How do you update your site?

The web is filled with fancy redesigns, updates, and version 2.3.10.xx.½ tweaks but which one really works the best? This is essential to many web startups as the change from alpha to beta and then going public can determine how successful it really is.

Total Overhaul
Many websites still rely on major overhauls from time to time. When implementing a new feature, they might change the whole layout and color scheme altogether to better fit the new feature. Nintendo.com recently had a redesign of their site in order to keep up with the simplicity of their Wii and Nintendo DS. Blogs on the other hand just change their theme from time to time to make it look more “aesthetically pleasing”.

Small Updates
And yet other websites decide to use the “lets update but not make a big deal about it” approach. These websites roll out small updates and improvements from time to time. Gmail is the king of this as they have been constantly throwing out small improvements. They do have a “New Updates” page but I bet the common user hardly goes there.

Beta
Gmail is also a notable case for being a widely used and popular email service but technically still in ‘beta’. Beta used to be a term for a site or software that still had bugs in it so use with care. But now it seems to mean you are one of the early users, congratulations, enjoy. Pownce uses an elusive “invite-only” system that makes you feel even more special.

So who wins overall? I, and a lot of other users, like the small updates approach because it is subtle but makes the website refreshingly new. Every time there is a new feature on Gmail I first think “hey, there is something I have never tried before” and appreciate the site more. A lot of other companies are following Google’s approach and only time will tell if it leads to success.

~Kevin X