Dust bunnies are what happen to unattended websites

Nothing dramatic happens, nothing appears broken, and yet over time those fragments cling together, grow, and eventually become visible, which is why they always seem to appear suddenly even though they have been forming for weeks.

Websites tend to age in exactly the same way.

Once a site is launched, it often becomes a finished object in the minds of its owners, something to be admired rather than actively used, and from that point on, small changes begin to settle quietly into the corners.

Search behaviour shifts, technology evolves, content dates, and pages that once worked well continue to function, but no longer quite do the job they were designed to do. Because the site still looks acceptable at a glance, it is left alone, allowing minor issues to cling together and compound until performance, visibility and trust begin to erode.

Like dust bunnies, it is the outcome of many small things being left unattended for too long. A plugin that is never updated, a service page that no longer reflects how the business actually operates, a blog that stopped being refreshed, or a homepage message that made sense three years ago but now feels slightly out of step. Individually these are easy to ignore, but together they change how a website is experienced.

It requires movement, attention and routine care. The same principles that keep a room clean apply to a website that needs to stay useful.

1. Treat the website as a living system rather than a finished project, and revisit its purpose and value regularly so it continues to reflect the business as it is today.
2. Design for clarity and confidence rather than decoration, ensuring visitors can quickly understand where they are and what to do next.
3. Structure content clearly, using language and hierarchy that works for people while also helping search engines and AI systems understand context and meaning.
4. Keep performance tight by monitoring speed, mobile behaviour and technical health, and place proof such as reviews, case studies and testimonials where decisions are actually made.
5. Use real imagery, local cues and authentic signals to build trust, and build pages in modular sections so updates are easy rather than disruptive.
6. Support the site with content that demonstrates expertise and lived experience, and review analytics, content relevance and technical foundations on a regular cycle.