Website maintenance

Maintenance is not the same as redesign or new features. It keeps what you already have in good condition, the way servicing keeps a car on the road. Adding a new section or a booking system is development work, usually priced separately.

How much a site needs depends on how it is built. A WordPress site with many plug-ins needs frequent updates. A static website has far less to patch, but still needs domain renewals, certificate checks and content updates.

How it works

The core tasks are updates, backups and monitoring. Updates cover the CMS, themes, plug-ins and the server's software such as PHP, because old versions with known security holes are one of the most common ways small sites get hacked. Updates are best tested on a staging site first, since one incompatible plug-in can break a page.

Backups are taken automatically, kept for several weeks and stored somewhere other than the main server. A backup only counts if it can be restored, so a good routine includes an occasional test restore. Monitoring checks uptime every few minutes, watches certificate and domain expiry dates and alerts someone when the site goes down.

Around those sit regular checks: forms still deliver email, broken links and errors are fixed, page speed has not drifted, and Google Search Console shows no new indexing or security problems. Content updates, such as new prices, staff or opening hours, are often included up to a set number of hours per month. Security hardening is usually part of the same routine: removing old admin accounts, limiting login attempts and checking file permissions.

Example

A physiotherapy practice's WordPress site runs 18 plug-ins and has not been updated for a year. One day the contact form stops sending emails and nobody notices for three weeks. A maintenance review finds a form plug-in that is no longer supported, an outdated PHP version and backups saved only on the same server.

The fix is a monthly routine: updates applied on staging and checked, daily off-site backups kept for 30 days, uptime monitoring, and a weekly test submission of the contact form that alerts staff if the email does not arrive. Four unused plug-ins are removed, which shortens the update list and the number of places an attacker could get in. The unsupported form plug-in is replaced with a maintained one, and the owner is given a one-page log showing what was updated each month, so she can see the work rather than take it on trust.

Why it matters for your business

An unmaintained site fails quietly: forms stop sending, the site slows down, a certificate expires and browsers show a warning, or the site is hacked and starts sending spam. Each of these costs enquiries and can take far longer to fix than to prevent. Whether you need a paid plan depends on the site. A simple static site may need a few hours a year, while a busy shop or booking site needs regular attention. You can check your own site by asking three questions: when was the last update, where is the last backup, and has anyone restored one?

Common mistakes

• Keeping backups only on the same server as the site, so a hack or hosting failure takes both.
• Running updates directly on the live site without testing, then discovering a broken layout from a customer.
• Leaving unused plug-ins and themes installed, where they still carry security risk.
• Letting the domain or certificate renew on a card that has expired, so the site goes offline.

Questions people ask

What does website maintenance include?

Typically software and plug-in updates, off-site backups, uptime and security monitoring, domain and certificate checks, fixing broken forms or links, basic speed checks and a set amount of small content edits each month. Plans differ, so read what is included and what counts as new work.

How much does website maintenance cost?

It varies with how complex the site is and how much is included. A simple static site may need little more than hosting and occasional checks, while a large WordPress shop needs regular paid attention. Compare plans by the tasks and response times they include, not just the monthly price.

Can I maintain my website myself?

Yes, if you are comfortable updating software, managing backups and fixing problems when an update breaks something. Many owners handle content updates themselves and pay someone for updates, backups and security, which carry the highest risk if done wrong.