Static and Dynamic
Websites can be built in either a static way where all the pages are created manually and linked up internally in a manual way or by using a Content Management System where pages are added by using an administration interface and pages appear automatically. Each method for building the website has advantages and disadvantages.

Static Website

Pros

• The website technology is simple and the web designer will know how to add pages later
• The initial design can be done in Photoshop with placeholder text. The design is creative and can be changed easily before being made browsable
• Uploading pages and images is easy since the designer has done it many times
• The website will be a unique creation
• No database is required for a basic website, allowing for less technical knowledge and perhaps cheaper hosting costs

Cons

• The website will have to be maintained by the web designer as the technology is generally too advanced for the client to use
• It will take longer to create the website if there are a lot of pages
• The designer will have to make sure that the website is Search Engine Friendly by designing it like that from the beginning
• It will cost more if additional functionality has to be manually programmed

Content Management System

Pros

• There are a lot of free templates out there for most CMSs
• It is very easy to add new pages when the site is already complete and the administrative area is understood
• Free plugins can add a lot of powerful functionality while only paying for the implementation time by the designer
• The original developers of the CMS are always updating the package, making it more secure and efficient
• The CMS is already Search Engine Friendly

Cons

• Using a widely used template might make your website look like a spam site by Google and thus ranked low
• Changing a template can be tricky and time-consuming
• Creating a good template from scratch is time-consuming
• There is a steep learning curve for the designer if he hasn’t used the particular CMS before, adding onto the cost and time required
• Possible increased hosting costs, since most CMSs require a database on the domain as well
• A learning curve when it comes to using the administrative area of the CMS
• The CMS file structure is widely known, allowing hackers to know the inner workings of your website
• The original programmers might stop supporting the CMS and no updates will follow
• Upgrading the CMS to the latest version can be a nightmare
• If something in the CMS stops working it can be difficult to browse through the code to find the problem, adding to maintenance costs

How to choose the solution for your website

You would choose a static website development if :

• That is the only way your designer knows how to make a website
• If your branding is pretty complex and you want a unique looking website
• Your website is small (about 5 pages) and you don’t intend updating it a lot
• Your web hosting package does not include a database
• You don’t have time to update the website yourself anyway and will pay the designer to update it now and then

You would choose a CMS solution if :

• You don’t mind spending more in the beginning to be able to add a lot of content later in-house
• You need a website quick and do not mind too much that the design is vaguely based on a template
• You need the powerful plugin functionality that comes with the CMS
• You need a new look and you want all the functionality
• You have the requirement and time to update the website in-house

CMS Examples
Here are a couple of examples of free CMS software that can be downloaded and used to create your website :

• Wordpress (Cognite.co.za was built using this)
• Mambo / Joomla
• Drupal
• OpenACS

Conclusion
Both static and CMS websites can work for you. Listen to what your web designer can do since you will likely be working with him for a while to come. Contact Us if you need any help with choosing the right solution.