In short: Website maintenance is the regular work that keeps a site secure, working and up to date: software and plugin updates, security checks, backups, uptime monitoring and small content changes. Without it, sites slowly break, become vulnerable to hacking and fall out of date. You can do it yourself if you’re confident, or hand it to a care plan.
A lot of business owners think of a website like a shop sign: you pay for it once, put it up, and it’s done. In reality it’s closer to a van. It does a job for you every day, and it needs regular servicing to keep doing it safely.
When I hand over a new website, one of the conversations I always have is about who will look after it once it’s live. In this guide I’ll explain what website maintenance actually includes, what happens when it’s skipped, and how to decide between doing it yourself and paying someone to do it.
What is website maintenance?
Website maintenance is everything that keeps your site healthy after launch. It’s not about redesigning or adding big new features. It’s the routine care that stops small problems turning into big ones.
For most small business websites, that means:
- Keeping the software up to date
- Protecting the site from hackers and spam
- Taking regular backups you can restore from
- Making sure the site is online and loading properly
- Making small changes to keep the content accurate
The amount of maintenance depends on the platform. A WordPress site needs more hands-on care because you (or your developer) are responsible for its software. A Shopify shop has its core software looked after by Shopify, though apps, content and settings still need attention. If you’re weighing the two, my WordPress vs Shopify guide covers this.
Software updates
WordPress is made up of three layers: the core software, the theme (the design) and plugins (add-ons for extra features). Each of these gets updated by its developers, often to fix security holes.
Updates matter because outdated plugins are one of the most common ways websites get hacked. Once a weakness is made public, automated bots scan the web looking for sites that haven’t patched it.
But updates aren’t something to click blindly either. Occasionally an update clashes with another plugin or the theme and breaks part of the site. Good maintenance means:
- Taking a backup before updating
- Applying updates in a sensible order
- Checking the site still works afterwards, including forms and checkouts
- Rolling back if something goes wrong
This is one reason I build without heavy page builders and keep plugins to a minimum: fewer moving parts means fewer updates and fewer things to clash.
Security
Security is about making your site a harder target. Small business websites do get attacked, usually not because someone has picked you out, but because automated tools try every site they can find.
Typical security work includes:
- Strong logins: unique passwords and removing old user accounts
- Security monitoring: watching for suspicious activity and malware
- Spam protection: stopping junk submissions through your contact forms
- An SSL certificate: the padlock in the browser that encrypts information between your visitor and your site
- Removing unused plugins and themes: anything you’re not using is a door you don’t need
If a site does get hacked, the clean-up is usually far more stressful and time-consuming than prevention would have been. Your site might show spam, redirect visitors elsewhere, or be flagged as unsafe by browsers.
Backups
A backup is a full copy of your website (files and database) stored somewhere safe, so the site can be put back if something goes wrong. It’s your insurance policy.
A good backup set-up has a few qualities:
- Regular: taken automatically on a schedule, not just when someone remembers
- Off-site: stored separately from the website itself, so a server problem doesn’t take the backups with it
- Tested: it’s only a real backup if it can actually be restored
A common trap is a “backup” stored on the same server as the site, so when the server fails, the backup goes with it. It’s worth asking whoever looks after your site exactly where backups go and how often.
Uptime and performance
Uptime simply means your website is online and reachable. Uptime monitoring checks your site automatically and flags it if the site goes down, so problems can be fixed before customers notice.
Performance is about speed. Sites tend to slow down over time as images are added, plugins pile up and the database grows. Part of maintenance is keeping an eye on this, because a slow site frustrates visitors and can affect how Google sees it. You can check your own site with Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool, and my post on why website speed matters explains what the results mean.
Content changes
The last part of maintenance is keeping the information on your site accurate. Out-of-date content quietly costs you enquiries. Think of:
- Old opening hours or a phone number that’s changed
- Services you no longer offer, or new ones that aren’t listed
- Prices that are out of date
- A copyright year in the footer that’s several years old
- Staff photos of people who’ve left
Every site I build comes with a one-hour training session, so you can make these kinds of changes yourself. But some owners would rather send a quick message and have it done, which is where a care plan helps.
DIY maintenance vs a care plan
You don’t need to pay someone to maintain your website. Plenty of business owners look after their own, and if you’re comfortable with technology, that can be a perfectly good choice.
| Doing it yourself | Care plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Your time, plus hosting and any tools | A monthly fee |
| Updates | You apply and test them | Done and checked for you |
| Backups | You set up and check them | Handled and stored safely |
| If something breaks | You fix it or find help | One message to someone who knows your site |
| Best for | Confident owners with time to spare | Busy owners who’d rather not think about it |
When DIY makes sense
DIY can work well if your site is simple, uses few plugins, and you’re happy to set aside a little time regularly to update, back up and check it. The key word is regularly. Maintenance that happens “when I get round to it” often doesn’t happen at all.
When a care plan makes sense
A care plan suits you if your website brings in work and you can’t afford it being down, if you’d rather spend your time running your business, or if technical jobs fill you with dread. It also means there’s someone to call who already knows how your site was built.
My optional hosting and care plan covers hosting, security updates, backups and support. It starts when your site goes live and you can cancel with notice. The details are on my pricing page.
What if someone else built my site?
Plenty of websites end up neglected because the person who built them has moved on or stopped replying. If that’s you, it’s not too late. I can look after or improve a site someone else built, though I’ll always want to take a look first and be honest about its condition. Sometimes a site is in good shape and just needs care; sometimes it’s showing signs it needs a redesign.
Frequently asked questions
What does website maintenance include?
It usually includes software and plugin updates, security monitoring, regular backups, uptime checks, performance checks and small content changes. The exact mix depends on your platform and what your site does.
How often should a website be maintained?
Security updates should be applied soon after they’re released, and backups should run automatically on a regular schedule. A wider health check and content review every so often keeps everything accurate and running well.
Do I need website maintenance if my site is small?
Yes. Small sites are just as likely to be targeted by automated hacking tools as large ones. A small, simple site is easier to maintain, but it still needs updates, backups and the occasional check.
Can I maintain my own WordPress website?
Yes, if you’re comfortable applying updates, checking the site afterwards and setting up reliable backups. The main risk is falling behind, so it’s worth setting a regular reminder.
What happens if I don’t maintain my website?
Over time, plugins go out of date, security holes open up, things break and content becomes inaccurate. The worst case is a hacked site, which is often more costly to fix than regular maintenance would have been.
Does Shopify need maintenance?
Less than WordPress, because Shopify looks after its own software and security. You still need to keep apps, products, prices and content up to date and check your shop works properly.
Want someone to look after your website?
If you’d like your site kept secure, backed up and up to date without having to think about it, I’m happy to talk through what’s involved. You can get in touch here or read more about hosting and care.
