Imagine you’ve written a diary for the past decade, but when you go back to reminisce, you find half the pages are missing. Surprisingly, this is what’s happening to the internet. A striking study from the Pew Research Center has found that nearly 40% of webpages from 2013 have already disappeared by 2023. Let’s explore what this “digital decay” means for your business and how you can guard against it.
Why Web Pages Disappear
You might think once something is on the internet, it stays there forever. But that’s not quite true. Websites are continually updated, moved, or even deleted. The study showed that even new pages aren’t safe, with 8% of 2023’s content already gone. This isn’t just an issue for old, forgotten sites; it’s happening across all kinds of live, active websites.
Why Should Businesses Care?
- First Impressions Matter: Your website might be the first thing a potential client sees. Broken links or “Page Not Found” errors don’t just look bad; they make people trust your business less.
- Stay Searchable: Broken links hurt more than user experience; they damage your SEO. This means search engines might rank your site lower, making it harder for new customers to find you.
- Preserve Your History: Every webpage can reflect an aspect of your business history or achievements. Losing pages can mean losing part of your business’s story.
Keeping Your Website Healthy
- Check Up Regularly: Like a regular health check-up, your website needs frequent reviews to ensure everything works as it should.
- Update, Don’t Erase: Got outdated info? Update it instead of deleting it. This keeps your site fresh for visitors and search engines.
- Back It Up: Always have backups of your website. This is your safety net against data loss.
The fading nature of the internet might sound like a tech issue, but it’s a business concern too. At Solorio Designs, we help businesses keep their digital presence robust and reliable. Losing parts of your digital self doesn’t have to be inevitable.