When’s the last time you gave your site a serious make-over?

Let’s face it, trends come and go, especially on the internet. A stunning website you had designed just a year ago may pale in comparison to a website designed today. In my opinion, a design has about a 6 month shelf-life, and then it starts to go stale.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to scrap the whole thing and start back at the drawing board (although you might). Just do something different.

Bloggers should be especially aware. You may get the same TIME magazine every week, but at least the layout changes. Internet readers want the same thing. Keep your design fresh, and your functionality fresher, and your readers will keep coming back. You’ve got to keep up with the creative flow, otherwise your visitors will find greener, more interesting pastures.

It’s important, however, that you don’t over do it and lose the sense of identity you’ve established. In some cases, you may WANT to lose that identity, but generally, you need an anchor. Something that strings one design to the next, while still pushing the envelope.

Take Pepsi, for example. They recently made-over their logo. But, hold it up to the old one, and you’ll see that there’s a great deal of subtlety involved. Employ this same sense of subtlety when approaching a re-design. Even something slight can get people talking, and that’s good for business.

Another example is Tropicana. They gave themselves a new look, got some attention, then went back to their more traditional style. Don’t be afraid to reinvent your aesthetic. In another six months, you may want to pull it back, but you’re still keeping your site fresh and in the minds of your visitors.