While hundreds, maybe thousands of people are looking for an answer to the question – how to build a website, they are missing out on something very elementary, very critical. What goes into making a website – the parts of a website.
As a beginner or a first-time website developer, you may get confused about the terminology if you have never read about it. So at Appy Pie, we have put together the list of the most basic and important parts of a website that you must be aware of before you go ahead and build one yourself.
Essential parts of a website
1. Brand logo
Your brand logo helps your site visitors understand that the website they are viewing is associated with your brand. This increases your site’s authenticity and encourages the site visitors to trust you.
2. Header
The header is the top portion of your website that usually contains the logo and the menu. The website header is often a fixture on the website, while the rest of the content may scroll beneath it. The header generally contains the information that is important to website navigation.
3. Navigation/Menu
Menu or navigation is often placed conveniently on the website, helping visitors navigate through the website easily. Typically, the main menu is either placed on the top of the website on the header or on a collapsible pane, letting you navigate through different pages on the website.
4. Feature image
This one is not really a compulsory part of your website, but it works for some sites. A featured image is the large image at the top of the website that attracts visitors’ attention and indicates what’s to come in the rest of the page.
5. Website body
The body area of the website contains most of the content. The content on the website body area will vary from webpage to webpage according to the intent or goal set for the page.
6. Highlighted content (Sliders et al.)
The highlighted content is usually reserved only for the home page to direct the website users to those web pages that will convert into website goals. Website goals are the actions that contribute towards fulfilling the purpose of your website.
7. Sidebar
A sidebar is the narrow and vertical column right next to the main content of the website. The sidebar typically contains advertisements, links to internal content, calls to action, your contact information, including a business email, and a search box. Though most modern websites have started doing away with this part of the element, there are still some websites where a sidebar makes sense.
8. Call to Action (CTA)
A call to action is a great tool to help you guide your visitors through your website to important information, complete website goals, and navigate your website. CTAs can be prominently displayed buttons on a page or subtle links on text, but the intent remains the same – guiding visitors to relevant information.
9. Footer
As the name suggests, a footer is the part at the bottom of your website. Typically, a footer contains important links on the website apart from your copyright claims and a date stamp. Not only does it protect the information on your website, but it also lets the visitors know when the web content was last updated. You can also include other information like a mini contact form, CTAs, a scrolling photo gallery, or any other permanent information like your business email that you want to be displayed on every page.
10. Forms
Adding a form to your website helps you gather information like business emails, contact details, etc., from your site visitors. There are different types of forms like contact forms, sign-up forms, application forms, shipping information forms, which can be added to your website.
11. Social links
Social media links are an important part of the website. You can choose to place them anywhere on your website, including the header, the sidebar, the footer, or any other area on the website. These links let your site visitors connect with you on multiple platforms.
Benefits of a no-code website builder
Now that we know all the essential elements or parts that make up a website, it is time to discuss the benefits of using a website builder. There has been a lot of speculation around the cost and time investment that goes into creating a website for business. This speculation often causes most small businesses to take a step back and delay website development.
No-code website builders have been designed to address both these primary concerns of a small business owner. Here are a few benefits of using a website builder that you simply cannot ignore!
Cost-effective –
A website builder lets you get your website up and running at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional website development methods.
No coding needed –
No need to hire a professional or learn coding to use a website builder. All you need to do is drag and drop the desired features into your website!
Shorter GTM time –
When you have a unique idea, you must go to market with it at the earliest opportunity. Website builders cut down development time significantly, giving you an edge over your competitors.
Real-time updates –
The websites built on no-code website builders have an innate ability to reflect any changes you make in real-time.
Offline capabilities –
Your website will work even when your website users have low or no network connectivity!
Unlimited design templates –
Don’t get worried if you are not a designer! Just choose one from hundreds of website templates and tweak it to suit your needs.
How to build a website using a website builder
The benefits of using a website builder outweigh any concerns or second thoughts you may have had about them in the past. So, without further ado, let’s learn how to build a website using a website builder.
Though every website builder is different, the basic process remains the same (more or less). Let’s check it out!
- Choose a design template & tweak it.
- Populate content and personalize it with your brand content.
- Add desired features using the drag and drop functionality.
- Connect your domain name.
- Publish!
Conclusion
A business website can help you establish a solid digital presence, assert authority, invoke trust among the audience, expand your audience, earn more revenue while strengthening your brand recognition and presence.
The article above breaks down the website into its essential elements for beginners to better understand and get familiar with the process. Further, the advantages of using a website builder make it a lucrative option for small businesses with limited resources, and the process is pretty simple.
What’s holding you back? Go ahead and create your own website now!6
