Originally, websites were purely informational. Before the web was opened to the public, educational and research institutions and goverment agencies were able to make information available to each other via text-only websites. Now that we have the World Wide Web, there are more types of websites than you can shake a stick at. Here we will discuss the basic types, noting that we will not include all and that there are hybrids of all those we will discuss.

1. Community Building Websites
These websites build online communities of people who want to interact with other people socially or meet people who share their interests.
 
2. Mobile Device Websites
Although in its infancy, the use of mobile devices (cellphones, PDAs, iPods, iPhones, etc) will become much more widespread and prevelent. One problem is that standard websites are difficult to view and take a long time to download on some of these devices with their small screeans and wireless connections. Websites whose pages are narrower in width and take up less bandwidth work much better for mobile devices.
 
3. Blogging Websites
People took the words Web Logs and shortened it to Blogs — online diaries, journals, or editorials, if you will. My, how Blogs have taken over the Internet. A person used to be outdated if he/she did not have a website, now having a blog is de rigeur. A blog owner will log-on daily, weekly, or whenever, and write about whatever is going on in their lives or business, or they may comment on politics and news.
 
4. Informational Websites
Now your small business may not want such a comprehensive site, but if you have information to share of sell, an informational website would fill the bill.
 
5. Online Business Brochure/Catalog Websites
In the days before the Internet, we used the print, radio, and television media to spread the word about our businesses. Now we can cast a large net, reaching literally millions of people with just one website. With your online brochure or catalog, you can show anyone who looks for and finds your website, photos and descriptions of your products or services.
 
6. Ecommerce Websites
Ever hear of Amazon.com? It's one of the grand-daddies of all ecommerce websites. But you don't have to be an Amazon to sell your products online. There are millions of small businesses who use their ecommerce websites to sell their products over the Internet.