Just like cars, websites need maintenance to function properly.
Having a well-structured website is great and all, but having it up and running isn’t enough. To make sure that your site is operating at peak efficiency, regular updating and maintenance are essential.
With that said, here’s everything you need to know about website maintenance:
Maintaining a website involves keeping it up-to-date and making sure it’s running as smoothly as possible and operating at peak efficiency.
Things such as checking that all of your website’s links are working, updating your website’s content frequently, and fixing any broken links are all typical parts of website maintenance.
Though, it also involves more general housekeeping chores like routinely backing up your website and keeping track of its functionality.
Here are some reasons why maintaining your website is important:
The main reason why website maintenance is so crucial is because of security. You should make sure that your website is up-to-date with software patches and security updates if your company uses a content management system (CMS) like Drupal or WordPress. Failing to do so increases your risk of hackers trying to steal important information from your website.
Search engines such as Google prioritize giving users the highest quality content. Because of this, they frequently give higher rankings to websites that are updated. A higher ranking improves the visibility of your website, which increases the chance that your content will show up when your target audiences search for relevant keywords.
Both new and returning visitors will be attracted to your website if it’s regularly updated with useful content, working links, no duplicated pages, and content that’s fresh.
Your audience will have a better understanding of who you are and what you do if you frequently update your website with shareable content like upcoming events, image galleries, and blogs.
Even including actionable items in these types of content, like a sign-up form for your newsletter and social media icons that lead to the profile of your company makes you interact with your audience better.
Additionally, your brand, your work, and your mission are all enhanced by a well-maintained website. Removing out-of-date information, broken links, and conducting site audits regularly can provide your visitors with the best possible user experience.
In short – maintaining your website can enhance web performance and give your visitors a safe and secure environment to go to.
After your website is launched, it’s crucial to carry out regular web maintenance. It’s actually a lot simpler than you think! Here are some types of website maintenance to stay on top of:
Additions to your website’s functionality can be made thanks to plugins and themes. However, to ensure compatibility with the most recent web browsers and security patches, they should also be kept up to date, much like any other kind of software.
Knowing quickly when your website is down will help you take the necessary action to bring it back online.
This one is pretty obvious: if your website has users, then managing their accounts is necessary. This includes setting up and removing user accounts, changing passwords, and managing permissions. Cleaning up the user list and removing spam and bot accounts are also parts of user management.
Depending on the size, complexity, and frequency of updates to your website, you may need to perform website maintenance often. Website maintenance should generally be carried out at least once a month, but preferably more frequently – such as on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. This will make it easier to guarantee that your website’s always up-to-date and running smoothly.
Some tasks, like security scanning, back-ups and uptime monitoring, can be automated to be done on a regular basis. Other tasks, on the other hand, like website updates and performance monitoring, must be performed manually. There are just some tasks you don’t have to worry much about while there are some tasks you have to keep a close eye on.
With that said, while maintaining a website yourself is possible, it may be worth considering hiring a professional to handle it for you. This is mainly because maintaining a website can be time-consuming, technical, and prone to errors that could ultimately cost you money.
Many people opt for managed web hosting plans where tasks such as installing security and software updates are taken care of directly by the web hosting brand. This can be especially useful for platforms like WordPress, and especially if you’re looking to save time. Check our guide on the best Managed WordPress hosts if you’re keen.
Website maintenance, while not obvious for some, is one of the most important tasks website owners need to take care of. Different types of website maintenance done on a regular basis go a long way and help keep your site looking fresh and updated, and most importantly, functioning properly.
Make sure to practice website maintenance to ensure your visitors have a great experience when visiting your website. Follow Bitcatcha for more tech-related tips to help keep your website up and running!
