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How Often Should a Small Business Update Their Website?

The answer isn't what you think—and it's probably less work than you expect.

Website maintenance calendar and planning schedule

One of the most common questions I get from small business owners is, "How often update website?"

There's a misconception that you need to be constantly tweaking your homepage or redesigning your site every year to stay relevant.

The truth is much more manageable. Let's break down the different types of updates you actually need.

Technical Updates: Monthly

If your website runs on a platform like WordPress, technical updates are non-negotiable.

Plugins, themes, and core software need to be updated regularly to patch security vulnerabilities and ensure everything runs smoothly.

Aim to run these updates at least once a month. Ignoring technical updates is the fastest way to end up with a broken or hacked website.

Content Updates: Quarterly

You don't need to rewrite your homepage every week. However, you should review your core pages (Home, About, Services) every quarter.

Ask yourself these simple questions during your review:

  • Are our prices still accurate?
  • Have we added new services or dropped old ones?
  • Are our team members up to date?
  • Do we have new testimonials we can add?

Blog and Resource Updates: Consistently

If you have a blog, consistency matters more than frequency. Whether you post once a week or once a month, stick to a schedule.

This signals to Google that your site is active. If you're struggling with content creation, learn how one blog post can turn into 10 pieces of content.

Full Redesign: Every 3-5 Years

Web design trends change, and technology evolves. Generally, a small business website will start to look dated or fall behind technical standards after about 3 to 5 years.

A full redesign gives you a chance to realign your digital presence with your current business goals.

Conclusion

Updating your website doesn't have to be a daily chore. By separating technical maintenance from content reviews, you can keep your site fresh without the overwhelm.

Remember, why evergreen content is the secret to long-term visibility—focus on creating lasting value rather than constant tweaks.

Need someone to handle the technical updates so you can focus on your business? Let's chat about our support plans.

Have a different take or a related problem?

I am still learning too. If this connects to something you are working on, I would be interested to hear about it.

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