Website maintenance involves keeping your site working correctly and running efficiently. The maintenance process entails updating software, backing up files, and preparing broken links. It also includes ensuring the site works well with devices, users, and browsers.
Your website is one of the most powerful tools for marketing your business. But it can also become an expensive liability if it’s not properly cared for. And that’s where website maintenance comes in. However, maintaining your website while running a business can be time-consuming.
Not only that, but also keeping up with all the updates and new technologies can be challenging. For this reason, many businesses hire a growth agency who is experienced in promoting your website. These agencies also understand the importance of maintaining your website and keeping it up-to-date.
With this in mind, there are many reasons why website maintenance is important for your business. A reliable web maintenance service help ensure that your site is running in optimal condition as well as updating content.
Why Maintaining Your Website Is Important For Your Business
Although the major of business owners understand the importance of having a website, that’s pretty much the extent. In fact, once their site is built and launched, they never look at it again.
In addition to ignoring the need to update content, website maintenance is ignored entirely. Obviously, if your site isn’t properly maintained, you’re probably losing valuable customers and clients. This will undoubtedly impact your business’ bottom line.
Web maintenance ensures all components; forms, links, payment mechanisms, etc., are working in an efficient and safe manner. Creating a user-friendly, visually appealing and responsive website is a great first step to announcing your business. But maintaining your website regularly is essential if you want your business’ visibility to grow.
Benefits Of Web Maintenance
Here are 5 top benefits of web maintenance to ensure the success of your business online.
(1.) Maintaining Your Website Is Important For Security
Security is at the top of the list when it comes to website upkeep. And it also often makes news headlines. It doesn’t matter which platform your website is built on or whether or not you use many plugins. It doesn’t even matter if you have an ecommerce shop. Because hackers worldwide are always searching for website vulnerabilities, preventing security breaches before they happen is crucial.
If your business does use WordPress or a similar content management system, make sure you’re running the latest version. While many hackers focus on stealing money or passwords, most don’t. In fact, lots of hacks occur when a virus is uploaded to your website. This not only causes problems for you, but also for every person who visits your business website.
(2.) Maintenance Provides Optimal User Experience
If your website’s theme is outdated, it may not display properly on new versions of mobile devices and browsers. But performing regular maintenance ensures the most current version is installed and working properly.
In addition to your site displaying correctly, you also want to provide relevant and fresh content. No customer, client, or business partner wants to visit your site if it has outdated content. For example, promotions that are months or even years old.
Properly linking and form usage is also important for an optimal user experience. Also menus, contact information, price lists, and social media icons. Everything needs to be up-to-date. The last thing you want to do is have items on your site that you’ve discontinued carrying years ago. Imagine the customers’ disappointment when they visit your storefront to purchase it. This can happen if you don’t keep your website up-to-date.
(3.) Maintenance Drives Traffic To Your Website and Boost Your SEO Rankings
When you add new content, it improves your search rankings as well as drive search engine traffic to your site. And part of your website’s upkeep is making sure content is relevant and correct. As such, the more you update your site, the more search engine will raise your rankings.
On the other hand, your rankings will be reduced if you fail to update content regularly. After all, there’s nothing new for search engines to index. So, why should they visit your site often? Additionally, your site can be removed from search engine if they suspect it’s been infected with malware. Given these points, simply update your site on a regular schedule to prevent these things from happening.
(4.) An Updated Site Keeps Customers Interested
Let your customers know they’re valued and you appreciate their engagement with your brand. This is easily attained by updating your site to offer interesting, shareable content that entices them to take action.
You could offer things such as event sign up with an opportunity to win something. Or, sign up online for a special discount in-store. An even easier way to update your site and drive traffic is to regularly add blog content.
(5.) Site Maintenance Is Important For Backing Up Your Files
One of the principal tasks of web maintenance is backing up your website’s files. This can be done by automated services offered by your hosting company. Or, you can do it manually. Backing up your files is crucial because you don’t want to lose all your website’s information. And if you have an ecommerce shop where content is constantly changing, then backing up more frequently is critical.
Let Us Help You!
At Envisager Studio, we offer a range of professional WordPress support services. Whether you’re running a complex ecommerce store or setting up a personal blog, you can benefit from our various support plans. Just think of us as your in-house website team! To learn more about our website maintenance plans, get in touch.
About the Author
Dr. Amelia Royster-Davis is a Doctor of Education and an Instructional Designer. As the Director of Web Development at Envisager Studio, her primary focus is to lead the web development team in building modern, responsive websites. In her spare time, she writes about web development, UI and UX.
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