TECHNICAL · SEO GLOSSARY
Static Site Generation (SSG)
A build-time rendering approach where HTML files are pre-generated for every page and served as static files — giving the fastest possible TTFB and first-contentful-paint with full Googlebot discoverability.
Definition
Static site generation (SSG) is a build-time rendering approach where every page\'s HTML is pre-generated during the build process and saved as a static file. When a user or Googlebot requests a page, the server returns the pre-built HTML file directly — no server-side computation, database queries, or template rendering happens at request time. This produces the fastest possible Time to First Byte (TTFB) and eliminates server load under traffic spikes, since pages are served directly from a CDN or file server. SSG is implemented in frameworks like Next.js (`generateStaticParams()` in App Router, `getStaticProps` + `getStaticPaths` in Pages Router), Astro, Gatsby, Hugo, and Eleventy. **Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR)** is a Next.js hybrid: pages are statically generated at build time and cached, but can be regenerated in the background after a specified interval (`revalidate: 3600` regenerates the page at most once per hour). ISR allows SSG-level performance with the ability to update content without a full rebuild.
Why it matters for SEO
From an SEO perspective, SSG provides the best possible technical foundation: Googlebot receives pre-rendered HTML with all content, internal links, and structured data immediately readable without JavaScript execution (no rendering gap); TTFB is minimised (faster TTFB contributes to better LCP); and pages can be served at edge CDN locations for low latency globally. The trade-off is that content is only as fresh as the last build — sites with frequently updated content need ISR or SSR rather than pure SSG.
How DeepSEOAnalysis checks this
The audit validates the SEO output of SSG/ISR pages the same way it validates any other page: all content, meta tags, structured data, and internal links must be in the raw HTTP response. For SSG pages, the audit also checks `lastModified` in the sitemap reflects actual content updates (for ISR pages, the `lastModified` should update when the page is regenerated). A correctly configured SSG/ISR site typically achieves the highest possible technical SEO scores because there are no rendering gaps and TTFB is minimised.
Useful tools and resources
GLOSSARY
Related terms
technical
Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
Generating the full HTML of a page on the server per request, so browsers and crawlers receive complete content on the first HTTP response — the opposite of client-side rendering (CSR) where a JavaScript bundle builds the DOM after load.
Read definition →technical
JavaScript SEO
The practice of ensuring that JavaScript-rendered content is accessible and indexable by search engine crawlers, which process JS differently from browsers.
Read definition →performance
Core Web Vitals
Three Google metrics — LCP, INP, and CLS — that measure real-user loading, interactivity, and visual stability.
Read definition →See how your site scores on Static Site Generation (SSG).
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