You may be asking yourself, what's all this about different kinds of sites? "I hear all these different things like 'static website', or 'dynamic website', or even 'e-commerce websites'." If you are interested in knowing what the differences are, then keep reading. In this page I am going to try to explain one way static websites are constructed and point out some benefits, as well as some concerns (or disadvantages) that go along with a site that is of a static nature.

Static Site Construction

What do designers mean when they say a website is 'static'? Well, while I can't speak for every designer, I can help you to get the main idea by explaining how we use the term.

Websites can be built in a variety of ways. One way is to use a language known as HTML (HyperText Markup Language). This language is relatively easy to learn and use for basic web pages. Thus, many, many people are capable of using this method of writing a web page.

"Do-it-yourselfers" often take a crash course in HTML and within a week, or even a couple of days, may be able to have a website on the internet and functioning.

HTML pages are "static" in the sense that the code - the page in its HTML format - is sent to the web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc.) as is. The HTML appears to the browser exactly the way it was written by the programmer. After the browser gets the file from the server (the internet computer holding the HTML files), it reads the code and displays the page. No 'thinking' or decision making is done by the server or the browser. The summary of serving a static page goes something like:

• The request is made by the visitor of the website
• The server locates the file requested
• Server sends the requested file(s) back to the browser
• Browser reads the HTML and displays the web page

Basically, whatever the programmer wrote, gets sent to the viewer's browser. This makes the construction simple, the programmer needs only know one language, or perhaps two if CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is being used with the HTML. This method is what many designers mean when they use the word "static pages" (or sites). As with most things, there are benefits and concerns - or 'pros' and 'cons'.

Benefits of Static Web Programming

Since these kinds of pages are easier to build than others, the cost for a designer to build such pages is lower at the construction phase. This is a wonderful benefit for a small business owner that wants to have a simple website in which the content will not be frequently changed.

Additionally, since 'hard-coded' static pages are easier to construct, it is often easier for small business owners to find a designer capable of producing these kinds of sites.

Finally, many designers feel that there is an additional benefit to having these kinds of pages on the web. Sites that were static used to get noticed by the search engines quicker and easier and some feel this is still the case. I however, am not one of those designers. Rather than explaining my reasons here, I have saved them for inclusion on the dynamic site design page.

Disadvantages of Static Web Pages

One disadvantage of having static pages on your website is that it can get expensive to update. The more pages there are with the same information on them, the more work is required. The cost of editing a hard-coded website is directly related to the size of the site. Since many web designers bill changes at an hourly rate, the cost can be driven up rather quickly.

So, for example, let's say you have a 10 page website and each page is static and your address is hard-coded in each page. If your business were to move, you would need to pay the designer to update your address on each of the ten pages. Now imagine your site was made up of 100 pages. It can get expensive very quickly.

Another disadvantage of static pages is that you, as the site owner, cannot add your own content without knowing HTML, how to use FTP, or - if the site utilizes it - CSS. Even internet savvy business owners choose to have a designer maintain static sites because they simply do not have time to do it themselves and their time is better spent running their business.
So, like anything else, their are pros and cons to choosing to go with static design for your website. Depending on your circumstances, goals, and plans for growth you might find that a simple static site would suffice.

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Pricing for static websites start at only $550 for a great looking website that works for you.

Show us ANY competitive solution that is better or even on par with what we offer (in terms of quality and price) and we will give you 20% discount on our web design services.

If you would like to get more information on whether a static site is right for you, contact us for a free consultation at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone (250) 574-5554.