Dynamic vs. Static and How They Relate to Site Development
Pretty much every web page you look at falls into one of two very broad categories: Dynamic or Static.
What is a dynamic web page?
Dynamic refers to a page being created “on the fly.” This means that the content from that page doesn’t actually come together until someone clicks on a link to that page. When someone views a dynamic page, some or all of the information on that page is pulled into the page from another location, like a database.
BENEFITS
Allows you to maintain large amounts of data in a very controlled environment. Since dynamic content is funneled into some sort of template, you have pretty good control of what is presented and how it is presented.
Serves the dish you know your site visitors want to eat. Since dynamic pages require user interaction in order to exist, you know that your site user is getting the information that your navigation is serving them. If you set it up right, it can lead to a very fulfilling site visitor experience.
DRAWBACKS
Can be highly detrimental to SEO if not done correctly. If dynamic pages are not created with SEO Checks in mind, you’re missing the boat when it comes to your exposure to search engines.
Limits some design at times. Simply because the length and amount of information might be different for individual pages, you have to be careful about “stretching” your page to accommodate varying screen sizes and resolutions. Content at 800 pixels wide will look considerably different than content at 1024 pixels wide. It can lead to poor text wrapping, weird photo and graphic placement and all kinds of funky user experiences.
Can result in duplicate content penalties if your pages aren’t set up properly, you could have two or more versions of the same content out there in different areas of your site.
It can be problematic for cross-browser user experiences.
SEO and PAGE TIPS
Make sure you have access to your Meta Title, Meta Keyword and Meta Description tags for every dynamic page. If possible, these items can be filled in automatically by certain content in the page, but there is a definitely advantage to having direct access to these tags if you are planning to take the time to keep them updated and test to see what is working more effectively over time. If you aren’t going to spend 1-3 hours a day on SEO for your medium-sized site, then the automatic population for these fields is the way to go.
Make sure if your Meta tags are automatically populated, that they are not simply repeats of every other page’s Meta tags. Make sure they are specific to the “page” they reside in.
Ask your programmers to use mod-rewrite, or something else to make sure your keywords are in your file name. This means that a file with information for your Saturday Night Special would have a file name like /saturday-night-special-free-shipping.php, instead of /news-story.php?story=27
Check all browsers to make sure your pages are being served properly on every platform and browser. Test, test test. Ask your dad, your brother, your sister, your neighbor to go in and see if it works for them. Bake cookies for them to encourage participation. I find chocolate chip works well. My programmers love to make everything work in IE 6 & 7 (cough cough). Gee, only about 80% of the Internet audience uses IE. It is very important to make sure your programming works on different platforms and in different browsers, especially if java script is involved in the mix. http://browsershots.org/ can give you a good idea about what your site will look like, but it doesn’t cover the functionality side of things.
Ideally, have your developers use table-free CSS. They will know what this means. Just helps to keep your code from getting bloated.
What is a static web page?
A static page is a page that is created by pasting or typing information into that page manually, or by hand, using a program like Dreamweaver or Front Page.
BENEFITS
Complete control over look, content and file names. This is great for a small and manageable site. Simple brochure or business card kinds of sites are excellent candidates for this. Just one piece of advice: DON’T USE FRONT PAGE. EVER. EVER EVER EVER. It creates some crazy stuff that you’ll have to pay some coder to get un-done. It is not good for any kind of detailed or customized design. Get Dreamweaver. Get it, use it, love it. It’s simply the best WYSIWYG editor available.
DRAWBACKS
Managing a ton of content in static pages is difficult. Simply put, there is not enough “web content person” (you) to keep up with a load of static pages where you have to open each page individually in order to update it.
Growth is stunted. It is difficult to properly grow a static site. You have to really plan ahead and also take into account the time it will take to update the growing sections. About 10 pages is the most you would want to go with a static site.
SEO and PAGE TIPS
Make sure your Meta Title, Meta Keyword and Meta Description tags for every page is populated appropriately.
Check all browsers to make sure your pages are being served properly on every platform and browser. Test, test test. See above. It is very important to make sure your CSS works on different platforms and in different browsers, especially if javascript is involved in the mix.
Ideally, have your developers use table-free CSS. They will know what this means. Just helps to keep your code from getting bloated.
Use SSIs (Server Side Includes) whenever possible to create common files that every page uses, like main navigation or footer. This way, you update one file when you add a menu item, and it automatically propagates to all the pages in the site.
Overall …
there is a place and use for dynamic and static pages. Understanding what they are is the first step to understanding when to use them. Not every project is best for either. Dynamic sites are way more fun and useful in my opinion. Pulling information from a database gives you the opportunity to create real-world solutions for your business or organization. Automation, when set up correctly can save you a lot of time and energy.
Just my 2¢ anyway!
© XPRT Creative