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Got an Eight-Track-Equivalent Website?
The Sprocket Report
This article has been updated on 8/21/2019 with the article entitled “4 Reasons You Need to Update Your Old Website"
So you plunked down hard-earned money to build a new website a few years ago. You figured you were making an investment in your business’s marketing strategy. Now they’re saying your site is no longer being “supported” and you need a new one. Is someone trying to pull a fast one?
Unfortunately, technology today moves so fast you can barely see the blur. It is entirely possible – and more than probable – that if you have an older website it’s obsolete already regardless of how reputable your web designer was or how much money you spent.
Think about how much has changed in the way we listen to music in our cars. Eight track tapes were designed for automobiles, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a car that plays them now. In fact, cars that have cassette or even CD players look pretty old-fashioned in today’s digital world.
But what does it mean exactly if your website is no longer being supported? And what should you do about it?
What It Means to Your Website:
The technical folks will no longer fix bugs so don’t bother asking. They’re busy coding the next newest version now.
Finding someone who knows how to use an older platform gets trickier. What used to be a five minute text change becomes a research project for a webmaster unfamiliar with your version.
Some features of your website may stop functioning entirely, orphaned because there’s no longer communication between the appropriate bits of code.
Better security is one of the big reasons for improving web platforms. The newer versions try to stay ahead of the hackers, but your older version gets more and more vulnerable.
What You Can Do:
Your website won’t implode overnight. There are even enthusiast clubs that try to keep old versions of some platforms alive. Just realize that it’s a risk with the odds growing steadily against you.
Depending on how radical the change between versions, you may pay very little or quite a lot to upgrade your old site to the most current version. Start the discussion with the original builder of your site or find someone else who has expertise with your site’s platform. Many web developers will automatically upgrade your site to the latest version if the change is within a certain range.
Some platforms are just totally abandoned. No one will host it. No one will work on it. It’s just dead. If that happens, you have no choice but to build a new site on a new platform. There are some really good ones out there and you will probably be pleasantly surprised at how much better your new site can be.
If you’ve been told your website is no longer being supported, or suspect that’s what’s happened, give us a call and we’ll help you figure out your next step. As always, we’re happy to help.
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Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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