The Web Site Pyramid

Every organized endeavor should have a web site. But what kind of a site depends on the needs of your organization. A website can range from a static informational page, to a dynamic site with forms and service links, to a custom application integral to your business, or a combination approach. A good understanding of what you need will help you find the right resources to reach your goal as efficiently as possible.

Static site

Static sites (aka "brochureware") are the most fundamental type of site on the internet. They consist of one or more HTML document files, supporting image files, and possibly some .pdf or other files for download by site visitors.

advantages	drawbacks
Easy to set up and modify. $0-500 to create, $5-20/month hosting & maintenance.	No direct interaction with visitors. No automation of business processes.

Always create a static site first. You can get your logo, colors, fonts and other presentation issues settled, and immediately provide a way for people to find you, learn about you, and contact you. With the exception of sites that are exceptionally awkward or broken, any site is better than no site. All organizations should at least provide a placeholder page with a mission statement and a contact email address.

Scripting or template site

Scripting sites are static sites with executable script inserted into the page content to create interactive forms, dynamic display information, or connections to supporting services like payment processing. Because it is used to connect a site to another service site, script is sometimes called "glueware".

Template sites are websites created from a "canned" site structure with placeholders for your specific information. For example an online store could be created from a template into which you insert your product items, logo and account information.

advantages	drawbacks
Incremental addition to a static site. $500-15k to create, $20-100/month hosting & maintenance.	May not completely match your business needs. Additional custom functionality may be difficult to implement.

Maximizing your ROI for a scripting or template site depends on how well the functionality supports your business needs. For example if a payment processing service exactly supports how you sell, then it is usually well worth the integration cost. If it does not match your needs well, then integrating it will not result in the returns you might otherwise expect.

Using a template or script can change your business, and it is important to understand these changes as part of your decision to implement. For example consider a dynamic contact form. This is a form that the site visitor fills out with their information, which is then emailed to you and/or stored in a database for reference. While a form provides convenience and is a good use of automation, most people prefer to contact organizations at the time that is most convenient for them, using whatever means they prefer, which may or may not be filling out a form. Replacing your contact page with a form may or may not produce better business results. When adding automation, evaluate the potential positive and negative impacts to your business.

Web application

A web application is a computer program built for the specific needs of your business. Users interact with the program through a web site, but the software can also support interaction from dedicated client applications, other web sites, or other server applications.

advantages	drawbacks
Incremental addition to a static site, allows for scripting. $15-40k+ to create, $20-100/month hosting & maintenance.	Requires software development expertise. May require rework of an existing site if added on later.

A custom web application exactly supports your business needs, but the additional time required to create the software may make it more expensive to build than a scripting site connecting to an existing service. Whether this is worth it or not depends on the degree to which the application will differentiate or enable your business. If the service is unique to your business, then compare the cost/benefit of automating vs not automating. If the service is potentially of general value, then you may wish to consider partnerships to defray costs. In either case, discuss your needs with several qualified development organizations to gain an understanding of the scope of possibilities.

It is generally easy to add script to an existing web application site, but adding a web application to an existing scripting site may require database changes, additional security work, changes to server software, or other infrastruture investment. If you are considering custom functionality, choosing to implement a web application first may reduce total costs.

The full pyramid

Most organizations with internet presence span all three pyramid categories. They develop their internet presence over time, within budget, according to their business priorities. Many begin with a static site, and then make the decision to move to a scripting site or web application after identifying one or more interactive features.

When building custom functionality, take a moment to build a list of all the features currently identified. Web applications require an initial investment in infrastructure, but have near infinite capability. Scripting sites have lower initial feature costs, but may exhibit a higher total cost of ownership depending on the number and type of features required. Your feature list will help guide your choice between these paths.

By building your internet presence over time with a guiding plan, you will maximize the value of your web site.

Eric is a software architect who has been building enterprise software since 1986. Reach him at eric@sandservices.com

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