreneurs to start new businesses: blogging sites, e-commerce sites, microblogging sites, newsjacking sites, and open source software (OSS) websites.
What is a Blog Site?
A blog site is a website that exists to publish content. Blog sites usually have a homepage and allow users to post articles, photos, and videos.
The content is typically designed to generate leads and impressions on social media or other websites that share the same audience.
One of the main benefits of a blog site is that you can use the content to create SEO-friendly and visually appealing articles. One of the downsides of a blog site tends to be that they don’t offer as much flexibility as other types of websites do.
What is an E-Commerce Site?
An e-commerce site is a website that sells products and services over the internet. A good example of an e-commerce site is Amazon.com or eBay.com.
Microblogging Site
A microblogging site is a website that allows users to share short messages or “tweets” with other users, who are following them. You can create a microblogging site in a matter of hours and start collecting followers instantly. In addition, microblogging sites tend to be the most affordable option for new startups.
Newsjacking Site
Let’s start with the Newsjacking Site. This type of website is a new spin on traditional news sites. The idea is that websites like Mashable and TechCrunch are becoming too mainstream and saturated. With digital marketing, you can get your content to push out information about your business opportunities and events to more niche audiences such as specific interest groups or employees at different companies.
This type of site has a very distinct look with its white background, large images, and bold headlines that are designed to draw users in quickly. This website requires some work upfront since it’s not easy to develop an audience for a newsjacking site, but if you choose wisely you can start amassing followers and visitors before you even launch your product or service.
Open Source Software (OSS) Website
Open source software (OSS) websites are business models that provide a comprehensive, public alternative to standard design and development. The OSS website is flexible and customizable for each individual user. The website contains a marketplace of content where the entrepreneur sells their work or shares it with affiliates.
In order to create an open source software (OSS) website, you’ll need a good understanding of web development. The developer(s) behind the project may also need to be willing to give away their work for free in order to attract users who can provide valuable feedback.
There are three primary types of open source software (OSS) websites: informational sites, collaborative sites, and success stories.
An informational site provides information on a variety of topics related to how-to guides, product reviews, tutorials, or blog posts. A collaborative site allows users to share ideas or collaborate on projects with others in exchange for rewards (like money). Success stories are essentially blog posts documenting someone’s journey in starting and running an entrepreneurial business based on open source technology.(1)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source_software_(web_application)
Summing up
the different types of websites
As your business evolves and you find yourself needing a new website, it’s important to note that the type of site you need does not just depend on what your product or service is. There are considerations such as what the audience is, how much traffic the site gets, and how much money it takes to run a site.
If you want to start an online business with a blog, then having a blogging site will be important. If you are looking for an e-commerce option that also offers social media integration, then having an e-commerce site will be crucial. And if you want to create content that goes viral, then have a newsjacking website will be essential. Finally, if you plan on sharing open source software with the world and getting paid for it while doing so, then creating an OSS website will be pivotal in helping your project succeed.
