You may be aware of these different website types, but what’s the difference? Here, we’ll take a look at what sets dynamic, responsive, and static websites apart. We’ll also take a look at how each of these types of websites may benefit your business.
Dynamic Websites
Dynamic websites offer a nice in-between option. Cheaper to build than a responsive website, a dynamic website can be a good option if you are working from a database of information.
A dynamic website generates itself in real-time. They are also called fluid websites because of the way information flows through the site and is presented differently to each user. This creates a personal, interactive experience.
However, dynamic websites are not optimized for mobile. The proportions are the same no matter what the size of the screen is, which means that users on larger devices will naturally have a better time seeing the website.
One benefit of a dynamic website is that you only need to change the database the dynamic website is generating from to change the website itself. Websites that have storefronts that don’t rely on a third party often benefit from this type of website.
Responsive Websites
A responsive website is one of the most common in use today. Instead of using exact measurements for text, graphics, and other design elements, this type of website works in percentages.
The result? This type of website is optimized best for mobile devices. The website is going to look different on each device because everything is resized based on the device you’re using. This means that the elements may shrink or stretch.
For mobile optimization, a responsive website is ideal. That’s because responsive websites are built with mobile phones in mind. This is great for most websites, where a large percentage of users are going to be seeing your page using their mobile device.
Responsive websites offer the best experience to all users, even if they begin with the mobile site. Most startups and new companies choose this type of website if it’s available because it doesn’t alienate any member of their audience based on the device alone.
If you are looking to start a new website in this day and age, a responsive website is the way to go. It might be a bit more expensive to start with, but given that a large number of customers are using their phones and other mobile devices to view webpages, it’s the only way to make sure that you are generating the traffic you want.
Static Websites
A static website or fixed website is the simplest site structure you can use. It’s inexpensive to create and often doesn’t take much to build, simply because the content on the pages is never meant to change.
This type of website provides fixed information. Nothing changes based on the user’s preferences and there is no chance for them to input information. To update a static website, an administrator needs to manually update the website and push the change to viewers.
A static website uses simple HTML coding. Each user gets the same view of the website, which means that mobile users will have to do a lot of horizontal and vertical scrolling to see the entire site.
This means that it is not optimized for mobile use, and some users may not appreciate having to scroll around to find the information that they want. The website will remain the same size no matter what browser, device, or window size the user is using.
While these are cheap and easy, they only really work for specific types of websites. No matter what type of business you are creating, it’s nearly always better to choose a responsive or dynamic website.
However, a static website is still a website. It’s better than nothing but it’s not what you should aim for.
Conclusion
It may be difficult to choose which type of website you want, but a professional can help. Contact our Black-owned digital marketing agency if you need help building, developing, and choosing the type of website that you want.