Website Types
When starting a web site, you first need to analyze what type of web site you will be creating. To categorize sites, the basic method we use is to try to determine the intent of the web site. If it’s to make money by selling or offering paid services, then it’s a commercial site, no matter what other angles there are to it. If it’s to promote a particular candidate in an election, then it’s a political site, even it’s made by one individual. If the web site will be all about an organization such as a church, youth camp, etc. then it is an Organizational site. Sites that provide information to it’s visitors are the informational sites, not to be confused with personal sites. Informational sites strictly provide a large amount of information regarding one topic normally. If a web site does not fit in any of the above categories, then chances are it’s a personal site. A personal web site can range from a site all about an individual, photos, a blog, forum or even a chat site. Personal sites do not make money by selling or offering paid services. Personal sites can contain advertisements. For example, a personal site can contain Google Ad sense, which will pay the site owner for each ad that is clicked on by a visitor. Remember that if a web site sales or offers paid services to makes money, then it has to be a commercial site.
Personal Home Pages:
Personal home pages exist for the purpose of introducing individuals to the world. Despite the phrase “personal home page,” which has become generically accepted as a description of this type of web site, some personal sites involve many different web pages and can be as elaborate as a corporate web site. Generally speaking, the information in them is somewhat limited in scope, appealing mainly to the close friends, immediate family or customers of the person involved. This isn’t to say that some of them aren’t very interesting, indeed. As with any other type of site, a carefully designed and well-written production is a real joy to explore and experience.
Just as you would find when talking to strangers at a party, some people are fascinating and have great stories to tell. Whereas others send you running from the room, yawning from the boredom. Personal web sites can be a similar experience. Some home pages grab you and others make you wish you had never clicked that link.
When putting together a personal site, it’s a good idea to open up yourself as much as possible within your comfort level. The best personal sites enable you to get to know the people who created them. The time your done browsing these sites, you feel as if you could sit down to dinner with their authors and talk as if old friends. This isn’t to say that you’ve got to spill your guts about every detail of your personal life, but the site is about you and if you aren’t in it, what’s the point of creating it?
A great way to interact with the visitors that click on your site is to have a guest book for them to sign. You can also add fun surveys, jokes or even a blog to your personal site.
Informational Sites:
Sites that are dedicated to providing information on a particular topic are common on the web. Many of the informational web sites are run by public-minded organizations whose goal is simply to make the public aware of particular issues. Many commercial web sites often run an informational site to generate advertising revenue by offering a greater amount of information for a fee. Organizations that provide information on particular issues can be either an organizational site or an informational site. The American Heart Association for example, is an organizational site that is dedicated to providing information on the human heart.
Organizational Sites:
Organizational web sites are concerned with presenting information about a particular organization. The reason we distinguish these from pure informational sites is their narrow focus. Their sole function is to describe the work of a particular organization, its structure, its personnel, and history. These sites don’t diverge from their function at any point except for occasional links to other sites that partner with or support the goals and purposes of the organization.
Political Sites:
Sites that have a political agenda to push aren’t limited to dealing with particular candidates for certain offices in election years. Politics isn’t all about elections. In our definition, such sites also include those with any social agenda that would be furthered by the passing of appropriate legislation. Web sites covering issues such as gun control, the medical usage of marijuana, development of wetland areas or the control of personal information on the internet, regardless of whether the site’s editorial thrust is for or against, would qualify as political sites.
Commercial Sites:
If a web site is created strictly out of a profit motive, then it’s a commercial site. Period. Other sites particularly political or organizational sites often engage in some kind of fund-raising activity that is secondary to their main purpose. With purely commercial sites, there is never any doubt the main thrust is simply “Buy our service or product” or “support our sponsors”.
