17: Website
B
A (JMC) (3-YDC), SEMESTER SYSTEM
SEMESTER
–IV
SEC
III: PUBLIC RELATIONS AND EVENT MANAGEMENT
Unit -1: PUBLIC RELATIONS
LESSON - 17: Website
Objectives:
1. Learn about websites.
2. Understand the types and categories of websites.
3. Know the contents of a website.
4. Know the process of website development.
5. List the uses of website for PR people
Introduction:
A website is a collection of web pages that
is identified by a common domain name and published on a web server. Websites
are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as news,
education, commerce, entertainment, or social media. Hyperlinking between
web pages guides the navigation of the site, which often starts with a home
page. All publicly accessible websites constitute the World Wide Web. There are
also private websites that can only be accessed on a private network, such as a
company's internal website for its employees. Users can access websites on
a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. The
app used on these devices is called a web browser. Websites are the vast
sources of data and information. It is therefore inevitable for the
professionals of all strata to look up to websites for information. Websites can be created and maintained for individuals,
a group, a business, or an organization to serve a variety of purposes. A
website is also known as a “web presence” or simply “site”.
In
this lesson we discuss about the website, its origin and history, categories of
websites, types of websites, website development, usual contents of a website, it’s
use for PR and Corporate Communication professionals.
History
The
WWW i.e. World Wide Web site was created in 1989 by the British physicist and
CERN computer scientist Tim Berners Lee. CERN is an acronym in French for Conseil
Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, which translates to European Council for
Nuclear Research. Thus,
CERN is the birthplace of the world wide web. In 1993, CERN announced
that the World Wide Web would be free to use for anyone. The Web is a vast network of interconnected websites
shared over the Internet. Websites grew rapidly and by 1994, there were about
3,000 websites.
In
February 2009, Netcraft, an Internet monitoring company has tracked Web
growth since 1995, and reported that there were more than 22 crore websites with
domain names and content, compared to just about 20 thousand websites in August
1995. In September 2014, it reached the mark of 100 crores. By January 2020
there were more than 130 crore websites across 11 crore web-facing computers,
and 27 crore unique domains. However, an estimated 85 percent of these websites
were inactive.
According
to Forbes Advisor, there were around 109 crore websites on the internet in
2024, with 101 crore websites on the World Wide Web. However,
80–82% of these websites are deactivated, meaning that only 20 crores are
actively maintained. As per estimates, around 2.5 lakh new websites are
created every day, which adds to the ever-growing online world.
Evolution
Early
websites had only text and soon after, images. Web browser plug-ins were
then used to add audio, video, and interactivity for a rich web application that
mirrors the complexity of a desktop application like a word processor. Examples
of such plug-ins are Microsoft, Silverlight, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe
Shockwave Player and Java SE (Standard Edition). HTML 5 included provisions for
audio and video without plugins. WebGL (Web Graphics Library) was a modern
JavaScript API (Application Programming Interface) for rendering interactive 3D
graphics without the use of plug-ins. It allows interactive content such as 3D
animations, visualizations and video explainers to presented users in the most
intuitive way.
A
2010-era trend in websites called "responsive design" has given the
best viewing experience as it provides a device-based layout for users. These
websites change their layout according to the device or mobile platform, thus
giving a rich user experience. Since 2020 there are highly illustrative User
Interfaces (UIs) with animations, colour and depth. Design industry has
experienced a major shift into both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality
(AR) for User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) design. There was a shift
towards Internet of Things (IoT) design since that became more popular. Of
late, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is enabling websites to offer
personalized experiences to individual users aligned to their preferences,
behavior, and past interactions.
Categories of Websites
Websites
can be divided into two broad categories. They are (1) static websites and (2) dynamic
websites in other words interactive websites.
1. Static website: A
static website is one that has Web pages stored on the server in the format
that is sent to a client Web browser. It is primarily coded in Hyper Text
Markup Language (HTML); Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are used to
control appearance beyond basic HTML. Images are commonly used to create the
desired appearance and as part of the main content. Audio or video might also
be considered "static" content if it plays automatically or is
generally non-interactive. This type of website usually displays the same
information to all visitors. Similar to handing out a printed brochure to
customers or clients, a static website will generally provide consistent,
standard information for an extended period of time. Although the website owner
may make updates periodically, it is a manual process to edit the text, photos,
and other content and may require basic website design skills and software.
Simple forms or marketing examples of websites, such as a classic website, a five-page website or a brochure website are often
static websites, because they present pre-defined, static information to the
user. This may include information about a company and its products and
services through text, photos, animations, audio/video, and navigation menus.
