Maintaining your website is crucial to being a responsible website owner. Setting and forgetting does not turn out well for a business/ website performance and the implications will be felt across other marketing channels and ultimately sales performance. Neglecting regular updates also will harm your website’s ability to rank well in search engine results. Search engines like Google constantly evolve their algorithms to provide users with the most relevant and up-to-date information. Websites that are not regularly updated may be seen as less valuable and relevant, leading to a decrease in search engine rankings.
Furthermore, neglecting website updates can impact the performance and functionality of your site. Over time, technological advancements and updates to web standards may render certain features or code obsolete. This can result in compatibility issues, slow loading times, broken links, and other technical problems that can negatively affect user experience and even be detrimental to your website’s visibility and organic traffic.
Broken links are yet another issue that can arise from neglecting updates. Over time, pages may be renamed, moved, or deleted, resulting in broken links within your website. Broken links not only hinder user navigation but also negatively impact SEO. Search engines consider broken links as a sign of poor site maintenance and may lower your website’s ranking accordingly.
These are just a few vital key points to be aware of that will impact the big picture issues of neglecting your website updates, however be aware that these points are not exhaustive as there are many other big picture implications that can be a result of a website that is slacked off on.
So, how frequently should you update your website for SEO? Let’s dive into the different types of updates and their respective guidelines to get a better understanding.
Design and Functionality Updates
When it comes to website updates, there are primarily two types to consider: updates that affect the design and functionality of the site, and updates that impact the content on the site. Let’s explore each of these types in more detail.
The Importance of Effective Design and Performance
To succeed in the SEO game, it’s essential to ensure that your website is easily accessible for search engine crawlers and provides a positive user experience. This can be achieved through effective website design and performance.
- Optimizing for Technical SEO
For instance, you should check if there’s any excessive code that hampers efficient crawling by search engines. Additionally, you need to assess whether your website runs at an optimal speed or if it’s slow. Are there any irritating pop-ups? Is it easy to navigate? Are users encountering error messages? Technical SEO refers to the practice of optimizing your website to perform well for both search engines and visitors.
- Frequency of Design and Functionality Updates
In terms of how frequently you should update the design and functionality, the answer is simple: always. It’s crucial to continually monitor and address any issues that might affect your website’s performance. A good SEO program will prioritize technical SEO just as much as on-page SEO.
- Updating the Overall Look and Feel
It’s also important to consider how often you should update the overall look and feel of your website, i.e., its design. As a general rule, it’s advisable to review your design every three to five years. This is because design trends evolve, and there may be new approaches to conversion optimization, different layouts for mobile and desktop, and updated HTML standards for web development. Ensuring that your website’s aesthetic is modern and the user experience is user-friendly is crucial.
Content Updates
Now, let’s shift our focus to content updates. Relevant content plays a significant role in search engine rankings, as it helps search engines determine which web pages should rank for specific queries. Therefore, it’s important to update your website’s content appropriately. But how often should you do it?
Factors Influencing Content Update Frequency
Search Intent
This is a huge factor in SEO success, therefore it deserves the first bullet point in this case:
As search engines like Google refine their algorithms and user behavior evolves, search intent may (and recently does regularly) shift. Therefore, continuously creating (or modifying) content that fulfills search intent is essential for maintaining and improving your SEO traffic.
What exactly is search intent? In layman’s terms, it refers to the reason behind a person’s search query when they type something into a search engine like Google. It’s about understanding what they’re looking for and why they’re looking for it.
Consider this scenario: When businesses search for something, they often have a specific goal or question in mind as well. For instance, a company might search for “top project management software” because they are looking for recommendations and reviews before investing in a new software solution. In this case, their search intent is to gather information and make an informed buying decision for their business.
Just like individuals, businesses also rely on search engines to find solutions, services, or information that can help them improve their operations, streamline processes, or address specific business needs. Understanding the search intent of businesses is essential for B2B companies to create content that caters to their target audience and meets their requirements. Search engines like Google are getting smarter at understanding search intent and delivering the most relevant results. They want to provide users with the information, products, or services that best match their needs. So, as a website owner, it’s crucial to understand the different types of search intent and create content that fulfills those intents.
Search Query Deserves Freshness
Some searches require the most up-to-date information. In these cases, only web pages with current and fresh content should be eligible to rank. Examples include the value of a stock, the real-time score of a sporting event, or the latest updates on social or political events. Google has provided more information on how “query deserves freshness” works in a blog article.
Balancing Freshness and Relevance
It’s important to note that website maintenance is considered a quality indicator according to Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. However, the importance of freshness varies depending on the type of content. “Stale” pages, which haven’t been updated for years but provide relevant and accurate information about historical events, can still receive high Page Quality ratings. On the other hand, neglecting to maintain or update old websites, or presenting inaccurate and misleading content, can result in a low Page Quality rating.
Recommended Content Update Frequency
For instance, an old page about the American Civil War, which hasn’t been updated for years, can still be considered relevant and of good quality since historical events rarely change. However, information on rapidly evolving topics such as search engine optimization (SEO) requires more frequent updates. Therefore, it’s recommended to review the accuracy of SEO-related content on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
Establishing a Schedule for Website Updates
To ensure that you stay on top of website updates, it’s helpful to establish a schedule based on the best practices outlined in this article. While implementing updates may require time and resources, the benefits far outweigh the efforts involved. By keeping your website and brand relevant, you are more likely to see an improvement in search visibility and overall performance.
The Proactive Approach to Website Maintenance
Setting a schedule for website updates allows you to proactively address any issues, stay up-to-date with design trends, and ensure that your content remains accurate and informative. It’s a proactive approach that demonstrates your commitment to providing a positive user experience and maintaining the quality of your website.
The Importance of Ongoing Website Maintenance for SEO Success
Maintaining a high-performing website is essential for long-term SEO success in the ever-evolving digital landscape. SEO is not a one-time task that you can simply complete and forget about; it requires continuous effort and adaptation. By embracing website maintenance as an integral part of your SEO strategy, you can stay competitive and maximize your online visibility.
How Often Should We Update Our Website?
The frequency of website updates for SEO depends on two main factors: design and functionality updates, and content updates. Design and functionality updates should be an ongoing process to ensure your website is optimized for search engines and provides a positive user experience. Regularly reviewing and updating the design every three to five years is also recommended to keep up with changing trends.
When it comes to content updates, the frequency will vary based on the type of information you provide and the search intent behind the targeted keyword topics. If you have content that falls under the “query deserves freshness” category, it’s important to regularly maintain and update that content to meet search engine standards and provide accurate information to your users.
By establishing a schedule for website updates and following best practices, you can ensure that your website remains relevant, user-friendly, and optimized for search engines. So, don’t neglect the maintenance of your website—it’s an essential aspect of SEO and contributes to the long-term success of your online presence
