Would you shop at a dirty store, filled with broken furniture, and selling outdated products? We didn\u2019t think so.<\/span><\/p>\n Website maintenance plays the same role: it makes the business inviting, makes you look professional, and engages customers.<\/span><\/p>\n In case there\u2019s any doubt, new research by Search Engine Journal shows that \u201c<\/span>81% of customers think less of a brand if its website is not updated<\/span><\/i><\/a> and <\/span><\/i>39% would think twice<\/i><\/b> about using a product or service if the website isn\u2019t fresh and current.<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Website maintenance is regularly checking your website for issues, such as <\/span>catching<\/span> bugs, <\/span>refreshing<\/span> content, and <\/span>ensuring<\/span> your site is always ready to welcome visitors with the best user experience.<\/span><\/p>\n This process keeps your website running, supports a smooth user experience, and keeps it secure from hacking attempts. Regular maintenance is needed to engage and keep visitors, boost search engine rankings, and present your brand with your best foot forward.<\/span><\/p>\n Deciding whether to undertake website maintenance on your own is a critical choice that depends on various factors, including your technical expertise, the complexity of your website, and the time you can dedicate to this task. <\/span><\/p>\n For those new to website management or running a simple site, handling basic maintenance tasks like updating content, monitoring site performance, and managing security can be a feasible and cost-effective approach. <\/span><\/p>\n It allows you to have direct control over your website’s upkeep and can be a valuable learning experience.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n However, as your website grows or becomes more complex, the demands of maintenance can escalate. <\/span><\/p>\n Advanced tasks such as technical SEO optimization, in-depth security checks, and intricate plugin management might require specialized skills. In those cases, seeking professional help or investing in more comprehensive maintenance services becomes important.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Businesses that need additional technical support often collaborate with experienced\u00a0web development agencies<\/a>\u00a0to manage updates, resolve issues, and ensure long-term site stability.<\/p>\n This not only ensures your website operates smoothly and securely but also frees up your time to focus on other critical aspects of your business<\/span><\/p>\n To keep your website running smoothly and looking sharp, you should treat the issue like routine car care \u2013 it prevents breakdowns before they happen. Here’s how you can keep your site in top shape:<\/span><\/p>\n Weekly checks<\/b><\/p>\n Monthly checks<\/b><\/p>\n Yearly checks<\/b><\/p>\n Now that we\u2019ve given you a list of steps, let\u2019s get into more details.<\/span><\/p>\n Website maintenance is also something you can pair with your SEO audit because many of the steps above will be helping search engines<\/a> better understand and access your website. Just make sure everyone on your team is on the same page to avoid doing the same task multiple times.<\/p>\n Weekly checks may sound like a lot, but it\u2019s easy to keep up with once you get going. These are the most basic things you do to avoid problems from showing up in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n Studies show that <\/span>53% of people will abandon a page<\/span><\/a> if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load and 50% expect a page to load in less than 2 seconds. <\/span><\/p>\n This is especially important for mobile devices, as \u201c46% of people say that waiting for pages to load is what they dislike the most when browsing the web on mobile devices.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0<\/span> Regular speed checks ensure users aren’t kept waiting. You can use tools like PageSpeed Insights<\/a> and Mobile-Friendly Test<\/a> to see how your website performs on mobile platforms and then make adjustments as needed.<\/p>\n The easiest thing you can do to mitigate risks is to keep things up to date.<\/p>\n When Alexa looked at over 40,000 WordPress security sites, it found that more than 70% of them carried some kind of vulnerability<\/a> \u2014 and these were mostly related to outdated plugins. To avoid major issues, it\u2019s worth spending an hour each week updating everything.<\/p>\n A site littered with spam comments loses credibility, so cleaning them up regularly is vital.<\/p>\n According to ManageWP, \u201cJust as readers don\u2019t trust spam, neither do search engines. Spam links are a red flag for crawlers<\/a>, and your Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings can drop if you have too many of them on your site<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Think of broken links as missed opportunities \u2014 they interrupt the user journey and make your website look less professional. <\/span><\/p>\n If somebody abandons your site after finding a broken link, this will ultimately affect your bounce rate and your rankings. <\/span>Plus, <\/span>b<\/span>roken links signal to Google that your website isn’t properly optimized<\/span><\/a> or kept up to date<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n TIP<\/strong>: You can employ tools like Mangools SEO extension<\/a>\u00a0to identify and rectify broken links.<\/p>\n A month is a significant window in the digital realm \u2014 a period where strategies either work well or you\u2019ll notice room for improvement.<\/p>\n Back in 2006, Amazon found that every 100ms (that\u2019s 0.1 seconds!) in added page load time cost them 1% in sales<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cFor context, a 1% loss of annual revenue for Amazon in 2006 would have been around $107 million. Today, this would be about $3.8 billion!<\/em>,\u201d according to Conductor.