Why Website Maintenance is Key to a Successful Online Strategy

Do you push the upkeep of your website right down to the bottom of your priorities pile?

Yep, you’re not alone. Most people are guilty of it.

But just like any software, websites require maintenance to keep the site working properly and speedily. If you neglect your website, before you know it customers will be clicking off it in frustration (slow websites are not a good look).

Remember, your website is your big chance to make a blinding first impression. Don’t let a lack of maintenance let you down.

Keep Up with Upkeep

Avoiding maintenance is like not having regular oil changes on your vehicle.

How long do you think your car would last if you didn’t keep up the maintenance? Not very long is the answer, you’d find yourself stuck by the side of the road calling AA.

Your website should always be live, ready for customers and presenting your business at its finest.

Websites Are Not a “Set and Forget”

The trick is to have website maintenance carried out monthly. Without it, you could easily be throwing money out the window. Let’s face it; when was the last time you stuck around for a slow site to load? Or remembered to revisit a site that was broken last time you landed on it

Many website owners never check their website to see how it’s functioning. This is a mistake - missed website issues or downtime can lose you all-important potential customers.

Don’t just love and leave your website, you have to give it regular attention to keep it happy.

Some of the hacked websites we've fixed this year.

Some hacks are really visible like the above but some our stealthier, stilling user details in the background and you might never notice them. No one can guarentee a complete block for hackers but we can still prepare ourselves by making it as hard a possible, monitor the site for potential threats (for those hidden hacks) and always have a backup at hand to get back on our fit quickly.

What Exactly are the Benefits?

Well, there are a ton.

The overall website performance (load time, downtime and uptime) is all dependent on the WordPress software and plugins behaving themselves.

The website growth (fresh content, analytics and design changes) is all dependent on updates carried out smoothly and error-free.

And the one benefit to rule them all: potential customers will stick around on your website!

This is How We Do it

At Ace Digital London we know that the first port of call is to backup the website and give a thorough check for any issues.

Our software keeps a record of plugins we update so if an issue crops up we can see what plugin version was changed and swiftly revert back to it.

Our monthly (yes, we practice what we preach) maintenance report includes performance and security scans so if there’s any plugin issue we address it even before you know there’s a problem, just like magic.

ALERT: Avoid DIY Maintenance

We know it can be tempting to indulge in a bit of DIY. It can’t be that tricky you think to yourself.

There are perils, believe us.

if you update your WordPress admin, you wouldn’t have a record of what was done. If a plugin update created an issue a couple of weeks later, it would be near impossible to know what changed and how you should revert back without restoring an ancient version.

The result? You could lose content changes, sales orders, contact entries to name just a few.

It Costs More to Fix Than to Maintain

You could end up shelling out a hefty penny if you skip out on maintenance and it all goes wrong.

If the look and functionality of your site is damaged, you’ll have a choice to make:

1. You can try and fix it yourself and risk causing even more damage.
2. You can pay a ton for a pro to do it.

The problem is, just like your car it costs way more to fix than maintain. Regular oil changes keep your car running as it should, and likewise regular site maintenance keeps your site running like it should.

Call in a Professional

Would you try and fight a court battle without a lawyer? Pull out a molar without a dentist?

Nope, you need a pro.

Lock down an experienced website professional to update and maintain your site properly, you’re actually saving potential lost sales and visitors.