No tiny detail screams “unprofessional” more than an outdated website copyright. That little line of type at the bottom of your site can translate to “another not-on-the-ball small business owner” to your visitors.
Maybe you think few people notice, but don’t be so sure. I’ve seen so many websites with copyrights two and three years old. There’s nothing with more potential negative impact that is easier to fix.
An outdated copyright raises questions from your visitors like:
- Are they still in business?
- Does anyone visit this website?
- Is this web content still current?
This seemingly small inaccuracy points out your lack of attention to detail and/or ability to meet deadlines. That may not be true of you or your business, but as a web visitor, that’s the red flag in my face.
It’s the equivalent of a typo on a resume. That one simple error raises doubt about your competency and efficiency.
Many of you will have to shell out at least 50 bucks for your web manager to change those two digits. And if you are not a techie, you may not know that the date only has to be changed in one spot behind the scenes, and every page will be updated.
I know you don’t want to spend that money. But do it. And do it no later than the first week in January. And while you’re at it, update anything else that’s stale on your site. Your webmaster will likely charge the same price even with a few additional updates.
Or maybe it’s time for a Web Content Makeover. The new year is a great time to freshen up your site. What is your site lacking that your visitors will find of value?
Your website is the hub of your online presence. You can be crankin out social media posts till the cows come home, but if all that effort sends your contacts to a stale site with nothing compelling them to stay and look around, you’re wasting your time.
Make it your resolution to improve your web content. Better content means more traffic and more customers. How’s that sound for 2010?
Happy New Year and thanks for reading!
1/3/10 Update: I use the WordPress Thesis Theme for this site (and the sites I design) and I just learned how to add the code that will automatically update the copyright for me!
