Why we only build static websites

For almost thirty years we have built websites for small businesses and nonprofits. For the last several, we have moved nearly every client off WordPress and onto static sites. Today it is the only thing we build. Here is why.

What “static” means

A static website is a set of finished files: HTML, CSS, images. They are generated ahead of time, once, when we publish a change. When a visitor loads a page, the server simply hands over a file that already exists.

A typical WordPress site works differently. Every visit runs code, queries a database, and assembles the page on the spot, using a theme and a stack of plugins that all have to cooperate.

Most small business and nonprofit sites do not need any of that. They need to say who you are, what you offer, where you are, and how to reach you. A finished file does that job just as well.

It is fast

There is no database to query and no code to run per visit. Pages are served straight from a global network close to the visitor, so they appear almost instantly, including on a weak phone signal at a boat launch or a trailhead.

Speed is not only a nicety. It affects how people feel about your organization the moment they arrive, and it is one of the signals search engines consider.

It is secure

Most website break-ins target the software around the content: an out-of-date plugin, a forgotten admin login, a theme nobody has updated in two years. A static site has none of those. There is no login page to guess at, no database to inject into, and no server-side code to exploit.

You cannot be hacked through a door that does not exist.

It needs very little maintenance

A WordPress site is never finished. Core, themes and plugins all need regular updates, and an update that goes wrong can quietly break a contact form or take the whole site down. For a volunteer-run nonprofit, that often means the site simply goes stale until something fails.

A static site has no moving parts to update. What remains is the real work: keeping your hours, events, photos and wording current. That is what we do for you on a support plan.

It costs less to run

Because there is nothing to execute, static hosting is simple and inexpensive. You are not paying for a server to sit waiting for traffic, or for a stack of premium plugin licenses that renew every year.

You own it

Your site is a folder of plain files. They can be hosted almost anywhere, and you can take them with you at any time. There is no proprietary builder to be locked into and no platform that can raise its price or shut down.

“But how do I update it?”

This is the honest tradeoff. A static site has no admin dashboard, so changes do not happen by logging in and clicking Save.

For most of our clients that is a feature. Hours change a few times a year. Events get posted monthly. Most owners and board members would rather send a quick email or text and have it done than learn another system and remember another password. Our support plans include a set amount of edit time each month for exactly this.

Forms, donations and maps still work

Static does not mean lifeless. Contact forms, embedded maps, newsletter signups, online donations and booking links all work on static sites by connecting to a service built for the job, such as a form handler or a payment provider. You get the same features without running the machinery yourself.

When static is not the right answer

We would rather tell you than sell you the wrong thing. A static site is a poor fit if you need:

• An online store with a large catalog, accounts and inventory
• Member logins or private content that changes constantly
• Many different people publishing content every day

If that is you, a different tool will serve you better, and we will say so on the first call.

The short version

For most small businesses and nonprofits, the website is a handful of pages that need to load quickly, look trustworthy, stay secure, and cost little to keep alive. That is exactly what static sites are best at.

If you are on WordPress and tired of the updates, or starting fresh and want something simple that lasts, tell us about your project. You can also see what we have built on our work page and what it costs on services.