I read a lot of blogs… I mean a lot. Sometimes I choose to feature them in my 10 by 10 Blog Roll, and the first place I go is usually the “about” page.  Sometimes I can tell by the dates, photos, and links that don’t work, that it hasn’t been updated in quite a while.

I can understand that links get broken… it happens.  As our blogs get bigger and bigger, we have a hard time remembering what linked to what, and we often don’t revisit old posts to update anything.  If you never revisit an old post, one that must be checked, fixed, updated, and changed, is your “about” page.

In the past year, so many things have changed with me, my blog, and my goals, that after about six months of blogging my old “About” page seemed to be written about someone else entirely. So how often should an “About” page be updated? I update mine whenever there is a major change in me, my blog, or my blog’s purpose.

Here are five reasons to update your “About” Page:

1. You and/or your blog won an award or received other recognition. While many of us are reluctant to toot our own horns, it is important to share the good things that are happening for you with your audience and potential partners.  It might feel awkward at first, but you worked hard for those accolades, honors, and awards – your audience will be happy for you, and potential partners will be eager to work with you.

2. You have changed the city in which you are based. When opportunities come up and people who want to work with you check out your about page, they may decide how and when they work with you, based on where you live and work.  It’s pretty disappointing to offer someone an opportunity or extend an invitation to someone based on the information provided in their bio, only to find that they now live 3,000 miles away – and have for a while.

3. You begin writing for another publication, or your work has been republished. Odds are, if your readers enjoy your writing on your blog, they will be interested in reading what you are writing elsewhere.  If the publication sees that the work that you do for them is generating a lot of traffic, they will probably be more inclined to work with you again.

4. You begin offering new products or services on your blog. Sometimes it is hard to tell everyone everything that you are doing from writing books, to selling merchandise, to consulting, all on your front page.  People visit your “About” page to get a quick overview of who you are and what you do. If you would like your readers to know about your new books, your about page is a great place to list them.  If you sell t-shirts, posters, or are partnering with another blogger or company to provide an interesting service, your about page should provide that information.

5. You have noticed that your blog posts are going in a different direction than they did before. You used to write a personal parenting blog, but now your blog includes more product reviews than parenting advice?  Your blog used to be primarily about fashion, but you find yourself doing more inspirational or faith based blogging?  Add your new subject matter to your “about” page, and let your readers know what is unique about your new (or additional) blog topics.

How often do you update your “about” page? Do you revisit it at scheduled intervals to make changes, or do you wait for significant updates?