<\/p>\n Optimizing your website\u2019s speed<\/a> will directly impact your bottom line, so it\u2019s worth doing a monthly check to see if yours is lagging.<\/p>\n The Cost of a Data Breach Report points out that the average total cost of a data breach reached an all-time high of $4.45 million in 2022<\/a>, up from $3.86 million in 2020.<\/p>\n To protect your site and your business, you should be conducting monthly security reviews, including checking for weak authentication and making sure your SSL Certificate is enabled across your entire website.<\/p>\n TIP<\/strong>: Receive alerts about potential SSL certificate errors or expirations using UptimeRobot’s monitoring features.<\/p>\n Get SSL monitoring<\/a><\/p>\n Metrics like average session duration, bounce rates, page views, and conversion rates offer a window into user behavior.<\/p>\n Every month, you should spend some time looking at these numbers to find areas where you could make changes.<\/p>\n Regular content audits are essential to keep your content aligned with business goals and serves your audience well. According to The Pipeline<\/a>:<\/p>\n A month is enough time to see if your current strategy is working. In case of discrepancies, it’s time to strategize.<\/p>\n By addressing these areas every three months, you can prevent minor issues from becoming major problems.<\/span><\/p>\n Regularly reviewing your SEO and marketing strategies can lead to major improvements in organic traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n According to research by BrightEdge, thorough SEO audits can have a profound effect on organic traffic. Organic search is the leading channel for website traffic, accounting for <\/span>51% of visitors<\/span><\/a> to websites.<\/span><\/p>\n Analyzing your strategies every quarter helps you stay updated with the latest trends and make necessary adjustments to increase performance.<\/span><\/p>\n Mobile optimization is vital as mobile internet usage continues to grow. According to Statista, <\/span>over 60% of global web traffic<\/span><\/a> comes from mobile devices, so mobile users cannot be ignored.<\/span><\/p>\n Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly will make user experience better, and in turn, improve your search engine rankings.<\/span><\/p>\n Most mobile optimization focuses on the browser experience, but many businesses now go a step further by offering a dedicated mobile app. Thanks to no-code app builders, you can convert your website into a mobile app without development work, giving users faster load times, consistent UI and native features like push notifications for better engagement. Tools like the AppMySite\u2019s website to app<\/span><\/a> solution make this approach accessible for startups and small teams.<\/p>\n Regularly testing your website’s user experience (UX) and interface means that visitors can navigate and use your site efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n A <\/span>study by Forrester Research<\/span><\/a> reveals that a well-designed user interface (UI) can increase your website\u2019s conversion rate by up to 200%, while an enhanced overall user experience (UX) design could lead to conversion rates as high as 400%! That\u2019s why choosing the right UI\/UX design services<\/a> is so important for businesses looking to improve conversions and keep users happy.<\/span><\/p>\n Multimedia elements like images, videos and recorded webinars<\/a> play a big role in engaging visitors. According to HubSpot, websites with relevant images get <\/span>94% more views<\/span><\/a> than those without.<\/span><\/p>\n Quarterly audits help ensure that these elements are updated, optimized, and functioning correctly while keeping your website looking fresh.<\/span><\/p>\n Annual checks aren\u2019t just about updates \u2014 they’re also about keeping up with your organizational goals and industry trends. <\/span><\/p>\n Marketing agency TMD points out that \u201c<\/span>Search engine benchmarks are continuously evolving<\/span><\/a><\/em> as new features and capabilities become available. Even as early as 12 months into a website\u2019s lifecycle the initial investment is already starting to weaken relative to newer websites as they become more competitive in search<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Here are a few things you should be doing every year:<\/span><\/p>\n Although time-consuming, an audit can highlight underperforming content, offering opportunities for optimization or re-purposing.<\/p>\n The Digital Marketing Institute recommends looking at the following points when conducting a content audit<\/a>:<\/p>\n Further to the above checks, including usage of AI detection tools<\/a> into your audit process can help verify the content originality and also protect quality standards, as AI-assisted writing gets more popular with each passing day.<\/p>\n Forgetting to renew your domain can be catastrophic. Not only does it mean your site will be inaccessible until you fix the issue, but you\u2019re also at risk for domain hijacking.<\/p>\n That\u2019s because when a domain isn\u2019t renewed before it expires, it becomes available for anyone to register \u2014 and this is when hijackers can snatch them<\/a>.<\/p>\n Monitor your domain<\/a><\/p>\n You can keep your online presence secure and avoid any potential damage by monitoring your domain’s expiration date with UptimeRobot.<\/p>\n A brand\u2019s email list can be a gold mine \u2014 but only if you keep up with regular maintenance and cleaning<\/a> to keep it valuable.<\/p>\n For example, nonprofits using fundraising email templates<\/a> to engage donors and supporters must ensure their email lists are clean and up-to-date. A well-maintained list ensures messages reach the right audience, maximizing the impact of campaigns.<\/p>\n Companies with a high bounce rate often end up being red-flagged as spammers<\/strong>, which in turn affects your visibility in future marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n If you have a huge list, you might need to do it every six months; otherwise, once a year is enough. You can use a tool like EmailListVerify<\/a> to get rid of spam traps, hard bounces, and disposable or catch-all emails.