What Is a Website?
A website is a collection of web pages linked together and identified by a common domain name, published on at least one web server. Most websites are dedicated to a single topic or purpose, such as news, education, commerce, entertainment, or social networking. The contents of a website may be either static or dynamic. Static content is pre-written and stored on the web server, while dynamic content is generated on demand by querying a database.
In order to access a website, users require devices with web browsers — computers, tablets or smartphones — and an internet connection. Once these requirements are met, the website’s address can be typed into the web browser’s address bar to initiate a connection with the server holding the website’s files. From there, the server processes the request and sends the web page to the user’s device for display.
While there are billions of websites on the Internet, most can be grouped into several categories. Some are purely informational and serve no direct commercial or operational purposes. Others are used as forums or for the exchange of files. Some websites contain real-time stock market data, and others provide a variety of social networking services.
Business owners can use a website to attract customers or clients and allow them to submit contracts or service requests online. The final sale often happens away from the website, either in person or mediated through email or phone.
Most websites have a homepage and multiple subpages linked to it by hyperlinks that can be clicked on. This allows users to easily move around the site and locate the specific page they’re looking for. In addition, most websites have a footer that contains external links to similar sites and other external resources, disclaimers, links to the terms of service and privacy policy, and contact information.
Keeping visitors on-site is important for SEO, and that’s why many businesses include blogs on their websites. A blog is an excellent way to keep people on-site and engaged with your brand, so make sure you’re incorporating helpful articles and videos that will keep users coming back for more.
To build a website, you need to have a vision for what you want your site to achieve. This can be as simple as a blueprint or a flow chart that gives you and your developer(s) direction and a starting point. It can also be more detailed, and may take the form of a mind map or wireframe. Whatever you choose, the important thing is that it helps you stay on track throughout the building process and prevents you from getting lost down the rabbit hole. In short, a good roadmap will save time and money.
