Nobody wants a website that looks abandoned, but there's also no need to be constantly tinkering with it. The honest answer is that different parts of a site need attention at very different frequencies — here's a realistic way to think about it.
Things worth checking every few months
Opening hours, especially around bank holidays and seasonal changes, are worth a quick check periodically. The same goes for pricing, if it's shown on the site, and any service details that might have shifted since launch — a new area you cover, a service you've stopped offering, a change in how people can book you.
Things worth updating whenever they change, not on a schedule
Contact details, photos of recent work, and any specific offers should be updated as soon as they change, rather than left stale until a scheduled review. An old phone number or an expired offer sitting live on the site does active harm, however occasional the traffic.
Things that genuinely don't need frequent attention
The core structure of a good site — the layout, the way it's written, the overall design — doesn't need reinventing every year. If it's built properly the first time, clearly explaining what you do and making it easy to get in touch, that foundation can comfortably last for years without a redesign. Chasing trends for their own sake usually isn't worth the cost or disruption.
The one thing worth watching regardless
Whatever else changes or doesn't, keep an eye on whether the contact route actually still works — test your own contact form and phone number occasionally. A form quietly failing in the background, or a disconnected number left on the site, can go unnoticed for months while costing you enquiries the whole time.
How this works if I've built your site
Small changes and updates are usually sorted quickly and included as part of your monthly fee — just get in touch when something needs changing rather than waiting for a "big update" moment that never quite arrives.
Want a website that actually does this for your business?
Get in touch