2.
Dynamic
website: A dynamic website is one that changes or customizes
itself frequently and automatically. Server-side dynamic pages are generated
"on the fly" by computer code that produces the HTML (CSS are
responsible for appearance and thus, are static files). There are a wide range
of software systems, such as CGI, Java Servlets and Java Server Pages (JSP),
Active Server Pages (ASP) and Cold Fusion Markup Language (CFML) that are
available to generate dynamic web systems and dynamic sites. Various Web
application frameworks and web template systems are available for general-use
programming languages like Perl, PHP, Python and Ruby to make it faster
and easier to create complex dynamic websites. A dynamic site can display the
current state of a dialogue between users, monitor a changing situation, or
provide information in some way personalized to the requirements of the
individual user. For example, when the front page of a news site is requested,
the code running on the webserver might combine stored HTML fragments with news
stories retrieved from a database or another website via RSS (Really
Simple Syndication) to produce a page that includes the latest
information. Dynamic sites can be interactive by using HTML forms, storing and
reading back browser cookies, or by creating a series of pages that reflect the
previous history of clicks. Another example of dynamic content is when a retail
website with a database of media products allows a user to input a search
request, e.g. for the keyword Beatles. In response, the content of the Web page
will spontaneously change the way it looked before, and will then display a
list of Beatles products like CDs, DVDs, and books.
Differences & Advantages
The
key difference between static websites vs dynamic websites is that static
websites have stable content, where every user sees the exact same thing on
each individual page like a privacy policy, whereas dynamic websites pull
content on the fly, allowing its content to change with the user. Static
websites are often called websites, while dynamic websites are often called web
apps.
Static
Websites can be blogs, portfolios, landing pages, brochure websites, basic
corporate sites, image or video galleries and the advantages are -
1. Deliver
web pages exactly as they are stored.
2. Don't
interact with users.
3. Cheaper
to build and host, and require less work and cost in designing.
4. Have
the potential for enhanced security.
5. Have
faster page loading speeds.
6. Have
limited scalability.
Dynamic
Websites can be Social media platforms, e-commerce sites, and content
management systems and the advantages are -
1. Easier
to manage content and update visual design. Since content and design are
separate, it's easier to change a page's layout.
2. Easier
to expand and update, making them ideal for growing e-commerce brands that want
to add more products over time.
3. Can
optimize the user experience, which is important for establishing brand
loyalty.
4. Can
personalize the experience for each visitor, which can help connect with
visitors and keep them engaged.
5. Can
respond to user input in real time, allowing for instant transactions.
6. Allow
users to find content by searching for specific words, rather than having to
explore the entire website.
Website
Contents
The usual contents of a website can vary depending on
the website's purpose and type, but some common elements include:
1.
Homepage:
The main page that visitors see first.
2.
Header:
The top section of the website, often featuring a logo, menu, and search bar.
3.
Content:
The main text, images, videos, and other things that convey the website's
message.
4.
Footer:
The bottom section of the website, often featuring legal information, social
media links, and contact details.
5.
Navigation
Menu: A menu that allows visitors to explore different sections of the website.
6.
Pages:
Separate sections of the website, such as:
a) About Us: Information about the website's creators or
company.
b) Contact Us: A page with a contact form, email address,
and physical address.
c) News room: A section for articles, press notes, and
updates.
d) Products or Services: A section showcasing the
website's offerings.
e) FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions and answers.
7.
Multimedia:
Images, videos, audio files, and other media that enhance the website's
content.
8.
Forms:
Interactive elements, such as contact forms, login forms, and search bars.
9.
Search
Engine Optimization (SEO) elements: Meta tags, titles, and descriptions that
help search engines understand the website's content.
Domain
identity
Originally, websites were identified by their domains.
For example -
1.
Government agency
websites .gov
2.
Educational
institutions’ websites .edu
3.
Nonprofit
organizations’ websites .org
4.
Commercial
websites .com
5.
Information sites
.info
6.
For an umbrella of
websites .net
In modern days’ internet, the “.com” extension is the
most popular domain. There are country-specific extensions like .in, .it, .de,
.co, .uk, .us, .fr, etc.
It is also important to understand the difference
between websites, web pages and web server because it will guide the decisions
on how to structure the site that is being built and managed. A website
consists of several web pages that share the same domain and are linked
together. A web page is an individual document that has a unique URL within
that domain. Whereas, a web server is the backend technology that stores and
serves the web pages that make up a website.
