The internet today is overflowing with catchy content and ever-changing trends of presenting that content, so much so a website designed just a few years back might seem clichéd or outdated to the modern visitor of this day and age. No website owner wants to lose conversion just because the font, layout, and ambiance of their website failed to grab the visitor’s attention.
A website is the face of any business or idea and the whole purpose of its front/main page is to pull the onlooker into the meaty portion of it, which could be that shopping cart you’d like to see filled, a newsletter you’d like people to sign up for, or anything you aim to ultimately direct the visitor at. Some modern web building trends to look out for are the integration of brighter colors, retro fonts, and bold typography with interactive chatbots and responsive features.
Not to forget the option for dark modes that instantly change the whole vibe, making it chicer. Further, minimalistic designs with 3D or floating elements, parallax animations, unique illustrations, and scrolling transitions that help in “scrollytelling” (a different story with each scroll) with a flawless UI/UX hits the visitor’s aesthetic (sweet) tooth.
People like to see what they can connect or relate with, without getting bored. Thus, shaping your content with modern trends is necessary. Before that, you need an idea to move forward with. Enlisted are 10 website ideas for creating your own site to take inspiration from.
Blogs
If you’re just starting out, a personal blog is the best and easiest option to go for! In such blog sites, the core of the website is the content you write. If you’re good at it and know some marketing tactics, you’re all set to monetize your blog. Blogs can be about your hobby, a particular interest, family, business expertise, nature, lifestyle, fashion, or anything that inspires you. It is a great way to feel connected with your interests and make money while doing so. What’s a better deal than that?
eLearning Websites
Creating an e-learning website is a great way of passing your knowledge, expertise, and advice to others. This involves creating a series of audio or video lectures that are devised to help people learn about your topic of interest. You can offer courses on a variety of subjects, from academics to self-help/improvement. By offering discounts and free videos for starters can help you attract a larger knowledge-hungry audience who will later get access to the in-depth courses by paying a fee. Ukit, Edublogs, Ning, and many other e-learning website builders can be used while eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce allow easy monetization.
Portfolio Websites
If you’re one of the creatives, a captivating portfolio website is a must-have for you! It is a great way to bag new opportunities by showcasing your previous work and linking your social media accounts. This not only exposes you to potential employers/clients but also helps you generate a fanbase in the process. Whether you’re a photographer, an artist, a designer, or a model, you can construct your website in a breeze with a portfolio website builder. Weebly, Squarespace, Wix, Showit, etc. are some common examples. They all offer a different set of tools, some are all-in-one platforms, like Squarespace, that create all kinds of websites while others are service-focused and specialized that offer more customization to the user, like Showit.
Read also: Showit vs Squarespace comparison
Affiliate Blogs
Affiliate blogs are all about targeted content for the targeted audience. You’ll be reviewing products belonging to a certain niche that your target audience is interested in buying. And once your blog’s visitor buys a product from there (your affiliate link), you get a cut from the sales. These blogs need consistent input for creating a trusted platform where people would come for informed reviews before buying a certain product. One of the most popular online affiliate programs is run by Amazon. Although it is a very scalable business idea, it requires utmost patience and time to generate a respectable income. SITE123, Wix, and Squarespace can be used to easily build an affiliate blog.
eCommerce Store
Recent times have proven that buyer behavior has drastically shifted from in-store to online shopping. This is convenient for the buyer and highly cost-effective for the sellers. Selling products via the internet attracts traffic from around the globe and you don’t have to worry about inventory and shipping if you opt for a dropshipping website. You can sell your handmade products, build a brand, or sell merchandise on your e-commerce store as a side business. Adding multiple payment options at the checkout enhances your store’s sales. Website builders like Shopify, Zyro, and Wix can help you create a fully functional website all on your own.
“Best-of” & “How-to” websites
A “best-of” list or a “how-to” guide is one of the simplest ideas yet can turn out to be the most profitable one. The core idea is to bring ease and convenience to a seeker by putting together what they’re looking for in one place, your website! All you need to do with this kind of website is to select a specific subject that you know extensively about, are interested in, and believe you can help others with. Such websites may also attract collaborations and help with marketing products or services related to your niche.
Buying Guides
Nearly every kind of buyer prefers getting a second opinion before making a purchase nowadays. They can either list products down, compare their pros and cons, and search for reviews online, or your very website can do so for them! Buying guide websites are gaining much-deserved popularity recently as they offer recommendations, reviews, and educate readers about the factors they need to consider before buying. Such websites are a great place for the “let-me-google-first” category of buyers who like to be informed beforehand about the aspects and characteristics they must be searching for in a good product.
Newsletter
Such a website is an aggregation of news and information from any and every topic. News disperses faster in the digital world and finding an authentic and accurate source can get hard and time-consuming. An online newsletter gathers all the authentic news into one place and keeps records so the user is spared of finding and researching the whole wide internet. Though it may not generate you a fine income initially such initiatives never go in vain.
Conference Sites & Webinars
Creating an online platform for millions to join in, converse, share, present, host, and do much more is one of the greatest ideas for a website. Webinars are web-based seminars that support live sessions, presentations, and question answers. Used mainly for educational purposes and hence bringing in a lot of traffic. Conference sites bring informative and inspiring content in the form of embedded videos, articles, and blog posts. This is a great space for networking amongst interesting people who like to connect and exchange values.
Resume Websites
Similar in function to portfolio websites, resume websites also serve the user by putting all their achievements, academic excellence, educational background, and personal information on a single page. They help you tell your potential employers who you are and what you can be good for. From students to professionals, a resume website helps boost credibility for all. Any website builder can be used to create a resume website easily.
Bottom Line
The thought of starting your own website is exciting yet equally intimidating. The list of things you need to do before launching one is endless, but it all starts from an idea. An idea that defines what your website is going to offer, carves you a path and a direction to follow. Take all the time you need to gather ideas, take inspiration, and just get started!