Q: What do websites, and a loaf of bread have in common?
A: They get old, stale and moldy.

We as a society like change, in some ways. Most people have a hard time with personal changes that require them to leave their "comfort zone". How many of us know someone that keeps a job they really just do not like because it is easier to continue working there rather than change jobs for the better (one hopes it is better at least)? How about someone that never bothers to move from a house they have clearly outgrown because of how hard it is to pack everything away and move it?

Those are a few examples of change that people avoid, there certainly are many more. However, one area of change that people expect, perhaps even demand, is things they buy. People like to keep up with the "Joneses".  If everyone has the same thing, then what would be the point of keeping up?

Why would a website be any different? Maybe you are selling mechanical bulls and that is all you will ever sell. Then, perhaps, upgrading your website is not really that important. One might assume that the mechanical bulls from Urban Cowboy lore are technologically inferior to today’s mechanical bulls. Then, perhaps, you should upgrade your website from time to time with the newest models of mechanical bulls.

It seems highly unlikely that mechanical bulls are immortal.  They must break down at some point!  So, the person that bought the BullSlam-2000 from you 7 years ago will eventually have to replace it.  If they go to your website and it looks the same as it did 7 years ago 2 things will cross their mind.

1. This website looks the same.  Did they go out of business?
2.  Is business is so bad they can not afford to update their website with the newest BullSlam models?

People are very judgmental about appearances.  If someone goes to your website occasionally, it never changes and looks like it was built before the dot.com bust, then what kind of image are you projecting to a potential customer?

Aside from just making your website look current, there is another reason not to let it sit and languish for years without being updated, web browsers change! A website that was built 7 or 8 years ago may or may not look like it was meant to in today’s browsers. Ironically, the plain Jane sites hold up the best over time, but those kind of sites were butt ugly then and are even more butt ugly now! Sure some people may compliment you on your "vintage" site, but remember this, no matter how ugly a baby is everyone will always say how cute it is out of fear of hurting your feelings.

There are three simple questions really:

1. Do you want to present a clean, competent looking website?  A website that is updated on a somewhat regular basis or at the very least, adding new content or products often?
2. Maybe you want to keep the same old thing day after day, year after year, just to realize that because you are comfortable with the appearance of your website, others may not be so impressed?
3. Finally, do you just want to party like its 1999?