You put a lot of thought and planning into your business and it's doing well, but what about your website? Many small businesses do not realize that creating a website allows them continuous contact with their clients, even when they cannot physically be there. Still, many small businesses that do have websites are failing to make good use of their online presence, but why? The answer could be as simple as not keeping your web content updated.

Websites are never completed — they are a continuous work in progress, and should grow along with your business, in response to customer needs. Having a website that is visually appealing and easy to navigate is important, but if your site is all flash and no substance, visitors won't have much motivation to return. Many companies believe they can put up a website and forget about it, that the website will work for them. But with a website, as with most other things in life, you get out of it what you put into it. Give something valuable to your customers, and they'll be more likely to support your business. Put little thought into creating your site, and other, more "customer-responsive" companies are only a click away, so the need to maintain a strong internet presence is critical.

Four key reasons for keeping information on your website updated are:

1. Visitors will return to a website if the content is kept up-to-date.
   If you continuously offer new, useful information to your visitors, they will continue to return. On the other hand, if the content is old, it will not offer the "stickiness" to keep visitors coming back for more.



2. Other sites may not link to you.
   Having other companies link to your site and vice versa is a good way to get higher ranking on search engines. However, getting quality sites to link to you is difficult when your content is not updated or relevant.



3. Updated pages are indexed more often by search engines.
   Some search engines will index your site more often if your content is kept updated. This can also help attract users who are searching for specific information listed in your website.



4. Your competition will have the advantage.
   Simply put, if you do not offer updated information, but your competition does, customers will be more likely to visit the competitor's site than yours.

Although keeping your website content updated is important, it does not mean that you have to keep a constant vigil next to your computer. In fact, changing information too often can also be detrimental, as it may confuse some visitors. However, monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly changes, even a mention of something small but relevant to your business, can be beneficial to you and your customers.

Soluna Communications Group offers consultations to our customers to discuss website strategies, as well as highly competitive prices for site updates. For additional information on our services, please contact us.

Return to Web Development Resources