Adapting your web content to different audiences increases the effectiveness of your project.

Problem

You must meet the needs of multiple audiences, each needing a different version of the same information. For example, you may need Spanish and English versions of each page, or versions geared towards different education levels.

Solution

Adapt your site content to different audiences by employing one of two methods:

• Static tree. Prepare several versions of the same set of pages, geared towards different audiences. Create a mirror version of the site for every version.
• Dynamic content. Prepare one set of pages, but embed different versions of the text in each page. Use a scripting engine and a template system to dynamically choose the appropriate text to display to a particular user.

Discussion

The advantage of the static method is that it does not require complex programming. The advantage of the dynamic method is that the web site is easier to update because the layout and the content are separated. When dealing with translations, foreign language versions may not be completed until the last days of production, so separating content and layout is critical.

If you are localizing the content, include an option on every page to switch between languages. Use a small icon of the parent country, if appropriate. If you are creating different versions for different educational levels, include a brief introductory page where visitors can identify themselves.