Ours will perhaps be remembered in history books as the internet age, and for good reason. We all use the web daily for many different purposes: to search for information, to keep in touch with friends, for pastime, or for work. There are those who have done their job on the internet, and those who seek to exploit their potential to give their business or idea an edge. Of course, extricating oneself in the web jungle is not easy at all, and getting lost among the almost 5 billion active web pages (in 2016, and surely they will have grown even more in recent years) is a challenge.

Opening one is not difficult, because technology allows you to do it without having special computer skills. Just buy a domain, create content and maybe use one of the many tools available to structure your website. The type of site, however, can vary widely depending on the purpose: let's see which are the most common, and in which cases they can be useful. The type of website most used by companies and professionals is that of the so-called "showcase site". It is a page where you can present the services and products offered, with the aim of increasing the popularity of an already famous brand or simply advertising yourself. They often consist of a few pages, which contain the contacts and information on a company's activities. Portfolio sites are similar to the showcase sites, mainly used by professionals and artists. These are sites where you can show your work to the general public, just like in an album.

Both types are perfect for those who intend to make their business known, functioning as a sort of online business card. We all happened to shop online. Well, this wouldn't be possible without e-commerce sites. Of course, between Amazon and the online shop of the shop under the house the difference is a lot, but both have the same goal: to sell goods or services directly without having to go to a physical store. The e-commerce sites decreed the exponential development of the internet phenomenon in the early 2000s. By now the vast majority of companies have their own e-commerce, complete with detailed product sheets and a wide choice of payment and delivery options. It is a type of website particularly suitable for small businesses, which perhaps do not have the possibility of using a network of distributors to view their prod.

The word Blog indicates a particular type of website, and has now entered the common use permanently. It arises from the contraction of the English term "web-log", or "online diary". The goal of those who create a blog is to spread information via the internet. You may want to sponsor products, talk about yourself and make your ideas known, propose news or specialize in a specific topic. One of the main features of a blog is the ability to share content via social networks, and interact directly with users, who have the opportunity to comment on the proposed articles. It is a very useful tool also for those who have a commercial activity of any type: a blog focused on it can help attract the attention of users, transforming them into potential buyers. Creating such a website isn't difficult, even for novice users. For at least ten years now paper encyclopedias have become a rare commodity. All have been replaced by a single, large internet portal: Wikipedia. It is the most famous exponent of a particular category of sites, the so-called Wiki. These are sites where the contents are created by the users themselves, who collaborate with each other to offer the most correct and exhaustive information possible. To ensure the impartiality and truthfulness of the information, the articles are subject to verification and approval by the entire Wiki community. These pages have no commercial purpose, but simply the aim of spreading knowledge thanks to the contribution of all users.