Website
development:
Developing
a website includes everything from acquiring a domain name to building the
front-end and back-end of the website. To get a domain name, one should first
find a Registrar that is accredited with the Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN), which is a non-profit organization responsible for
coordinating all of the numerical spaces on the internet.
A
lot goes into developing a website that is easy to use and reflects in a
positive light. Creating a website consists of two main steps: (1) website
development and (2) website design. But it can also entail website programming,
website publishing, and database management. Web development refers to the
functionality of a website, while web design describes the look of a website.
Both are equally important skills when it comes to building a website.
There
are a few different types of website development, but the most common types are
(1) front-end development and (2) back-end development.
1. Front-end
development is what the user will see and interact with on the website. This
typically involves website design and includes the website colours, layout,
fonts, and images. Front-end development involves using tools like Photoshop
and Illustrator to create the website design. A front-end developer will also
need to understand various programming languages or coding languages like HTML,
CSS, and JavaScript.
2. Back-end
development is what the user doesn’t see with the website. Back-end development
is focused more on how the website works, rather than how it looks. This can
include user authentication, network and hosting configuration, database
interaction, and anything else that goes on behind the scenes of a website. For
example, if people upload their information onto a website, a back-end developer
is responsible for compiling and analyzing that data. A back-end developer
needs to be familiar with server-side languages, like Ruby, .Net, and Python.
Another
type of website development is full-stack development. Full-stack developers
can do both front-end and back-end development. A full-stack developer must be
knowledgeable of both programming languages and server-side languages and needs
to be able to handle all aspects of website development.
Development process:
The
development process can look different for every website, but for the most
part, it will entail some 8 steps:
1. Information
gathering: Before building a website, one needs to gather information. This
will include the purpose, main goals and target audience. Purpose is
essentially the reason behind creating a website. If it is for self-promotion
or to provide information about a certain topic, goals are what one wants to
accomplish with a website. Having goals will give a better idea of how to go
about creating the website and what content to include. Target audience is who the
website is going to appeal to. Every business has a target audience. So it is
important to figure out who they are before actually creating the website by
imagining them, their age, gender, and interests.
2. Planning:
Once basic information is gathered, planning shall follow. Using the
information from the first step, it is necessary to create a sitemap. A sitemap
is a list of all the topics and sub-topics of a website. The sitemap will help
visualize the website and how a user can jump from one page to another. This is
crucial so that it can create an attractive website that is easy to navigate.
3. Design:
After planning the outline of the website, there is the need to figure out how
it is going to look. This will include all visual content, such as photos and
videos. Target audience to be kept in mind while planning the design of
website. For example, a public relations brand will have a very different
website than a brand with a target audience of pet owners. Website shall cater
to the wants and needs of target audience.
4. Content:
The content that is on the website is one of the most important aspects of a
website. Content will convey the message to audience and encourage them to use the
website. But before writing the content, one should figure out the goals and
purpose, which is why step 2 i.e. planning is so important. Content should be
relevant and interesting enough that the users keep coming back.
5. Functionality:
This is the step actually that starts building of a website. This is also when
all the other steps will come together to create the look and functionality of
the website. If the website is to be user-friendly and easy to get around, the
homepage will usually be created first, and then all the sub-pages will come
after. It is important to make sure that the website can be accessible from
both a desktop and mobile phone.
6. Testing:
Once the website has been successfully created, it is not quite ready to be
launched. It needs to be tested first. Testing the website can be a tedious
process, but it is necessary to make sure the website runs properly. During
this step, all the links and buttons on the website to be tested, spelling of everything
to be checked and ensure the website looks the same on a phone as it does on a
computer.
7. Launch:
After a thorough check of the website and testing it a few times, now the turn
is launching it. To launch the website, it should be uploaded to a server. Once
it is uploaded, running one last test just to double check that everything is
correct is essential. The website will now be viewable to the public.
8. Monitoring
and updates: Even after successfully launching website, it is still crucial to
go back and check it from time to time. Mistakes can happen, and it is
important to stay on top of the website to make sure that it remains in good
shape. Fixing problems as quickly as possible and keeping it up to date is
paramount.
Types of websites
Websites can be segregated into
different types based on their purpose and functionality. Here are some of
the main types of websites:
1. Informational
websites: Provide information and resources to visitors
2. Transactional/e-commerce
websites: Allow visitors to purchase products or services
3. Interactive websites: Allow
visitors to interact with the website in some way
4. Business websites: Created
to portray the online persona of a firm
5. Blogs: Informational pages
or online journals that are regularly updated with content
6. Search
engines: Used to find and discover other websites
Other
types of websites include: Portfolio websites, Landing pages, Crowdfunding
websites, Online magazines, Video streaming websites, Educational websites,
Wikis or knowledge hubs, Event websites, Personal websites, News websites, and
Entertainment websites.
