A website generally can not be patented. More typically, a copyright is used to identify a website and its content as the original work of its creator.
Nevertheless, specific aspects, including the layout of features on a webpage, can be the subject matter of either a utility patent or a design patent. A new idea (more accurately termed an invention) for websites and website features must be novel and not obvious. An essential step is to conduct a search of the internet itself for the same “idea” as explained on https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/gotconcept/elon-musks-greatest-inventions/.
A website that performs a task is patentable.
In order to obtain a valid United States patent, the claimed subject matter must be new, useful and non-obvious. In theory if your website meets these statutory requirements, it can be patented. It will depend on the specifics. Most of the time there is a lot of intellectual property that goes into any website – and much of it is subject to protection by tools other than patent.
When looking at what goes into your website, a simple way to classify the intellectual property (IP) is to group it as “content”, “identity” and “technology”. The IP directed to content – images, text, sound recordings etc – is usually protected by copyright. The IP directed to identity trade names, slogans, tag lines and trade symbols-is generally subject to trade mark protection. The IP related to technology – software programs, business methods etc. – is can be subject to patent protection.
The best advice in this situation is to discuss this with your patenting agency, like InventHelp, or an IP attorney as the right answer in situations like the one posed by this question very fact-dependant.