Fresh Websites Win

When you create a website, the excitement is palpable. It's new! It's fun! You devote hours to choosing just the right words and colors. But when the heady days of the launch have passed, most people take their sites for granted, assuming they will remain assets to their businesses indefinitely.

What's new

Some sites are doing more harm than good for their companies. Have you ever seen a "NEW!" button next to a old item? Did you want to stay around and find out more about that company? Any out-of-date content severely damages your credibility in the eyes of visitors. "If they don't take care of their site, how will they take care of me?" springs to mind. Even a simple thing like a copyright notice with last year's date on it makes your business look bad, because it gives the impression that you aren't paying attention.

But, assuming there's nothing out of date on your website, is it necessary to update it regularly? No, it's not. However, imagine that you are planning to call one of two competitors and you decide to learn more about them from their websites. The first looks very attractive and fully explains their products. The second is similar, but also invites you to visit them at a trade show next month and showcases a recent success story. Which would you call?

Fresh ideas

Some website owners appreciate the appeal of fresh content, but don't know what would work for their businesses. Here are some suggestions:

• New products or services, interesting combinations of existing ones, or tailored solutions
• Recent customer quotes, testimonials, or case studies
• News: upcoming product releases, endorsements for your type of product or service, or events like tradeshows or conventions
• Published statistics detailing the popularity or value of your product/service
• Photos that show your work in action
• Articles, book reviews, or other websites related to your business
• Specials: percent-off coupons, 2 for 1 deals, seasonal items, or upgrades

If you don't have enough fresh content, you can make some. Write a press release or an article. Use your site to take a poll or generate customer feedback for future posting. You can also jot down ideas from other websites, trade publications, or marketing newsletters.

Update frequency

How often you should freshen your site depends on customer expectations. If you sell vacuum cleaners, you might plan only a few updates per year, making sure you're keeping up with the latest models and updating the articles that help your customers select the best vacuum for them. If you sell mortgages, daily rate changes are expected and you may want to replace related news items multiple times per week to interest the prospect who checks your site often.

Most businesses are in between these extremes. If you are not sure where to start, schedule a date monthly to review your site, clear the old, and create the new. Create a file that you can use to drop in ideas and items as you get them. Ensure website updates are part of marketing and strategic planning so you can feature business developments.

Dynamic companies are inherently more interesting than those that appear to be stuck in a time-warp. Take that extra step to show how your business is growing and changing. It doesn't only inspire visitors, it can also inspire employees to generate future sales.