Dynamic Website Design
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The next step up from a basic website is the dynamic website. This has a much broader
meaning and is therefore much more difficult to set a price on. It generally means
a website where the content frequently changes, for example a forum, news site or
web log (blog). It can also mean a site where the content is interactive or rich
with animation or other multi-media.
Customers that require a site where they can regularly change the information will
require a website database.These sites are designed to take content (images, text
etc.) from a databases only when a user requests a page. This means that a page
requested on a particular day may be different to the same page request a day later
even though the website has not been changed.
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By changing the data in the database you are automatically changing the website.
These sites come with software that the client can use to change the content themselves
without the need for a developer.
What is a database driven website? database-driven website is a website that uses
a database to gather, display, or manipulate information.
The web pages that are created when a database website design solution is used are
actually called "dynamic web pages" as opposed to "static" web pages. The information
contained in the database is usually kept up to date by using a website content
management system. The content management system can be designed and tailored to
your specific requirements.
This is what happens: each time a dynamic web page is about to be sent to
the browser, the server automatically builds the new web page for display. The server
'knows' how to build the page by following the instructions provided by the programmer.
What are dynamic web pages? How do they differ from Static Web pages?
Static web pages always look the same and the content never changes unless you load
a new page or you change the page yourself or request your web designer to make
changes and upload the new version of the web page to the web server.
Dynamic pages do the opposite, they can change every time they are loaded (without
you having to make those changes) and they can even change their content based on
what your website visitors do. The dynamic page can be created as a direct result
of your website visitor requesting information.
Dynamic pages are created using active information from a database. Instead
of creating the usual static html web pages in advance and uploading these to your
web space in readiness for your website visitors. The web pages are instantly created
when the software "interrogates" your database and the necessary information and
pictures are returned in the form of a web page.
Do I need database website design for my website?
If your website requires constant updates and feeding of information, or contains
a high volume of information, then a database driven website will provide an effective
solution for you. If you wish to be able to update prices and information speedily
and perhaps arrange that your visitors can "search" your website for specific products
and be returned with not only the specific product information - but perhaps also
other closely related products which they might like to see - then you need a database
driven website.
What advantages will a database design for my website offer me?
Time
Maintaining a website can become time consuming and costly. If you have a large
number of products or services on your website - think how much time would be involved
if you wished to add another product - if you had to design a new web page and then
upload the web page to your website each time you added a new product - or changed
prices etc.
If you also wished to arrange that other associated products were to be displayed
on the same web page - using a standard html static web pages - the procedure is
very time consuming. Imagine having 1000's of products, each with their own website
page that needs constantly updating and then uploading to your web space.
It is much simpler if each of these products occupies a single record in a database.
Once you have changed the product prices or information in the database records
- you can then simply upload the amended database to your website and the end result
is that all your web pages are updated in one simple action.
Skills
No HTML or website design knowledge is required. Using a database - if you can complete
simple forms you can update your website easily. Large complex websites can be maintained
by users with very little computer experience. If you can fill a form in you can
run a database driven website
Ability to easily implement features.
Such as arranging that your products & services can be displayed in various different
ways such as in ascending or descending order alphabetically, by date, or by popularity.
Unique functionality to the website
Many features can be added to your website - your database can power a website search
facility - enabling your visitors to search your website for products/data relating
to specific items. Calculators can be designed and added to your website to provide
even more functionality for your visitors. When visitors enter their specific needs,
the calculator goes into action and your database can then arrange to display the
products which best suit the visitor’s requirements. This is much nicer for your
website visitor than them having to trawl through each of your products to ascertain
which is suitable.
Cost
Using a database driven website solution is cost effective. Content management tools
will give you the freedom to create dynamic web page content yourself, rather than
being dependent upon a third party, a web designer. You can easily add new products
or product ranges - change prices and add new pictures very easily. This means that
you will not need to pay a web designer to update your web pages Professional database
driven website design is a cost effective method of developing a website which stores
a large amount of information.
Interactivity
Your website visitors are presented with information which relates specifically
to their individual needs. A database driven website provides interactive elements
to ensure that users have reasons to return your website on an ongoing basis.
Ability to evolve - As many web pages as you wish
Your website has the ability to evolve without incurring extra costs. Your website
can be as large as you choose to make it. Just by adding more records to your database
- extra web pages will automatically be created. You can add more categories as
well as products - even add sub categories all of this ultimately ensures that
your web visitors will return to your website.
How will a database affect my search engine rankings? Do Search engines index dynamic
web pages?
As your website creates many web pages - this effectively means that the search
engines will actually have more content to index - which is advantageous to you.
The search engines are of course using the most up to date technology and do crawl,
index and list web pages which have been created dynamically.
Once the information is changed in the database, and it is uploaded to the Web server,
all information that is in the Web site, becomes updated immediately and the search
engines, when they next crawl and spider your web pages will index the new information
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Can you host database driven websites?
Yes, as well as providing the database website design we provide professional business
web hosting facilities on our high performance web servers with full 24/7 support
Websites that are Easy to Update
If you want a website that is easy to update - look no further. Out Database Driven
Websites designed using Content Managements systems are tailored to suit your specific
needs and are very easy to use.
There are choices of update options which are available and no technical skills
are required. Whether you have a small website or a large ecommerce shopping catalogue
you can use our Content management Systems.
Want to know more?
Our focus is the fulfillment of your business objectives. contactus us to find out
more about our range of Dynamic Website Design solutions.