For most Brisbane small-to-medium businesses, the short answer is that you should update your website’s content weekly, your software and security monthly, and your design and core functionality every two to three years. A website is not a static digital brochure; it is a living part of your sales team that requires regular maintenance to remain effective in the competitive Australian market.
At Local Marketing Group, we often see business owners treat their website launch as the finish line. In reality, it’s just the starting blocks. In this guide, we’ll break down exactly what needs updating, why it matters for your bottom line, and how to stay ahead of your competitors in the River City.
The Three Tiers of Website Updates
To understand how often to update, we need to categorise updates into three distinct tiers: Content, Technical, and Strategic.
1. Content Updates (Weekly to Fortnightly)
Search engines like Google prioritise "freshness." When you regularly add new, high-quality content, you are signalling to Google that your site is active and relevant. For a local business in Brisbane—whether you’re a plumber in Chermside or a law firm in the CBD—this is your primary tool for SEO.Blog Posts: Aim for at least two high-quality articles per month. Address specific local pain points, such as "How Brisbane’s humidity affects your home’s exterior paint." Project Galleries: If you are in the trades or construction, update your portfolio as soon as a job is completed. Fresh photos of work done in local suburbs provide social proof to nearby prospects. Pricing and Services: Ensure these are accurate. Nothing kills a conversion faster than a customer calling to find out the price on your site is two years out of date. Understanding what makes a website convert is essential when reviewing these service pages.
2. Technical and Security Updates (Monthly)
If your website runs on a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress, monthly maintenance is non-negotiable. Australian businesses are increasingly targets for cyber-attacks, and outdated plugins are the most common entry point for hackers.Core Updates: Update your CMS version to patch security vulnerabilities. Plugin/Theme Updates: Developers release updates to ensure compatibility with new browser versions (Chrome, Safari, etc.). Backup Checks: Ensure your off-site backups are running correctly so you can recover quickly if something goes wrong.
3. Strategic Redesign (Every 24–36 Months)
Web design trends and user expectations move fast. A site that looked modern in 2021 likely feels clunky today. A full redesign or significant structural update every two to three years ensures your site remains mobile-responsive and aligned with modern conversion rate optimisation standards.Why Regular Updates Matter for Brisbane Businesses
Improving SEO and Local Rankings
Google’s algorithm rewards sites that provide the best user experience. This includes fast loading speeds and up-to-date information. If a competitor in Fortitude Valley is blogging weekly and you haven't touched your site in six months, Google will eventually rank them higher for local searches.Maintaining Trust and Credibility
Imagine a potential client visits your site and sees a "Latest News" section where the last post is from 2019. The immediate thought is: "Are they still in business?" Regular updates build trust. They show you are active, professional, and attentive to detail.Adapting to Changing Consumer Behaviour
How people use the internet changes. For example, there has been a massive shift toward "near me" searches and mobile-first indexing. If your site wasn't updated to be fully responsive or optimised for local map results three years ago, you are likely losing a significant portion of mobile traffic today. This is why having a mobile-friendly website is no longer optional for local growth.Real-World Example: The Brisbane Tradie Success Story
We recently worked with a landscaping business based in the Redlands. Their website was five years old, had no blog, and the "Recent Projects" page featured photos from 2018. They were getting roughly 5 leads a month from their site.
We implemented a "Monthly Refresh" strategy: 1. Weekly Content: We added 200 words of text describing a new local project every week. 2. Monthly Technicals: We optimised their images for speed and updated their security protocols. 3. Quarterly Review: We checked their contact forms to ensure they worked on the latest iPhone and Android models.
The Result: Within six months, their organic traffic increased by 140%, and their lead volume tripled. The "freshness" of their site gave them the edge over older, stagnant competitors in the same area.
Common Misconceptions About Website Updates
"If it isn't broken, don't fix it."
In the digital world, if it isn't moving forward, it's falling behind. A site that "works" but takes 5 seconds to load is effectively broken because 40% of users will abandon it before it opens."I don't have time to write blogs."
Updates don't always have to be 2,000-word essays. A simple update to your FAQ page, adding a new customer testimonial, or changing a promotional banner for an upcoming Brisbane public holiday counts as an update."Redesigns are too expensive."
Think of a redesign as a capital investment rather than an expense. If a $5,000 update improves your conversion rate from 1% to 2%, you have effectively doubled your revenue from the same amount of traffic. The cost of not updating is often much higher in lost opportunities.Actionable Checklist for Your Business
If you haven't touched your website in a while, here is how to start:
1. Audit your content today: Read your 'About' page. Is the staff list correct? Is your phone number clickable on mobile? 2. Check your 'Last Updated' footer: If it says © 2022, change it to the current year immediately. 3. Run a Speed Test: Use Google PageSpeed Insights. If you score below 50/100, you need a technical update. 4. Schedule it: Put a recurring 30-minute meeting in your calendar every Friday to add one new piece of information to your site.
Conclusion
Updating your website isn't a one-off chore; it's a strategic necessity. By maintaining a schedule of weekly content tweaks, monthly technical maintenance, and biennial design refreshes, you ensure your Brisbane business remains visible, credible, and profitable.
Is your website working as hard as you are? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in helping Brisbane businesses stay ahead of the curve. Whether you need a complete redesign or a managed maintenance plan to keep your SEO on track, our team is here to help.
Contact Local Marketing Group today for a free website audit and let’s get your digital presence performing at its peak.