Keeping your website current: a once-a-season routine

The easiest way to keep a small business website up to date is not to think about it every week, but to give it half an hour four times a year. Each season, run the same short check: hours, prices, services, photos, the contact form, the phone button and your logins. Then make the one or two seasonal changes that fit the time of year. Put the four dates in your calendar today and your site will never look abandoned again.

Why a routine beats "when I get round to it"

Most out-of-date websites were not neglected on purpose. The owner meant to change the hours after the summer, then the holidays came, then spring was busy. A year later the site still shows last year's prices, a staff member who left and a Christmas closing notice in March. Customers notice. An old detail makes them wonder what else is wrong, including whether you are still in business.

A fixed routine solves this. It also catches the problems you cannot see from the outside, like a contact form that stopped delivering messages.

Good dates to use: the first Monday of March, June, September and December. Or tie it to something you already do each quarter, such as estimated tax payments.

The core check: every season, about 30 minutes

Do this on your phone first, then on a computer.

Information (10 minutes)

Hours, including any changes coming up in the next three months.
Phone number, address and email, exactly as they appear on your Google Business Profile.
Services: anything you stopped offering, anything new.
Prices: any that have gone up, specials that have ended.
Team: anyone who left or joined. Remove leavers promptly.
Dates: anything with a date on it, such as an event, an offer or "new for 2025". Remove or update past ones.

Things that should work (10 minutes)

Tap the phone number on your phone. Does it call you?
Send a test message through the contact form from a personal email address. Does it arrive within a few minutes? Not in spam?
Tap the booking or quote button and go as far as you can without completing it.
Tap through every item in the menu. Any page that is missing or broken?
Tap the map or directions link.
Check the padlock next to your address in the browser. If the browser warns that the site is not secure, contact your provider the same day.

Behind the scenes (10 minutes)

Domain renewal date. Log in to your registrar and check when it renews and that auto-renew is on with a card that has not expired. What happens if your domain expires explains why this matters.
Your logins. Can you still get into your website account, your domain account and your email? Update any passwords stored in old notes.
The card on file for any website or hosting plans.
Your Google Business Profile: hours, photos, any questions people have asked.
Software updates, if your site runs on WordPress or similar. Check that updates have been done, or ask whoever looks after it.

What to add in spring

Your busy-season message, for trades that pick up: "Booking spring lawn cleanups now."
New photos from the winter's work.
Updated prices if you raise them at the start of the year.
Summer hours, if you change them, announced before they start.
Any certifications or licenses you renewed.

What to add in summer

Vacation closures, posted at least a couple of weeks ahead.
Seasonal services brought to the top: AC repair, pool care, outdoor events, summer camps.
Fresh reviews, since many arrive after spring work. Quote two or three new ones.
A quick look on a phone in bright sunlight: if text is hard to read outdoors, ask for stronger contrast.

What to add in fall

Back-to-school or fall hours.
Fall services moved up: heating, gutters, leaf removal, winterizing, holiday orders.
Holiday hours planned in advance: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year. Put them on the site and on Google before November ends.
Gift cards or holiday ordering, if you offer them, with order deadlines.

What to add in winter

Holiday closures, then remove them promptly in January.
The year in the footer, if your site shows one. An old copyright year makes the site look abandoned; the copyright year in the footer covers whether to show it at all.
Winter or emergency services: snow removal, frozen pipes, furnace repair, with after-hours details.
A look at the whole year: which services brought the most calls, and does the site give them enough space?

Bigger things to look at once a year

Once a year, during one of your seasonal checks, step back:

Read the home page out loud. Is it still true? Does it describe the business you run now?
Look at your services list. Is the work you most want at the top?
Look at your photos. Are the best ones recent?
Look at a competitor's site you respect. Is yours as clear and easy to use on a phone?
Ask a customer how they found you and what they looked for on the site.

If the answers keep pointing the same way, the site may need more than an update. Signs your website needs a redesign helps you decide.

What to do this week

Put the four check dates in your calendar, with a reminder a day before.
Print or write the check sheet with the core items.
Do the first check now. It will take longer the first time, because of the logins.
Fix the three most visible problems you find, and write down the rest.
Note who to contact if something is broken that you cannot fix yourself.

If your first check shows a site that is hard to update or behind on everything, you can see your site rebuilt first with current details, and choose a version you can keep up with in half an hour a season.