14 Signs Your Website Content Needs an Update

By Scarlett Payne  |  November 20, 2020

USABILITY

Much like the rest of your marketing strategy, managing your website is a journey, and content is an area that’s never quite “finished.”

Benefits of  Fresh Content

– Better SEO – Lead Generation – Customer Loyalty – Boosted Credibility – Increased Brand    Awareness – Improved User   Experience

Here are 14 signs that your website  has outdated content.

1. It's Been  a Month

Content should be posted frequently. Posting often maintains your relevance within search engines and among your audience and industry. Using a content calendar can help.

2. Navigation is  Confusing

Updating your website to stay on top of usability trends is vital. If a site isn’t intuitive or users struggle to find what they’re looking for, bounce rates shoot through the roof.

3. The Homepage  Is Outdated

Your homepage is the focal point of your website. It should change with changes in offerings, target audience or industry. If you can’t remember when it was last updated, it’s been too long.   

4. Your Website Isn't Responsive 

The majority of people access the internet on their phones, so responsive design is a must for leaving a good impression – or any impression at all.

5. It's Not  On-Brand

If your business has been around for a while, chances are that you’ve made tweaks to your brand. Your website needs to match those changes to present a seamless identity at all touchpoints.

7. You’re Not Getting Leads

Fresh content grows leads by boosting SEO and credibility. If you’re not getting leads, your content could be outdated, or it may need to be better integrated into your marketing strategy.

8. Web Traffic is Declining

If your traffic is declining, it’s a sign that your content isn’t offering the value it once was. Analyze when the change occurred, find the culprit, and make updates to get back on track.  

9. Inconsistent Messaging

It’s important to have a consistent tone and brand message throughout the writing on your website. Inconsistency makes content less memorable and gives readers mixed signals. 

10. There's Old Information

New leads can find outdated information and lose trust in your expertise. A strong content strategy updates old pieces of content to stay accurate and relevant.

11. You Have  Broken Links

Links fail when sources get moved or deleted. When a link doesn’t work for a user, though, they’ll think that you messed up or have an outdated site. Always check for broken links.

12. The Copyright Date Is Old

Where an outdated statistic on a blog post may not be as noticeable, the copyright date clearly dates your web content and expertise, so you should always update it. 

13. Products Aren’t New Anymore

If products are no longer new, don’t label them as such. If you host events, remove past events from your upcoming list. Incorrect information is deceitful and complicates navigation.

14. Pages Are  Slow to Load

Outdated code, content and old plugins can slow your website down. In turn, slow pages hurt search engine rankings and frustrate users.