Site Autopsy/fix/outdated-copyright-year
[ DIAGNOSIS ]

Outdated Copyright Year

Your website's footer says it's 2019. That's not vintage — that's neglect.

Quick Answer

To fix an outdated copyright year, update the footer text in your CMS or code. For a permanent fix, use a dynamic snippet like new Date().getFullYear() so the date updates automatically every January 1st, preventing your site from looking abandoned.

The Problem

An old copyright year in the footer is the #1 sign that a website has been abandoned. Visitors see it immediately and assume the business is closed or doesn't care.

Why It Matters

First impressions matter. When a potential customer lands on your site and sees © 2019, they wonder: is this business still operating? The copyright date is visible on every single page. It costs zero dollars to update.

How to Fix It

01.

Find the footer section of your website (usually in a template or layout file).

02.

Search for the copyright symbol (©) followed by the old year.

03.

Replace the year with the current year, or use a dynamic year that updates automatically.

04.

If your site is built with WordPress, check your theme settings — many themes have a copyright year option.

05.

For bonus points, use a range format: © 2019–2026 to show your site's history.

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