A lot of tradespeople treat a website like a van sign. Pay once, put it up, forget it. But a website is more like the van itself: leave it for a couple of years with no servicing and something will go wrong.
Why websites need looking after
Most business websites run on software, often WordPress. That software is updated regularly to fix bugs, add features and, importantly, close security holes. Plugins and themes have updates too. If nobody applies them, problems build up.
What goes wrong without maintenance
Security holes. Out-of-date software is a favourite target for hackers. A hacked site can show spam, redirect visitors or be taken offline entirely. Google can flag it as unsafe, which scares customers away.
Things quietly break. Forms stop sending emails. Pages stop displaying properly. Nobody notices until a customer mentions it, or worse, never mentions it.
No way back. If something does go wrong and there are no backups, you may lose the whole site.
Slow decline. Content gets stale, contact details go out of date, and the site starts to look neglected.
What proper maintenance includes
- Updates. Keeping the software, theme and plugins current, tested before and after
- Backups. Regular copies stored safely off the server, and tested so they can be restored
- Security monitoring. Watching for attacks, blocking bad traffic and cleaning up if needed
- Uptime checks. Knowing quickly if the site goes down
- Form and email testing. Making sure enquiries really arrive
- Small changes. Updating prices, photos, opening hours and wording when your business changes
Who does it?
If you built it yourself, you. If a friend built it, hopefully they, but they may have moved on. If it was an agency, check what their ongoing arrangement says, if there is one.
The honest question is: whose job is it, and are they doing it? If the answer is “I don’t know”, the answer is probably “nobody”.
What it costs not to bother
A hacked or broken site can cost you weeks of lost enquiries, plus the time and money to fix it. Maintenance is the cheap option.
A website is not a sign you put up and forget. It needs regular looking after, just like your van.
Included for you
That is what the £49.95 a month covers: hosting, updates, backups, security and small changes, all handled so you can get on with the work. See the offer.