I have never read any exact rule on how often to update a website look. But, here is my opinion from my experience.
First, it is important to keep in mind, that most all web sites get technologically stale every single year. Updates < 1 Year Very commercial websites and youth oriented sites (MTV, TV shows, shampoo, fast food, bands, high-profile politicians) update at least every year. Many aggressive commercial sites change 2 or 3X a year. 1.5 - 2 Years Is Sensible, Proactive Time to Update If you want to keep the website looking like it is ahead of the curve or at least right on the curve; the website could use to be updated by 1.5 years. Up to 2 years update time is still Okay. 3 Years Is Far End of Time to Update Most standard web sites (govt., high end retail, associations, accountants, lawyers, real estate, furniture, car dealer, local radio station, local politician) start to get totally visually stale at about 3 years. And, of course, I feel even a 2-year old web site design is showing its age. 5 Years Is Death It is common though for these types of above noted business entities to try to take a website design out to 5 years. At 5 years the old design is absolutely expired and is hurting the company image, not enhancing. Even a great clean corporate-look web site rigidly conformed to a classic design grid and using virtually no graphic dingbats of any kind would still need a refresh at about 5 years max, I think. The site width and height proportions get stale. Color scheme gets stale, font choices get stale. Even the widths of the columnar layout can get stale. Warmest regards, Peter Sawczynec Technology Dir. blūstudio 941.893.0396 <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] www.blu-studio.com
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