To create materials that are composites or hybrids structured on the nanometer scale or the meso-domain, respectively, is one of the major tasks in modern materials science. In this paper, we demonstrate general strategies on how to obtain these nano-composites founded on the knowledge about ordered mesoporous materials. One strategy involves the formation of the composite by performing a chemical reaction in the pores of a pre-formed ordered mesoporous silica while the other strategy uses compounds that first mold their porous environment in the silica and in a succeeding step react to the final composite. As a model system, here, we present the formation of porous silica-carbon hybrid materials. Besides this more general question, we also tackle the task of finding a suitable application for the obtained nanocomposites. We chose an application as selective solar-absorber materials.