What is a showcase site and what's the point of creating a web page?
Published on January 23, 2024
Also called a static site , the showcase site is used to present the essential information of an entity, whether it is a company , an independent professional, a sports or cultural association.
Summary
Definition of a showcase site and list of sections to be integrated
A showcase site allows you to present the main information of an entity in a clear, attractive and easily accessible way for visitors. Unlike dynamic sites which integrate interactive features (shopping cart, online payment system, discussion forum, login system, etc.) , showcase pages only publish informative and visual content.
They are often made up of a home page , a presentation page , a page dedicated to the services or products offered , a Contact page , possibly a photo gallery or customer testimonials . They can also integrate a blog which allows them to discuss current events or post in-depth articles on a clearly identified subject.
Some sections to integrate into a showcase site
- Welcome : make a brief presentation of the company, highlight its products, services or key values. Integrate buttons (Call-to-Action) to invite visitors to explore other pages of the site.
- About us: describe the company's history, missions, values, corporate culture and workforce. Possibly include an online application form.
- Products/Services: provide a detailed description of the products or services (features, technical details, benefits, prices...).
- Contact: include a contact form, map and contact details (postal address, phone number, email address and links to social networks).
- Customer testimonials: provide customer feedback and post your best Google reviews, for example.
- News and blog posts: share your latest news and publish relevant articles.
- Privacy policy, legal notice and general terms of use: define the company's identity, the legal information required by law and the responsibility of users.
Advantages of a showcase site over social networks
Social networks are indispensable. They enable you to disseminate timely, targeted content and build a community. At the same time, a showcase site reinforces the credibility of a brand and the confidence of potential customers; it's an essential support for working on your brand image and giving your structure a visual identity: editorial line, choice of colors, texts, visuals....
A showcase site also offers better natural referencing potential. By integrating effective SEO techniques such as the use of relevant keywords, the implementation of a well-designed site structure(tree structure) and the publication of quality content, showcase sites can generate growing organic traffic through searches on Google or Bing, for example.
Showcase sites for every profile
- Photographers and artists can use a showcase site to present their work.
- Traders and freelancers can find new customers thanks to better search engine optimization.
- Companies can raise their profile, showcase their services and find new business opportunities.
- Associations can use a showcase site to unite their members and win new ones.
- Local authorities can use a showcase site to share administrative or practical information with their constituents.
- Individuals can create their own showcase site to share their passion and develop their community.
- Influencers can use a showcase site to share their publications and publish sponsored articles.
How do you create a showcase site in 2024?
There are a number of specialized tools for designing websites. Content management systems (CMS) such as Wordpress, Webflow, Wix, Joomla and Weebly are just the thing. These are online software packages that enable you to create a more or less complex showcase site and post articles with relative ease.
The choice of service will depend on your budget, your technical skills and the project you want to carry out.
Website publishers are generally fee-based, although they sometimes offer limited free offers sponsored by advertising. Also, most tools dedicated to website creation require a certain amount of technical expertise on the part of the user: you need to be able to open a server with a website hosting provider (Ionos, LWS, Hostinger or OvhCloud for the most popular), configure your server, buy a domain name and install the content manager of your choice.
Finally, you'll need to install plugins and extensions (some free, some not), and have a certain knowledge of coding (HTML and CSS) to build, customize and enhance your website according to your expectations and the functions you want. In short, all this takes time and is not for everyone!
The most reluctant can entrust their web project to a communications agency or a freelance web developer, who will create a customized, turnkey showcase site. The cost of the service will vary widely, depending on the reputation of the service provider and the options selected.
Free solution for creating a showcase site
The website creator Sublim.design offers an interesting alternative. This service allows you to create an elegant, personalized showcase site intuitively and completely free of charge. It's a no-code service, which means it's capable of creating a complete site, without having to program anything, Sublim.design is a website builder perfectly suited to the needs of beginners who want to create a complete, professional web page.