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Is a Dynamic Website Better Than a Static One

Posted: 2013-07-23 09:46:20


CMS Engine

Before answering the question of whether a dynamic site is better than a static one, it might be worth first exploring the differences between the two.

A static web site is a one that has a structure and content put together by the web developer and where the web developer is responsible for all changes.

This type of web site can change of course, but there is a tendency for both the content and the structure of the site to remain broadly fixed over long periods of time when the intervention of the web developer is required to make a change.

A dynamic site is one where the control of the content of the website and even its structure is in the hands of the website owner. Typically this type of site is managed by a Content Management System (CMS) which is an administration suite that allows changes to be made to the site relatively easily by non technical personnel.

'Dynamic' in this respect means that the website content not only can be changed, but probably will be. However, the picture is not so clear cut as that and there are other issues to consider.

Despite the fact that Content Management Systems are there to make it easy to manage and change websites, a certain amount of web 'savvy' is usually still required.

Can Non-Technical Users Benefit?

For inexperienced or non-technical users, an editing interface that looks a bit like a word processor should perform like a word processor. However, the sort of display discrepancies that can occur between the editing screen and the visible web page can often prove problematic to the inexperienced user.

As indeed can other aspects of page design / development such as picture manipulation, sizing and editing. Some content management system are better than others and this also brings problems of feature overload.

In other words, applications that are so feature rich that users just give up trying to learn them.  I know we have had problems with this issue in the past where the client has asked for training, has understood the application and training given well enough and then not used it for a while and forgotten almost all of it when they need to make a change.

This is why, for TTMG Internet clients, we will not sell a content management system / dynamic website until we have fully explored the needs of the client and are happy that the client will be getting the payback from the investment.

Sometimes this means stripping the features right back so that the client can change the content of a clearly defined page structure only. This makes it easy to learn and easy to remember if the feature is not used for a while.

This is something we work out with the client to get the right balance.

There is no doubt that a dynamic website, in the sense of a website that is constantly being updated, provides a much more effective web presence than one that remains static. This is because a site that has just been updated is more likely to reflect the business as it is and this is recognised by search engines that give a great deal more credit to dynamic websites than ones that remain static for long periods of time.

So, Which Approach is Best?

Put simply, if you are not sure, then let the web designer / developer do the work. This approach will only become problematically expensive if you are doing a lot of updates and that will be the time to upgrade to a content management system driven solution.

Oddly enough the main decision criterion centres on some self honesty. If you and/or your team do not have the time or the inclination to be regularly updating your website and its content then you need to recognise that before you spend the additional money on a content management website.

Final Word

A dynamic website at the end of the day is one that is changing regularly and how that happens is every bit as much down to personal preference as it is down to technology.