What are the types of websites?

Electronic websites are an essential part of modern digital life, playing a pivotal role in meeting the needs of both users and businesses. The types of electronic websites differ from each other in terms of goal, function, and design. There are e-commerce websites that allow people to buy and sell products online, social media sites that facilitate communication and interaction between individuals, in addition to educational sites that provide enormous educational resources for students and teachers, and news sites that convey events and developments moment by moment, etc.

In this article, we will explore together the emergence and importance of electronic websites, and we will also highlight the most prominent types of these sites and how to make the best use of them.

The emergence and development of electronic websites

In the late eighties and early nineties, the world was on a date with an unprecedented technological revolution, as Sir Tim Berners-Lee launched the first electronic website in history, which was a gateway to a new era, as the World Wide Web (WWW) was merely an innovative idea aimed at easily sharing information among researchers, and later contributed to making the world a small village thanks to the exchange of information and communication over the Internet.

Initially, electronic websites were very simple, relying only on text and lacking colors and images, and were written in basic HTML language.

The matter developed further in the mid-nineties, and electronic sites appeared that included images and data tables to be qualified for use in business and marketing.

With the end of the nineties and the beginning of the new millennium, electronic websites witnessed a qualitative leap thanks to the emergence of advanced programming languages such as CSS and JavaScript, which allowed designers to create more interactive and attractive sites for users. Search engines such as "Google" also appeared during this period, which changed people’s concepts about how to use and benefit from the Internet.

With the entry of smartphones into the scene in the middle of the first decade of the second millennium, the rules of the game changed again, as electronic websites needed to be responsive and compatible with these types of devices, which led to the development of web design to adapt content to be compatible with various smartphone screens.

Electronic websites have greatly benefited from the massive technological development that the world is witnessing in light of the pursuit of digitalization and the prosperity of the e-commerce field, to become a major tool for marketing, trade, social communication and distance education. Each type of electronic website expresses continuous technological development and creativity to improve user experience and exchange information smoothly, in addition to achieving profitability.

The importance of electronic websites

With technological advancement and the spread of the Internet, electronic websites are no longer just digital interfaces, but have become an integral part of our daily lives. They are the windows that open the doors of communication with the world for us, as they play an important role in connecting individuals, companies and institutions in various geographical regions.

Among these benefits, we mention:

• Easy dissemination, access, and exchange of information

Electronic websites allow for the easy dissemination of information and ideas and access to a huge amount of information in various fields such as news, education, medicine, and trade quickly and effectively, making them an ideal tool for awareness and education. Whether you want to share news, articles, or research, electronic websites can publish this material widely and in record time, which enhances access to knowledge and education and helps spread awareness about various topics.

• Communication and interaction

Electronic websites, especially social media sites, play an important role in creating a communicative environment between individuals and institutions around the world, which contributes to the exchange of ideas through fruitful dialogues and discussions with thought leaders, decision-makers, and influencers, forming new relationships that transcend geographical boundaries, and building a connected and cooperative global community.

• Building the brand

Electronic websites contribute to building and strengthening the brand identity by designing a distinctive, attractive, responsive, and easy-to-use site to provide a smooth and distinctive user experience to leave a strong impression in the minds of customers, which helps build trust and credibility.

• E-shopping

E-commerce sites have made it possible for consumers to shop and search for the products they want and buy them easily without the need to exert much effort to move between traditional stores.

The various e-commerce platforms have also contributed to giving people the ability to launch their commercial activities at the lowest possible cost compared to opening a traditional store to sell products, enabling them to reach new markets without being restricted by geographical boundaries and thus gaining more profits.

• Audience study and activity analysis

Electronic websites enable various commercial activities to collect valuable data about customers and their purchasing behavior, and to analyze it and extract valuable insights that help improve products and services and meet customer needs better.

• Education and training

Electronic websites provide platforms for distance education and professional training, where schools and universities can offer online educational courses, allowing students to learn from anywhere and at any time. Companies can also use electronic websites to train their employees on new skills and develop them professionally.

We point out that electronic websites have multiple forms depending on the programmatic nature, and this is explained in this paragraph.

The most important types of electronic websites in terms of programmatic nature

Electronic websites are divided according to their programmatic nature into:

• Static Websites

These are electronic websites that contain static web pages that cannot be changed, meaning that their content cannot be changed or updated except with manual intervention by the developer. These sites are usually written using programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript.

