What do you think, when you visit a commercial website and find the information there is out of date?
I have just booked accommodation online for a last minute trip, and found that details on each of the 5 hotel websites I found, were out of date. One had a “latest news” section, which had not been updated since 2007. Really, nothing of interest has happened there in THREE YEARS? Another site listed their special Valentine’s Day package on their home page, for Valentine’s Day 2010; almost 5 months out of date. Other sites had similar issues, listing tarrifs that were out of date etc.
First impressions count
A company’s website is often the first chance they get, to create a great first impression with a prospective customer. Some of the sites I saw earlier were very polished and professional looking, yet the initial impression they gave me, was of companies that skimp on detail. For example, I’m not sure how much faith I would have had, if I’d booked my accommodation via one of their websites, knowing how little attention they pay to their site.
If your website or blog contains sections, which have time-sensitive information, regularly check that everything is up to date and relevant. If you have a news section, either make sure the news is updated, or remove it. In my experience, it’s best not to have a news section on your site, unless you know there will be regular events to add.
So, how often do you update your website? What are your thoughts, regarding the impression YOU get, when you see a site carrying outdated information? Let us know!
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