PURPOSE OF WEBSITES (10 marks)
There are 6 different purposes of websites on the web. Define each of them and find 2 examples of each.
Use the following link to help
https://www.cleart.com/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-website.html
PURPOSE DEFINITION(1 mark) each
Informative Website To convey specific, helpful information to a specific user/audience so
that the reader learns something new or understands a topic better.
● More actionable information
○ May contain “how-to’s”, tips and tricks, fix and
repair, guidance, support information, directions,
instructions, etc.
Entertainment Website Showcase entertaining information for visitors. Designed to be easy to
navigate and frequently updated in order to keep users coming back
for more information.
● Can be made more engaging by using dynamic content, such
as videos, podcasts, slideshows, etc.
○ Online magazines, gossip oriented websites, celebrity
news, sports coverage, movies, the arts, humourous
websites, etc.
E-commerce Website To sell products to users.
● To achieve success, e-commerce websites must integrate all of
the latest online closing and upsell techniques available which
have been proven to increase the chances that a visitor will
purchase.
○ Removing friction during the purchasing process,
making the checkout smooth and easy, making the
website fast and attractive, up-selling users on related
products, incentivizing buyers, reducing cart
Example (provide a link) & explain your choice(1 mark)
https://www.wikihow.com/Main-Page
WikiHow is an example of an Informative Website
because it provides specific, helpful information to the
reader so they learn something new or understand a topic
better. One can search for something they are hoping to
learn about and WikiHow will provide a step by step
how-to article with multiple methods to achieve what the
reader wants.
http://youtube.com
YouTube is an example of an Entertainment Website
because it provides entertaining information for visitors
and is updated very frequently. It includes the sharing of
videos by creators, which can range from a variety of
topics.
https://www.amazon.ca/
Amazon is an example of an E-commerce Website, as it
sells products to users. One can search for a product they
are interested in buying and hundreds of products, sellers,
and ratings appear. The checkout is easy, there are
incentives such as Amazon Prime for discounts and faster
shipping, and safe payment.
 abandonment, etc.
Service Based Website To convince website visitors that they should become customers of the
service company.
● Positioning the company as a dependable, trustworthy and
experienced service provider in the target market
○ Provide visitors with information and articles which
demonstrate your knowledge, a visual portfolio of
your work, videos, customer testimonials, etc.
Blog To provide a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run
by an individual or small group that is written in an informal or
conversational style.
● Can be used for entertainment purposes or used as an online
journal or used by companies to keep their customers
informed of what is going on
Social Media Website To make it very easy to share and connect with friends, family,
co-workers, acquaintances, and even strangers.
● Make quick and easy work out of building up a network of
connections so as to keep in touch, share daily experiences,
photos, interests, preferences, etc.
○ Both personal and commercial purposes.
https://londonontarioplumbing.com/?utm_source=GMBh
ome&utm_medium=organic
London Plumbing is an example of a Service Based
Website. This is because its purpose is to convince
visitors to become customers of the service company,
London Plumbing. The company is providing a service
and wants to convince you to choose that service
provider. In this case, it is plumbing. The first thing you
see when you enter the homepage is “London Ontario’s
#1 Plumbing Service Company”, followed by the points
“Upfront Pricing”, “Locally Owned”, “Clean &
Friendly”, “Quality Guaranteed”. All the points listed by
this service company is meant to convey the company as
dependable, trustworthy, and experienced.
https://www.themarthablog.com/
The Martha Stewart Blog is an example of a Blog. It is
regularly updated every day and is run by Martha
Stewart. This website is written in a conversational style.
The blog is used as an online journal to simply update her
audience on the activities going on in her life. For
example, her April 16th entry is about her day planting
trees, and her April 15th entry is about the snowfall her
home received in April. All of the listed components of
this website are criteria for a blog, thus the Martha
Stewart Blog, hence the name, is a blog.
https://www.facebook.com/
Facebook is an example of a Social Media Website. It is a
social media platform used to see photos and updates
from friends (whoever you follow), as well as sharing
photos/videos and what’s new in your life. It is very easy
to share and connect with people on the platform.