This type of electronic website is characterized by many features, including:

• Ease of creation and development, as they do not require extensive knowledge of different programming languages, but rather basic knowledge of specific programming languages such as HTML and CSS is sufficient.

• Loading speed due to their reliance on simple and stable files, which makes them faster to load compared to dynamic sites that rely on servers and databases to generate content in real time.

• Security, as they are less susceptible to cyber attacks because they do not rely on databases or content management systems.

This type of electronic website is used to create simple personal sites, small business sites that do not need regular updates, and landing pages that aim to provide static information, etc.

• Dynamic Websites

These are websites that rely on a server and databases to provide content that is variable by the site owner, user, or the content writer responsible for it.

This type of site, such as news sites and electronic stores, is usually written using programming languages such as PHP, ASP.NET, Python, JavaScript, etc.

These sites are characterized by several features, including:

• The ability to update content without the need for manual intervention from the developer.

• Providing an interactive experience for users including logging in, writing comments, and conducting live chat.

• Ease of use and management through Content Management Systems (CMS) such as WordPress.

• Interactive Websites

These are websites designed with the aim of providing an interactive and rich user experience based on technologies such as AJAX, WebSockets, and interactive user interface to provide a customized user experience. This type of website has multiple advantages, the most important of which are:

• Providing a high level of interaction with users through games, interactive tools, and surveys.

• Providing customized content and experiences based on users' behavior and interests.

• Providing instant updates without the need to reload the page, which enhances the user experience.

It is worth noting that there are many types of electronic websites according to the purpose and nature of the content provided, the most prominent of which we review below.

The most prominent types of electronic websites and how to profit from them

Due to the multitude of types of electronic websites, which the space does not allow to mention, we decided to focus on four main types:

First: E-commerce websites

These are among the most common and widespread types of electronic websites on the Internet, as they aim to sell and buy products and services online, which saves time and effort and contributes to giving consumers a comfortable and enjoyable shopping experience.

These sites are built using e-commerce platforms that operate on the SaaS software-as-a-service system to provide the possibility of building a site without the need for any prior programming experience, such as the platforms: Zid, Salla, Expand Cart, Shopify, and others.

This type of electronic website plays a major role in the modern digital economy, and provides multiple opportunities for commercial activities to achieve profitability.

E-commerce websites have many benefits, including:

• Reducing operating costs related to rents, maintenance costs, and other costs compared to traditional stores.

• Opening new markets and reaching a global audience without the need for a physical presence in different geographical locations.

• Providing a unique shopping experience for consumers and giving them the ability to search for desired products, read reviews, and compare prices with the touch of a button.

To achieve profitability through e-commerce websites, you can:

• Selling physical products: You can create an online store to sell physical products such as clothing, electronics, and furniture. An example of this is the Noon.com store, which is one of the largest online stores in the Middle East and makes profits from selling a variety of products.

• Selling digital products: You can sell digital products such as e-books, training courses, and programs. For example, the Udemy platform or Almentor, which offers a wide range of online training courses and makes large profits from selling these courses.

Here are some tips:

• Conducting a comprehensive feasibility study regarding the commercial project you wish to start.

• Choosing the appropriate e-commerce platform according to many criteria such as: cost, ease of use and customization, size of commercial activity, quality of products offered, integration with various systems, and technical support.

• Working to provide an improved user experience by organizing your e-commerce site and having an easy-to-use interface.

• Applying various digital marketing strategies to promote the products and services you offer.

• Relying on advanced data analysis tools to collect and analyze customer data and know their preferences, and then make informed decisions to improve operations and increase profitability.

Second: Social media websites

These are electronic platforms that allow users to create, share, and interact with content online. These sites include a variety of activities such as publishing texts, photos, and videos, commenting on other people's posts, and communicating via messages or comments.

Examples of social media sites include: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. The benefits of this type of electronic website are numerous and include:

• Instant communication, information exchange, and relationship building.

• Facilitating access to news and developments in multiple fields.

• Promoting brands and the products and services they offer at a lower cost and higher effectiveness compared to traditional advertisements.

• Enabling public figures and commercial activities to interact directly with followers.

You can achieve profitability from social media sites in multiple ways, including:

• Affiliate Marketing: This means promoting other companies' products or services to earn a commission on every sale made through your special links, whether textual or in the form of images or videos containing embedded links. For example, if you are interested in health and fitness and have a page and followers on any of the social media sites, you can promote nutritional supplements or sports equipment and earn profits once sales are completed through your designated link.

