Dynamic Content

Some people refer to any web pages created in Flash or other animation software as "dynamic content," but this is a somewhat antiquated definition. The more widely accepted definition refers to content that is generated automatically each time a user reloads or returns to a web page. The word "dynamic" means that the content changes based on the user's input, as opposed to "static" content, which never changes.

Dynamic content gives web publishers the ability to alter the presentation of information according to the sequence of user decisions. It might be as simple as adding the current date, or as complex as identifying the user and personalizing the information based on his or her known preferences. For example, when you type certain keywords in your favorite search engine, the resulting page you get is a "dynamic" page, meaning that the information displayed was based on your input.

Dynamic web pages utilize programming language within their HTML, which is read and executed by the web server. The server then generates the HTML and sends it to the browser to be displayed. Some of the more popular formats of dynamic web pages are ASP, PHP, JSP, Microsoft.net and CGI/Perl.

With the ever-increasing expansion of web applications, the range of products and technologies that create and support dynamic content is steadily growing. If you're not a programmer and are interested in exploring dynamic content for your website, there are a plethora of consulting services and organizations which both provide research and analysis, and create, manage and deliver dynamic content.

Ultimately, dynamic content empowers you, the web publisher, with the creative control to influence and alter page elements, styles, positioning and any content you choose. Best of all, it provides a more dynamic experience for your end users, which of course, increases the chances of them coming back on a regular basis.