NYCPHP Meetup

[Peter Sawczynec]

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:ps at sun-code.com> ps at blu-studio.com 

www.blu-studio.com 

 

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