• Advertisements: This is another way to make a profit through social media. For example, you can use Facebook to display advertisements and earn income through clicks and viewing rates.

• Selling Products or Services: You can also use social media platforms as a means to sell your products or services directly to followers, whether you have an online store linked to your social media accounts, or you use features like Instagram Shopping to display and sell products directly.

• Training and Consulting: If you are an expert in your field, you can offer training courses or consultation sessions to users and followers through platforms such as LinkedIn, YouTube, or even Zoom.

Third: Blogs

They are a type of electronic website that focuses on publishing content regularly, including articles, opinions, personal experiences, success stories, news, and many other topics. Blogs are a popular means of expressing ideas and participating in public and private discussions.

They include multiple types based on content and purpose, including:

• Personal blogs that express the writer's personal experiences and opinions.

• Specialized blogs, which focus on specific topics such as technology, cooking, travel, or sports.

• Professional blogs, which companies and individuals use to promote their businesses and services.

• News blogs concerned with providing news and analyzes about various topics discussed on the scene.

If you want to earn profits through blogs, you can try these methods:

• Advertisements: You can display company advertisements on your blog for a fee, as is the case for the famous TechCrunch blog, which generates large profits from advertisements.

• Affiliate Marketing: You can promote other people's products or services through your blog and get a commission for every sale made through your referral link. The Wirecutter is a successful example in this field, as it provides product reviews and promotes them through affiliate links.

• Selling Digital Products: You can sell digital products such as e-books, training courses, and programs through your blog, just like the Pinch of Yum site, which offers educational content in the field of cooking and sells e-books and training courses.

• Subscriptions: You can offer exclusive content or services for a monthly or annual subscription, as is the case with the Patreon platform, which allows bloggers to create paid content for their followers who subscribe to support them.

Fourth: Live Broadcast Websites

These are electronic platforms that allow users to broadcast video content in real time to the audience over the Internet, including games, sports events, concerts, live shows, or even ordinary chat sessions. The most famous of these sites are Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live.

This type of electronic website is beneficial for:

• Communicating with the audience in real time, which creates a more direct and lively interaction.

• Direct interaction of viewers with the broadcast through comments, polls, and other interactions that make the experience more dynamic.

• Marketing and promoting products and services by exploiting commercial activities for instant interaction to increase brand awareness and offer exclusive promotional offers, thereby enhancing sales movement and increasing profits.

• Enhancing credibility and trust in the brand and the products and services it offers.

To achieve profitability through live broadcasting sites, try these tips:

• Choose content that suits your audience's interests, whether you are playing video games, giving educational lessons, or presenting dialogue segments, the content must be attractive and useful.

• Respond to viewers' comments and questions effectively, as direct interaction increases audience loyalty and encourages them to return.

• Set fixed times for live broadcasting and inform your audience of the broadcast schedule, as regularity helps build a loyal fan base.

• Use social media and other digital channels to promote your live broadcast, as prior announcement helps attract a larger number of viewers.

• Use good broadcasting equipment, including a high-quality camera and a good microphone, as high quality increases the attractiveness of the broadcast.

Among the methods used to achieve profitability from live broadcasting sites:

• Advertisements: Advertisements can be displayed during the live broadcast or embedded video advertisements can be used.

• Donations: Viewers can also be allowed to donate to you directly during the broadcast.

• Subscriptions: Providing exclusive content to subscribers who pay monthly fees.

• Sponsorship: Obtaining sponsorship from companies that wish to promote their products through the broadcast.

• Direct Sales: Selling products or services directly to viewers through the broadcast.

Fifth: News websites:

They are one of the most important sources for obtaining news and information about various fields. These sites include political, economic, technical, sports news, etc. The success of news sites depends on the speed and accuracy of news publishing, which ensures that visitors stay on the site for longer periods.

You can achieve profitability from news websites in multiple ways, including:

• Digital advertisements: Displaying paid advertisements such as Google AdSense or direct advertisements from companies.

• Paid subscriptions: Exclusive content can be provided to readers for a monthly or annual subscription, as some electronic newspapers do.

• Sponsored Content: Publishing advertising articles that promote specific companies or products for a financial fee.

For your news site to succeed, you should:

• Publish news quickly and accurately to ensure continuous follow-up from the audience.

• Provide reliable sources of information to maintain credibility.

• Improve the reading experience through an easy-to-use and fast-browsing design.

• Promote through social media to increase interaction and spread.

