Is Your Website Out of Date?

So, you’ve built a website.  You are feeling pretty good about how it looks and the information on it.  You have announced it in emails and verbally you have invited everyone associated with your organization to visit and check out this new hub of communication.

Now that you have this major accomplishment under your belt, you start focusing on other projects.  Days and weeks past, then you realize that it has been over a month since you put new information on your website.  The homepage now talks about events that happened weeks ago and has information about a sermon series or activity that isn’t current.  You start to get comments from people complaining that the website is not good because it isn’t kept current.  Joy and excitement from a few months ago have turned into frustration and disappointment.  But you wonder…

How often should a website be updated?

1. It depends:  Not quite the answer you may have been looking for but the type of organization you are and what you do will determine how often you update your website.  For example, a church and school constantly have new activities, meetings, and announcements, so they should be updating their website weekly, if not more often.  If you are business that doesn’t run specials depending on the day or week, aren’t changing your products or services often, you probably don’t need to update your site as often.
2. Change gives people a reason to return to your website: The more times that you update your website with information that is interesting to those who use your organization, the more likely they are to return.  If you never make updates to your website, people will stop visiting the site.
3. Update the things that matter but leave other aspects alone:  It can frustrate visitors when the site layout and website navigation changes often.  This makes it difficult for people to find their way around your website.  So when you make changes often, update the content and information on the website, not how to find that information.
4. When you make updates, use other media sources to direct traffic to your website:  If you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or a blog, use those outlets to not only engage people but to direct traffic to your website.  When announcements of new information are made in these other areas, provide enough information that is appropriate for that venue but link to the website for all the detailed information.

How often do you update your website?  What do you think is a good rule of thumb when it comes to updating a website?  Post your comments below to help others who are asking this question.

Mark Steinbrueck

President at OurChurch.Com

Mark has served as the President of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, leading the Custom Website and Sales departments with dedication and expertise.

Over the years, he has managed hundreds of custom website, graphic design, and marketing projects for churches, non-profits, businesses, and schools.

Beyond his professional work, Mark is deeply committed to serving his community. He coordinates and packs over 700 meals each week for children through One Community Now’s Pack A Sack for Kids program, volunteers in the Children’s Ministry at Generations Christian Church, and participates in a weekly Bible study.