<\/p>\n Did you know that 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if they find it unattractive<\/a>?<\/p>\n A further 44% will leave a company’s website<\/strong> if there’s no basic data (like contact information or a phone number) easily visible on the site.<\/p>\n Annual design evaluations ensure your site remains user-friendly, attractive, and in line with contemporary design standards.<\/p>\n As part of your yearly design evaluation, it can be valuable to bring in external design expertise, especially when internal teams are focused on other priorities. Services like Superside<\/a> support in-house teams at enterprise companies by delivering scalable, high-quality web and email design, keeping your digital presence fresh, functional, and aligned with current UX standards.<\/p>\n What\u2019s a good design also changes throughout the years and you might need to make changes regularly so your site doesn\u2019t look outdated. According to Inc.com, \u201cOriginality is key, but avoid the temptation to layer on too many bells and whistles. What can you do without? Video with sound and too many moving things can put off potential customers and make websites take longer to load<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Website maintenance goes beyond simply “keeping the lights on<\/em>.” In order to maintain an authoritative presence online, a professional, well-kept website is also essential.<\/p>\n There are multiple reasons why website maintenance is so important:<\/p>\n Google loves websites that provide fresh, high-quality content.<\/p>\n In fact, \u201cevery time you make an update to your website, the search engine takes notice<\/a> and re-arranges your site\u2019s ranking<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Thus, if you want to increase the chances of your website getting a higher ranking, update the content frequently so that a search engine will reassess your position on its index.<\/p>\n What does this mean?<\/p>\n A website that updates its content regularly has higher visibility, more organic traffic, and better conversion rates.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t only mean adding more text, but also optimizing images<\/a>, updating metadata, and ensuring mobile responsiveness.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t take much to cause a bad impression.<\/p>\n In fact, 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a single bad experience<\/a>, and 79% will move on to another site if the one they\u2019re looking at does not live up to expectations.<\/p>\n What is considered a bad experience?<\/p>\n According to research, it could be anything from a bad mobile experience to a slow site to poor design. For example, a whopping 75% of people judge the quality of a company<\/strong> based on a website\u2019s overall aesthetics.<\/p>\n TIP<\/strong>: Allow visitors to stay engaged with your brand while the site is under maintenance through creative maintenance pages<\/a>.<\/p>\n By prioritizing maintenance, you ensure a seamless experience that keeps visitors coming back.<\/p>\n Did you know that over 2,200 cyber attacks affect websites every day?<\/p>\n That breaks down to nearly one cyberattack every 39 seconds<\/a>. Even more alarming is that 90% of these breaches are due to unpatched vulnerabilities that could have been easily prevented in the first place.<\/p>\n Regular site maintenance provides an added layer of defense against evolving cyber threats, protecting sensitive user data.<\/p>\n Remember that statistic about 75% of people judging your company by how your website looks?<\/strong><\/p>\n That highlights the importance of having a professional website more than anything else. Sloppy design can erode trust and send prospective customers straight into the arms of competitors.<\/p>\n The average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute. For small businesses, the <\/span>cost of downtime per minute falls in the range of $137 to $427 per minute<\/span><\/a>, according to Carbonite, though industry giants and busy e-commerce platforms can see revenue losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is website maintenance?<\/h2>\n
Should you do website maintenance on your own?<\/h2>\n
What goes into website maintenance?<\/h2>\n
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1. Weekly checks<\/h2>\n
Pages loading speed<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/webpage-bandonment.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSoftware and plugin updates<\/h3>\n
Clearing spam<\/h3>\n
Addressing broken links<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/SEO-extension.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Monthly checks<\/h2>\n
Optimizing website speed<\/h3>\n
Security scans<\/h3>\n
User engagement analysis<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Sale-Formulas-1-1.png\")
<\/a>Content review<\/h3>\n
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3. Quarterly checks<\/h2>\n
Review SEO and marketing strategies<\/h3>\n
Check for mobile optimization<\/h3>\n
Test user experience and interface<\/h3>\n
Audit and update multimedia elements<\/h3>\n
4. Yearly checkup<\/h2>\n
Content audit<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/content_audit-1.jpeg\")
<\/a>\n
Domain renewal<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/domain-expiry-notification.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nEmail health<\/h3>\n
Design evaluation<\/h3>\n
![\"design](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-at-16.15.28.png\")
<\/a>The importance of website maintenance<\/h2>\n
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SEO and visibility<\/h3>\n
Customer engagement<\/h3>\n
Fortified security<\/h3>\n
![\"top](\"https:\/\/uptimerobot.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Screenshot-2023-08-21-at-16.32.47.png\")
<\/a>Professional image<\/h3>\n
Potential downtime and costs<\/h3>\n