Sixth: Video and visual content websites:

With the spread of the Internet and the increase in the consumption of digital content, video and visual content sites have become among the most platforms that attract the audience and achieve profits. These sites offer diverse content that includes entertainment, education, news, and games, making them a major destination for users around the world. Platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and Shahid are among the most famous examples of video sites that have succeeded in transforming visual content into a thriving industry.

Profits can be achieved from video sites in several ways, the most prominent of which are:

• Digital advertisements that appear before or during video playback, such as Google AdSense advertisements on YouTube, where content creators are paid based on the number of views and clicks.

• In addition, some platforms rely on paid subscriptions to provide exclusive content, as is the case in Netflix and Shahid.

• Additional income can also be achieved through sponsorship and direct advertisements, where companies cooperate with content creators to promote their products within the videos.

To ensure efficient profit achievement through this type of site, it is necessary to:

• Produce high-quality and attractive content for viewers.

• Use marketing strategies such as improving titles and descriptions to attract views.

• Cooperate with influencers to increase interaction and spread.

• Provide exclusive content that attracts subscribers to pay for the subscription.

Seventh: Forums and electronic communities:

They are one of the oldest forms of interaction over the Internet, as they provide a digital environment for discussions, exchanging experiences, and sharing content among members who share a common interest. These forums vary to include:

• General forums that cover various topics such as technology, health, and games.

• Forums specialized in a specific field such as programming or electronic marketing.

Successful forums rely on member interaction, organizing content in a smooth manner, and providing an attractive environment for fruitful discussions. Perhaps the most prominent examples of these sites are Reddit and Quora, which rely on user contributions to provide valuable answers and discussions.

The most important ways to make a profit from this type of electronic site are:

• Paid advertisements that appear inside the forum pages or within the content itself, where companies pay to display their advertisements to interested users.

• Additional income can also be achieved through paid subscriptions, where members are allowed access to exclusive features such as private chat rooms or premium content.

• In addition to providing premium membership programs that grant subscribers additional features for a monthly fee.

To ensure profit achievement through forums, attention should be paid to these aspects:

• Stimulating interaction among members.

• Ensuring a respectful and organized discussion environment.

• Improving the user experience through an easy-to-browse design.

• Exploiting search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to attract more visitors and expand the user base.

Eighth: Educational courses websites:

Which are an ideal platform for people who want to develop their skills or acquire new knowledge in various fields such as programming, design, marketing, and languages. These sites provide an integrated educational experience through interactive videos, tests, and applied projects, which helps learners easily absorb the content. Some of these sites rely on self-study models, where students can access courses at any time, while other sites provide direct interaction with trainers through live broadcasts or dedicated discussion forums. Among the most prominent examples of these platforms are Udemy, Coursera, and Almentor, which provide thousands of courses in various fields, and attract millions of learners from all over the world.

The methods of making a profit through this type of electronic website include:

• Selling individual courses where learners pay a one-time fee for access to the course.

• Monthly subscription system, such as LinkedIn Learning, which allows users to access a huge library of courses for a fixed fee.

• Partnerships with universities and educational institutions to offer specialized training programs, or through advertisements and sponsorship from companies interested in e-learning.

To ensure the success of your educational site and make a profit from it, you can use these tips:

• Be sure to provide high-quality educational content that meets the needs of trainees.

• Pay attention to developing an easy-to-browse user interface to ensure a distinctive user experience.

• Improve the interactive learning experience through activities and tests.

• Implement effective digital marketing strategies to attract more learners and increase sales.

In conclusion,

Electronic websites are an essential pillar in the modern digital world, as they vary in their goals and functions to meet the needs of users and companies alike.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the importance of electronic websites is particularly evident, as they play a vital role in driving the digital economy and enhancing global competitiveness. The Oto portal is a great example of how technology can be used to improve logistics services and simplify shipping and transport operations, which contributes to enhancing trade and supporting small and medium-sized companies.

As technology continues to advance, these sites are certain to remain in continuous evolution, offering us more opportunities to achieve our goals and ambitions. Therefore, whether you are a business owner seeking to expand your activity or an individual looking for a platform to express your ideas, the digital world opens its doors to you, bringing with it endless opportunities.

You must know that the success of any electronic website on the Internet, regardless of its type, depends primarily on understanding the target audience, providing valuable content, and improving the user experience, which contributes to enhancing competitive value, achieving sustainability and growth, and increasing the return on investment.