Website for PR and CorpCom:
A website can indeed be a medium of communication for
public relations efforts and for corporate communication. Here are some ways a
website can be used for PR and CorpCom exercises:
1.
Media
center: A dedicated section for media representatives, featuring press
releases, high-resolution images, and other resources.
2.
News
and updates: Sharing company news, announcements, and updates to keep
stakeholders informed.
3.
Crisis
communication: To use the website to address crisis situations, provide
statements, and updates.
4.
Thought
leadership: Publish articles, blog posts, and opinion pieces to showcase
expertise and build credibility.
5.
Brand
storytelling: To share the company's history, mission, values, and achievements
to build a strong brand narrative.
6.
Investor
relations: Provide financial information, annual reports, and investor
presentations.
7.
Social
media integration: Link social media accounts to the website, showcasing social
media content and encouraging engagement.
8.
PR
contact information: Display contact details for PR representatives, making it
easy for media and stakeholders to get in touch.
9.
Resources
and archives: Offer access to past press releases, media kits, and other
relevant resources.
10. Analytics and insights: Use website analytics to track
visitor behavior, engagement, and other metrics to refine PR strategies.
A website can become a powerful tool for public
relations, helping to build reputation, manage crises, and foster effective
communication with stakeholders. It matters only when the
website is attractive, well designed, intuitive, and engaging. A well laid out,
accessible, and functioning website can play a key role. There are 5 ways to
make a website the best PR and corporate communication tool.
1. Increase
visibility: Great PR means seeking out consistent visibility that communicates
the key message to be shared. If relevant and timely information is provided,
audiences will see the company as a valuable resource. Regular updates in web
content are also SEO-friendly, pushing the website higher in search engines’
visibility. And when it is in sync with the intended audience, authentic
language can be used to create intimacy with the visitors. In addition, it can make
them feel right at home, which increases the chances that they will share it
with others.
2. Expand
audience: If the website has a great look-and-feel and provides valuable
content, it will expand company’s audience. A brand can also be crafted that
will become recognized as an authority.
3. Provide
shareable content: Getting visitors to click around is excellent. But getting
visitors to share the website content with others is even better. It is a smart
marketing strategy and is another aspect to be a best PR tool. This shareable
content can include videos, images, memes, factoids, graphics, and interactive
tools.
4. Provide
visual storytelling: Some of the most influential and engaging websites rely
very little on text to communicate. Instead, they use bold, fascinating photos,
graphics, and images for their brand story.
5. Analyze
important data: One of the useful benefits of having a website is being able to
analyze the data about its visitors. It is important for businesses to gather
key usage statistics. Conversion rates, bounce rates, downloads, and most
visited areas are vital. Having this improves the understanding of customers
and helps refine how to do business with them.
Summary:
A website is a vital tool in today's digital age. It
serves as a virtual presence, providing information and services to a global
audience. A website can be a powerful marketing tool, showcasing products and
services, sharing knowledge, and building brands. With interactive features and
user-friendly interfaces, websites offer a personalized experience, engaging
visitors and fostering connections. They also facilitate e-commerce, enable
online transactions, and provide a platform for communication and feedback. In
essence, a website is a dynamic gateway to infinite possibilities,
revolutionizing the way we interact, access information, and conduct business. Anyone
looking to establish an online presence, share information, or engage with a
community can benefit from having a website. In today’s digital age, a simple
static website can act as a business card, and a dynamic website can take the
place of a storefront. They both allow to share information and enable
communication with a global audience 24/7.
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQs)
1.
What
is a website in simple terms?
2.
Explain
the two categories of websites and how they differ?
3.
List
out the types of website?
4.
What
are the usual contents of a website?
5.
How
a website is useful for PR and CorpCom people?
1.
A website is a collection of web pages and related content that
is identified by a common domain name and published on at least one web server.
Websites are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose, such as
news, education, commerce, entertainment, or social media. It is a collection of publicly accessible, interlinked
web pages that share a single domain name. Websites can be for an individual, a
group, a business, or an organization to serve a variety of purposes. A website
is also known as a “web presence” or simply “site”. Together, all publicly
accessible websites constitute the World Wide Web. The Web is a vast network of
interconnected websites shared over the Internet. It is also said that websites
are simply collections of hypertext transfer markup language (HTML) files that
cover the same topic and are accessed through a web address (URL).
