Template Question - To Include or Not To Include

[iisman]

I am redesigning a site, and want to design it for quick easy updates. my question is .... What is best practice for meta tags and doctype declaration as far as using "includes"?

I want to be able to update one file, as opposed to many pages.

ALSO - rahter than use includes....I was thinking of using an access database to store this info, then just pull the data on each page.

how would that/if at all, effect SEO, and other things?

thanks for the feedback in advance.

 

[ChrisHirst]

SEO forum828

Doctypes, stylesheet etc not an issue

Important elements such as page title tags and meta desc should be unique for each page, so should meta KW but that isn't an important point.

A database would be infinitely better than includes for these three, although Access leaves a lot to be desired for anything beyond a low traffic site.


Chris.

Indifference will be the downfall of mankind, but who cares?
Woo Hoo! the cobblers kids get new shoes.
People Counting Systems

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

 

[BabyJeffy]

I disagree that a database would be the best way (rather than using includes).

Regardless of the database used (Access is fine for sites handling at least in the 15,000 page views a day mark from personal experience) you will get better performance (and overall better reliability) from using includes.

Ideally you should use a database to store the values of the various tags etc... and then "publish" them into an include file when you update the database (using a web form to manage your database would allow you to do this automatically). This way you get the benefits of a content managed solution - and you get the speed and reliability of using includes.

Sure, this is not an ideal solution for some kinds of data... but it is ideal for content that is repeated on every page (and therefore no longer requiring a database connection and query to be run every page view).

I have used this technique (of exporting from a database to an include file automatically) in several different environments and never had a problem.

SEO impact? None. The client-side 'view source' will be same regardless (and that is what the Search Engines see).

Cheers,
Jeff

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