Web Design and Dated Content

Avoid dated content in your small business web design unless it's absolutely necessary. Content that is subject to change such as a price, expiration date, or copyright year will require edit or be cause for embarrassment if outdated.

For example, having the copyright year in your footer on each website page is not required to retain rights to your content. It's enough to state "Copyright Material" without the year, and actually having no copyright statement is acceptable. The moment you create and publish original content, your rights are immediately established.

What's worse? Some designers backdate the copyright year to give the impression a brand new website has been online for years. Your visitors may not realize the truth, but the registration date is public information available online, and the search engines can catch the deception and you may be punished. People are becoming more sophisticated, also, and a quick check of WhoIs could reveal the truth, too, especially if visitors are looking for the name of a www domain registrant.

Think twice before allowing dated content in your small business website. Outdated content could hurt your credibility and turn off potential customers.



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