2.
The
2 broad categories of websites are (1) Static website and (2) Dynamic website.
The key difference between static websites vs dynamic websites is that static
websites have stable content, where every user sees the exact same thing on
each individual page like a privacy policy, whereas dynamic websites pull
content on the fly, allowing its content to change with the user. Static
websites are often called websites, while dynamic websites are often called web
apps. They differ in content delivery, user experience, cost of development and
maintenance, in terms of speed, security, scalability, management etc.
3.
Websites can be segregated into different types
based on their purpose and functionality. Here are some of the main types
of websites: (1) Informational websites that provide information and resources
to visitors (2) Transactional/eCommerce websites that allow visitors to
purchase products or services (3) Interactive websites to interact with the
website in some way (4) Business websites to portray the online persona of a
firm (5) Blogs: Informational pages or online journals that are regularly
updated with content (6) Search engines to find
and discover other websites. Other types of websites are
Portfolio websites, Landing pages, Crowdfunding websites, Online magazines,
Video streaming websites, Educational websites, Wikis or knowledge hubs, Event
websites, Personal websites, News websites, and Entertainment websites.
4.
The usual contents of a website can vary
depending on the website’s purpose and type, but some common elements include
(1) Home page that is the main page that visitors see first (2) Header, the top
section of the website with logo and search bar (3) Content with text, images
and other media (4) Footer i.e. the bottom section of the site featuring legal
information, social media links and contact details (5) Navigation Menu that
allows visitors to explore different sections (6 ) Pages with separate sections
of the website such as (a) about us (b) contact us (c) News or blog (d) products or services and
(e ) FAQs etc (7) Multimedia – images, videos, audio files (8) Forms mean
interactive elements like contact forms, login forms and search bars (9) Search
Engine Optimisation like meta tags, titles and descriptions.
5.
A
website is a powerful tool for public relations, helping to build reputation,
manage crises, and foster effective communication with stakeholders. It
matters only when the website is attractive, well designed, intuitive, and
engaging. A well laid out, accessible, and functioning website can play a key
role. There are 5 ways to make a website the best PR and corporate
communication tool. It increases visibility, expand audience, provide shareable
content, provide visual storytelling and analyse important data. A website can
indeed be a medium of communication for PR efforts and for corporate
communication. Website can be used for PR and CorpCom exercises like a Media
center, for news updates, for crisis communication, brand storytelling, social
media integration etc.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1.
WWW was created by _____________.
a.
Guglielmo Marconi
b.
Tim
Berners Lee
c.
John L Bairde
d.
Nicola Tesla
2.
A website is a collection of ____________.
a.
Web portals
b.
Web logs
c.
Web links
d.
Web pages
3.
Dynamic
website is also called as _________.
a. Innovative website
b.
Simple website
c.
Interactive
website
d.
Static website
4.
Domain Registrar is accredited with ___________
.
a.
ICANN
b.
UNO
c.
UNICEF
d.
ICJ
5.
Website
is a medium of __________ for PR and CorpCom people.
a.
Education
b.
Entertainment
c.
Communication
d. Information
Key to MCQs: 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (c)
Glossary:
Web: Also known as world wide web is a system of interconnected documents and resources, accessible via the internet.
Webserver: It is a software that serves static files and images over the internet. It handles incoming requests and responds with appropriate content.
Internet: Global network of interconnected computers and servers that communicate with each other using standardized protocols.
Domain name: A unique string of characters that identifies a website or online platform on the internet.
Domain registrar: It is a business that handles the registration of domain names.
URL: Uniform Resource Locator is a web address used to locate a specific resource on the internet. It is a string of characters that starts with http:// or https://
Development of website: It involves several stages from planning, designing, content creation, registration of domain name and etc.
Static website: A type of website that contains fixed content and stored as certain files. This does not change dynamically but static.
Dynamic website: A type of website that generates content in real-time, interacting with users and updating its content based on their input, preferences or actions.
Website analytics: Process of collecting, analyzing and reporting data about website usage and user behavior. It helps understand how users interact with the website, identify trends and patterns in order to make data-driven decisions.
Key
words:
Internet, Web, Web site, Web page, Web Server, Home Page, Hyperlink, Static, Dynamic, HTML, HTTP, SEO,
Y. BABJI
Editor, Public Relations Voice
Academic Counsellor, Public Relations (since 1989)
AP Open University/Dr BR Ambedkar Open University
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