"You have to have fresh content. That's the key!"
How many times have you heard that? Seems to be common knowledge these days that if you don't keep posting new content you will fail. And like most generalizations, it doesn't always apply. If you have a blog that discusses the latest movie releases or you're the New York Times, yes, there is an understanding that fresh content is core to your business model. But if you're offering upstream oil and gas services, or home-based bookkeeping services, what then?
Posting new content simply because it's new is pointless. If you actually something new to say, say it. If it's actually going to add value to your visitors, say it. And if it's actually part of your website's objectives, say it.
A couple of examples of sites that do exceedingly well with very old content:
- Wikipedia
Sure, lots of articles are updated periodically, but the truly well done static content stands the test of time. And, as a result, ranks very favourably in the search engines. - Apis.ca - our 'On Websites' section
This content was originally done about six years ago. It gets about 2 or 3 updated paragraphs per year, if we're lucky. But its content stands the test of time and, as a result, it ranks well within Google (check out a search for 'what makes a good website').
So when you're planning your next website project, be it a fresh site, redesign, or simply a marketing push, if one of your objectives is "fresh content", stop. Think about the reasons why you want/need fresh content, and drill a little deeper toward the true objective.