How often do you update your website?

[rob1963]

I'm interested to know how often you update your website, how many changes you make at each update & why you don't make more or less changes than you actually do?

Whenever I come up with any kind of improvement, I note it down, and once I have a reasonable number of these, I get the amendments made. Therefore, in an average year, I probably update my site three or four times, with about ten alterations being made each time.

Most of the changes are very small, and just involve adding, deleting or changing a few words, although yesterday I also replaced one of the FAQs and swapped a slightly naff photo of a quiz host standing next to a speaker for one of some actual punters enjoying themselves at one of my quiz nights.

It seems I give higher priority to regularly updating my website than many people, and have two reasons for this. Firstly, it brings in the vast majority of my disco work, so it's important that it's as good as possible. Secondly, I've heard that search engines favour sites which are being updated over those which are not.

Over to the rest of you!

[OllieJames]

I update my website around once a month? Mainly because it only takes minutes to update the HTML, upload via FTP and job done. The changes are usually adding or replacing text, although a recent one included a re-design of my quotation form.

[soundtracker]

Constantly, always messing with the thing.

[Vectis]

Daily, as I have online requests to moderate, online payments, picture galleries and testimonials up there.

I expect you meant the "meat" of the site - in which case I do make subtle changes throughout the year to make it fit the 'season' - I know for example that Jan-Mar is private party season so might put up a deal or emphasise our service offerings in this area.

I do change the entire look and feel of the site about once a year, round about now in fact, and whilst this year's refresh is running a little late it'll be there soon. I consolidate my learnings and experiences plus see what the "competition" are up to and rework the site accordingly to stay ahead of the game.

[Steve the DJ]

Daily, especially as the new ones (one live, one not) are based on Wordpress.

[Creature]

at the moment almost daily but i am in teh middle of a major website revamp -

but normally at least once a week

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I do mine as and when I need to really. If I get some good photos I will add them or if I get feedback.
I actually put a notice on the front page on Monday saying that I will be at the Wedding Fayre this weekend.
I did that as I thought people browsing may not enquire beforehand and come and see me on the day?

[rob1963]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Anyone else?

[ppentertainments]

About once a week, although not normally noticable. I also heard about frequent changes helping your google rankings and it does seem to make a difference.

This is the reason why I decided to design and maintain my own sites now.

[wensleydale]

The section of mine that I update most is the tesimonials page- ie each time I receive a glowing reference or a nice thank you letter.

It was last update in 1985.

[CRAZY K]

I'm interested to know how often you update your website, how many changes you make at each update & why you don't make more or less changes than you actually do?

Whenever I come up with any kind of improvement, I note it down, and once I have a reasonable number of these, I get the amendments made. Therefore, in an average year, I probably update my site three or four times, with about ten alterations being made each time.

Most of the changes are very small, and just involve adding, deleting or changing a few words, although yesterday I also replaced one of the FAQs and swapped a slightly naff photo of a quiz host standing next to a speaker for one of some actual punters enjoying themselves at one of my quiz nights.

It seems I give higher priority to regularly updating my website than many people, and have two reasons for this. Firstly, it brings in the vast majority of my disco work, so it's important that it's as good as possible. Secondly, I've heard that search engines favour sites which are being updated over those which are not.

Over to the rest of you!

Erm well if your getting a decent number of enquiries and a decent position on Google/Yahoo I suggest leave well alone unless its something necessary affected perhaps by dates or time of year.

On the other hand if your not happy with the level of enquiries by all means play around and experiment.

After all theres only one reason for a website---;)

I would be interested to know who the expert is that says search engines favour sites which are being updated over those which are not.

I take advice from the guy who used to run the main BT website--not been mentioned to me as yet.


CRAZY K

[rob1963]

The section of mine that I update most is the tesimonials page- ie each time I receive a glowing reference or a nice thank you letter.

It was last updated in 1985.

You got a glowing reference when you were 6?

Respect!

:D :D :D


I would be interested to know who the expert is that says search engines favour sites which are being updated over those which are not.

I've heard this from a fair few different sources.

I guess we'll have to hope the wew guru comes along to clarify things.

[Charlie Brown]

I'm always messing about with it - I'm never and doubt I will ever be satisfied!

[Marc J]

I would be interested to know who the expert is that says search engines favour sites which are being updated over those which are not.

I take advice from the guy who used to run the main BT website--not been mentioned to me as yet.


I've heard this from a fair few different sources.

I guess we'll have to hope the wew guru comes along to clarify things.

It depends. If you claim to be a news / auction site (i.e. something that needs frequent updates) then the site obviously has to change frequently and Google knows this.

Some sites / pages just don't need frequent updating.

If you update your site frequently Google will notice this and probably the only effect this will have is that Google will spider it more frequently. If they notice it's the same as last time they will probably reduce the frequency of their visits. The important thing to remember is just because Google spiders your site more often doesn't mean they wil rank your site any higher - it's the content / backlinks etc. that determine that. They're only indexing your site more frequently because they know you update it regularly, as their main goal is to have the most accurate current index of the web on which to base their results.

Just my opinion, gathered from various sources and experience. Like everything G related - at the end of the day it's all speculation!

[CRAZY K]

Some sites / pages just don't need frequent updating.

at the end of the day it's all speculation!

Hmmmm---as I suspected;)

CRAZY K

[Shaun]

With the exception of adding the occasional feedback, I haven't touched my site in over a year or so.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Made a few changes to mine this morning.

[Shaun]

I tell a lie, my mood lighting page was added a few months ago. Forgot about that.

[1st Choice Karaoke]

I go on about twice a month and change things, maybe the way a paragraph is worded or to edit my FAQ's, sometimes just changing the photo's and making sure all the links are still live. (I was told by a website builder some of the search engines rank your site lower if you have dead/broken links?). It only takes a few minutes and none of my changes have ever had a detrimental effect on rankings that I can see so I don't see any reason not to regularly update it.