The easy answer: as often as possible! Whenever there is a change in your business – a new promotion, a new staff member, a mention in a news outlet – it should always be posted on your website so that your current and potential customers can be informed about what’s going on with your business.
Blogging & Social Media
If you are blogging as a part of your marketing plan, consistent updates are essential. It’s important to pick a posting schedule and stick to it. While any regular schedule is appropriate, general rule of thumb is at least once per month. What about social media? Many websites have Twitter or Facebook feeds on their website. Make sure you update these regularly as well. Consistent posts to social media show commitment to a potential customer.
How often is appropriate to do a complete redesign of your site?
For many companies, your site will need a total overhaul every 4 – 5 years. You can extend your website’s life though by refreshing your design every 2-3 years though as long as you are running on a web platform that is actively maintained/updated like WordPress.
Web Design Trends
The web has fashion movements just like the rest of the world and technology advances at rapid rate every year. One of the most recent trends in websites is Responsive Web Design (RWD). This involves designing a site that is viewable on all devices without using m.yoursite.com or another redirect. Also keep in mind current visual trends: block colors, scrolling pictures, interactive graphics. Having all of these aspects on your website gives the impression that you are a cutting edge business putting customer interaction first.
How long has it been since your content has been updated? Have there been any changes in staff or policy? Are you offering any new promotions? These aren’t necessarily cause for contacting your web designer. Many small changes like these can be made by current administrative staff with minimal training, usually from instructional videos.