Some co-workers of mine went to a web site usability session conducted by a director from the Mequoda Group and came back with some materials that I've been perusing. This material has some good descriptions of the types of web sites that exist today that I think are worth describing here. This final part in a three part series covers the lead generation and brand building web site models.

Lead Generation Web Site

A lead generation web site is commerce-based, but information-rich. It's business model is fairly simple in that it earns revenue by generating leads for other businesses. The lead generation site attracts users who are interesting in buying a product (e.g. mortgage, insurance) and are willing to fill out a free online application with detailed, personal information. The application is then forwarded to a number of companies who each pay a finder's fee to the lead generation web site owner.

Brand Building Web Site

A brand building site is content-based and sponsor-driven. It involves site visitors by telling them about the company's products. Media companies usually don't have brand-building web sites. Such decisions might be short-sighted because a brand building web site can build traffic which in turn can build brand loyalty through the use of things like newsletters.

Although products are rarely sold on brand building web sites, there is no reason that they can't direct users to retail stores and catalogs be they online or offline.

Hybrid Web Site

The architecture of a hybrid web site is much more complicated than any of the single archetype models. It is possible to build a good hybrid web site if it is limited to not more than two or three archetypes. Combining four, five, or size models in to one interface will make web site navigation too difficult for the users.

When a hybrid site combines both free and paid content in a single interface, it is important to have a clear delineation between the two models. Otherwise, it will be confusing to the user and is likely to generate consistently high levels of complaints.