Internet Marketing: Types of Web Sites – A Primer

If I was to ask you what was the first thing that you thought of when I said the words Internet marketing, what would you say? I bet there is good chance that you thought of “web sites” – and you wouldn’t be alone there. As a matter of fact, when most people think of Internet marketing, they think mostly and even in some cases solely of web sites.

Now there are several types of web sites available – essentially one can be created to fit just about any need. And what I’d like to share with you is a brief overview of what I believe are the most useful and popular types of web sites today.

“Brochure” Web Site
(e.g. www.OnlineMarketingMuscle.com)
The most common web site out there is what I call the “Brochure” web site. This one just as it implies, simply acts as an online brochure for your business. Typically it will contain a “home page”, an “about us” page, a “products” or “services” page that describes what you do and a “contact us” page. Pretty much this is what most businesses create for themselves.

“Portal” Web Site
(e.g. www.yahoo.com or www.msn.com)
A “Portal” web site is best described as a web site featuring a suite of commonly used services, serving as a starting point and frequent gateway to the Web (Web portal) or a niche topic (vertical portal).

Some of the more popular Web portals such as Yahoo.com, AOL.com, or MSN.com offer a broad array of resources and services, such as email, forums, search engines, and on-line shopping malls.

A vertical portal is more like a themed web site containing a directory of links to commonly used products, services and/or information specific to the theme. This type of portal serves as a springboard or shortcut to web sites covering a specific topic or niche.

“eCommerce” Web Site
(e.g. www.amazon.com)
The main purpose of an “eCommerce” web site is to sell your merchandise over the Internet. A well designed “eCommerce” web site can explode your sales potential by availing you to a whole host of online shoppers – some of which cannot easily get to your physical location because they may not live near you, as well as others who simply prefer shopping online – And believe me, there are hordes of people who prefer shopping online. I should know; I’m one of them.

“Sales Letter” Web Site
(e.g. www.PumpedUpNetworking.com)
The main purpose of a “Sales Letter” web site is to get your audience to take one specific action whether that’s to buy the one product or service that this web site is promoting, or getting them to provide their information in exchange for something you will give them.

The key to these web sites is their single-minded focus. They provide all the necessary information that the visitor would need to make an educated, proper decision – which if the “Sales Letter” web site is written properly, just happens to be the one action the web site owner wants them to take.

“Membership” Web Site
(e.g. www.RealBusinessForum.com)
“Membership” web sites are what I consider the up and coming star of web site types. These web sites are generally subscription-based and require a login and password to enter and access the meat of what they offer.

Properly designed “Membership” web sites act as a gathering place for like-minded people providing access to whatever their virtual community desires.

For the “Membership” web site owner, it provides many benefits such as a new revenue stream for their business in terms of the membership subscription fees as well as access to an audience that’s interested in a specific type of product or service.


So in closing, understand that your web site or web sites do not need to fall cleanly into one type of web site – mine doesn’t. Allow yourself to be creative here and use whatever type or combination of types that best suits your need.


© 2006 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

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Online entrepreneur Dean Mercado, "The Motivational Marketer", is creator of the acclaimed 'Pumped Up Networking' system geared to explode your business through professional relationships.  To learn more about it and to sign up for his FREE eZine the 'Marketing Minute' – a weekly multimedia eZine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes, visit www.OnlineMarketingMuscle.com.