What kind of website your business needs: landing, corporate or store
The question «what kind of website do we need» usually gets answered by looking at other people's sites. The right way is to answer it from your own job: what should a person do when they arrive, and how many different things do you sell. Both the type and the price follow from that.
One service — a landing page is enough; three to ten — a corporate site with a page for each; hundreds of products — a store. The type is decided not by budget but by how many different things you sell and what the person is meant to do. For search this matters: one page ranks for one group of queries, no more.
In this article7 sections
Four types and what each is for
| Type | Job | Price range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing page | One service, one action | from $250 | 5–10 days |
| Corporate site | Several lines of work, trust | from $390 | 2–4 weeks |
| Online store | Selling goods online | from $890 | 4–8 weeks |
| Web service, client area | The client works inside a system | from $1500 | from 2 months |
Timelines and prices are a guide based on our rates; they depend on scope and complexity. The ratio between types, however, holds almost everywhere.
Landing page: when one page is enough
One page, one service, one target action. A person scrolls top to bottom and either leaves a request or leaves.
- Works for: launching a new service, testing demand, a page for advertising, a narrow offer.
- Does not work for: many different services — on one page they start competing with each other.
- Search limitation: one page can rank for one group of queries, not many.
A landing page for advertising and a landing page for search are different things. The first can live on its own; the second needs a site around it, or the search engine has nothing to show for the remaining queries.
Corporate site: the workhorse for most businesses
Several sections: services on their own pages, about the company, prices, contacts, examples of work. This is the type that fits small and mid-sized businesses most often.
- Works for: more than three lines of work, each with real search demand.
- Main advantage: every service gets its own page and ranks independently.
- Do not skip: prices, examples, answers to questions. Without them the site reads like a business card and does not convince.
Online store: when people buy online
Catalogue, cart, payment, delivery, client area. This is no longer a website but a system, and it costs accordingly.
- Works for: goods people buy without talking to a salesperson.
- Not needed: if you have ten items and everything sells through messages — a catalogue on a corporate site is enough.
- Hidden cost: filling the catalogue, photos, descriptions, warehouse integration. This often costs more than the development itself.
How to choose: three questions
- How many different things do you sell?One — a landing page is enough. Three to ten — corporate. Hundreds — a store.
- What should the person do?Leave a request — landing or corporate. Buy on their own — a store. Work inside a system — a service.
- Where do people come from?Advertising only — you can start with a landing page. Search — you need a site with separate pages for the queries.
Builder, template or custom development
| Builder | CMS template | Custom build | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Low | Medium | High |
| Time to launch | Days | Weeks | Months |
| Speed | Usually average | Depends on the template | Can be made very fast |
| SEO capability | Limited | Sufficient | Full |
| Flexibility | Low | Medium | Full |
| Dependency | On the platform | On the template author | On your own team |
A builder is a fine start when you need to test an idea. The trouble comes as the business grows: you hit the platform ceiling, and moving everything over costs more than building with headroom in the first place.
What every website must have
- Speed: the first screen in 1.5–2 seconds on a phone.
- A mobile version where leaving a request is comfortable.
- Prices, or at least a price range.
- A clear target action and a tappable phone number.
- Proof: examples, reviews, photos of real work.
- Legal pages: a data processing policy and consent in the form.
A site without prices loses everyone who is not ready to call and ask. This is the most common and most expensive gap on service websites.
Frequent questions
Can we start with a landing page and expand later?
Yes, that is a common path. What matters is picking a platform that lets you add pages, otherwise expanding turns into a rebuild from scratch.
How long does a website last?
Technically, years. In terms of how it feels to users, three to five years, after which it starts to look dated. But a site should be replaced based on numbers, not on age.
Do we need a site if we have social media and maps?
It is worth it. Social networks and maps are rented ground with their own rules. A website is your asset: you control everything on it and can collect data about your clients.
What costs more — the site or filling it?
Filling it, more often than not. Texts, photos, product descriptions and setup take more time than the development itself, and this should be budgeted in advance.
How much does maintenance cost after launch?
Usually updates, backups, small fixes and domain renewal. For a small company that is a few dozen dollars a month plus work on changes.
Can we fit several services on one page?
Technically yes, for search it is a bad idea. One page ranks for one group of queries. Three services on one screen means none of them gets its own place in the results.
The materials answer general questions. We will look at your specific case — free and without obligation.