Today is the 15th of January 2025, halfway through the first month so we can morally and correctly ask... "How quickly is this year going?!" 😉 to everyone we meet. The year is moving on but is your website living in the past?
Most people and companies with websites have a copyright statement at the bottom of their website. It's a simple yet effective way to protect your intellectual property legally in the event of anybody stealing your content. It shows categorically that you know your rights!
We are now in a new year, and it's surprising to me that many companies haven't updated the date in their copyright statements. A quick look at iconic York brands reveals that many of them haven't updated theirs either. I'm looking at you, The York Grand, HRH Group (owners of the Guy Fawkes pub, among others), the gorgeous French restaurant Rustique (frequented by my wife and me), and The Yorkshire Soap Company.
All these brands have failed to update the copyright statement in their footer. The worst I have found so far is The York Roast Co who haven't updated theirs since 2019!
But does it really matter? Yes it does!
🟡 Legal Protection: An updated copyright year indicates that your content is current and protected under copyright law.
🟡 Professionalism: An up-to-date copyright year shows that your website is actively maintained and current, which can enhance your credibility and professionalism.
🟡 User Trust: Visitors are more likely to trust a website that appears to be regularly updated. An outdated copyright year might give the impression that the site is neglected or abandoned, the last thing you need if you are a small ecommerce site trying to glean as many sales as you can.
🟡 SEO Benefits: Regularly updating your website, including the copyright year, can positively impact your search engine rankings. We all know that Google favours websites that are frequently updated with fresh content.
So how do you fix it?
If your site is hosted on a "sitebuilding" platform like Wix or 123-reg Site Builder, updating the copyright year should be relatively simple. Log in, locate the footer editing feature, and you should find the option to change the year there.
If someone else built your site, ask them to create code in the footer template to automatically update the year, ensuring it is always correct. This can be easily implemented on any website, regardless of how it is built, or if it is created within a CMS such as WordPress or Umbraco.
If you encounter any issues, whether updating it yourself or dealing with your developers, feel free to contact me, and we'll get your site sorted in no time 👍
I'd love to hear your views on this. You can comment on my LinkedIn
Hey, I really could do with your help! If you find this article interesting, could you please do me a favour by either sharing it on your site or on social media. I would love to hear yours and other peoples' thoughts on this subject. And if this or any other content on the site has helped you and you would like to show your appreciation, then you can always
buy me a coffee ☕️ It would make the time I put into this more than worthwhile! Thank you 😃
