Why do Websites Need Maintenance? 9 Benefits of Website Maintenance

Why Do Websites Need Maintenance?

When I was 16, I inherited my mom's blue mustang. I loved driving that car, and I put a LOT of miles on it chauffeuring my friends around. I loved that car all the way up until the day the engine abruptly seized...stranding me on the side of a highway.

Unfortunately, at the time, I didn't have the slightest idea that cars actually require regular oil changes. Either no one ever taught me that lesson, or I didn't listen well when they did (...probably this one).

Why am I talking about a car on a post about website maintenance?....you may have guessed that I'm drawing a parallel here....

Your website is no different than a car engine or any other machine. It needs regular attention to keep it running and performing at its best.

Yes...Website Maintenance is Just as Important as Changing the Oil in Your Car

Your website is a crucial part of your business. It generates leads, customers and revenue (or at least it should). It’s a channel through which customers, suppliers, potential new staff and partners find you and engage with you, and it's fundamental to the success of your business.

As your "online lead generation machine", your website needs proper attention not only to keep it secure, but also to maximize what it does for your business. A website is no longer a "set it and forget it" part of your business.

Let's take a look at some of the big benefits that come from keeping your website software and content up-to-date.

9 Reasons Why Website Maintenance is Important

Learn some important benefits achieved by proper maintenance on your website.

Out-of-date software is the #1 cause of malware infections.

1. Improve Website Security & Prevent Hacks by Running the Latest Software Versions

It's critical to keep software up-to-date for your website to run like a finely tuned machine. All website software is vulnerable to attacks, but diligent, responsible software authors (like those at WordPress) are always patching up vulnerabilities in new releases.

The Latest Version of Software has the Latest Security Patches

If you've ever used antivirus software on your computer, you are probably familiar with the concept of keeping the 'virus definitions' updated by downloading the latest ones. If you don't keep the virus definitions updated, the antivirus software can't do its job because it's operating using old information. You can think of website software updates in the same way. Keeping the software updated to the latest version ensures you have the latest vulnerability patches in place greatly reducing the risk of being hacked.

When it Comes to Website Hacks, An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.

Preventing an attack is by far the least expensive approach for dealing with malware. By avoiding hacks in the first place, you can avoid landing your website on a blacklist, site downtime, damage to your site's reputation and the expense of cleaning it up.

Once a website has been hacked, clean up options are:

• Restore from Backup: Restore to a previous back up of the site prior to the hack (assuming you have one). If you don't have a recent back up, you may lose content that has only recently been added to your site. You need to be sure you are going far enough back to before the site was hacked.
• Hire a Malware Removal Service: Hire a malware removal service such as Sucuri to clean up the infection and request removal from blacklists.
• DIY: Clean it up yourself - We don't recommend doing this. We know what to look for and we still rely on scanning tools and services to help clean up infections.

The constant parade of website vulnerabilities demonstrates the importance of regular updates to any website software (not just WordPress). So, if your WordPress admin area looks like this...

...then it's time for an update.*

*Before logging in to your admin and clicking away on Update buttons, you need to make sure you have a full backup of your site (both site files and database). See # 5 below.

2. Avoid Looking Stale and Outdated with Regular Blog Posts

To really make the most of your website investment, it pays to keep your website content fresh with a business blog. For a B2B business, by the time a client initiates contact with you, they are already 57% through the purchasing decision (Source: CEB). Make the most of this opportunity by having useful content that showcases your expertise available on your site.

Look Like an Expert, Not Like You're Out of Business

The state of a business' website says a lot about the business, whether intended or not. When you browse the web researching a product or service you need, if you come across a website that looks a little dated, or where the latest blog post displayed on the home page is from 2012, you make assumptions.

You might assume that the business doesn't keep up with the latest information in its field, or perhaps even that they are no longer in business.

When prospects look at your site, are they seeing a recent blog post on the home page?

3. Protect & Improve Search Engine Rankings with Frequently Updated Content

Taking care to regularly update your site with new content does more than show visitors that your business is well-versed in the latest industry news.

As you add new content to your site, the search engine rankings for the topics discussed in the content will have the opportunity to improve. More high-quality indexed pages and posts on your website will improve your search engine credibility. Over time will boost your ranking in search engine results. In fact, this type of content marketing is a cornerstone of advanced SEO techniques we use.

While the number of indexed pages of a website is not a direct factor in search engine rankings, having more pages gives you more opportunities to rank. Focus on publishing helpful, relevant, high-quality content that helps your prospects know, like and trust you.

Keeping website content up-to-date is crucial for engaging visitors and maintaining relevance. Regular content updates, including adding new pages, blog posts, or products, help attract and retain users while improving search engine visibility and rankings.

4. Updated Features & Functionality

Websites rely on various software components, including content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, plugins, and themes. Regular updates and maintenance ensure that these components remain compatible, functional, and free of bugs, enhancing website usability and accessibility.

With each new software release comes shiny new features and functionality. Take advantage of the latest and greatest WordPress has to offer.

5. Recover Quickly from Disasters with Regular Backups

Regular backups are essential for safeguarding website data against loss or corruption. In the event of a server failure, hacking incident, or accidental data deletion, backups ensure that websites can be restored quickly with minimal disruption, reducing downtime and potential data loss.

A good WordPress maintenance and care plan must include regular backups of your website. In the event of a hack or other disastrous loss of data, having a recent full backup of your website can allow you to get your site back online very quickly.

Sometimes during the WordPress update process, an interruption in the connection can cause data to be corrupted resulting in an error. With a full backup handy and the proper software tools, it takes only minutes to restore a website to the previous day's version.

6. Know About Website Issues Immediately With Monitoring

Monitoring tools can continuously track website performance, security, and availability. They can quickly identify issues such as downtime, slow loading times, or security breaches, enabling website owners to take immediate action before problems escalate.

7. Maintain Credibility & User Trust

Well-maintained websites convey professionalism, reliability, and trustworthiness to visitors. A website that is regularly updated, secure, and performs well instills confidence in users and encourages them to return and engage with the content or services offered.

8. Make a Good First Impression With a Site that Loads Fast

Maintenance tasks such as optimizing speed, managing server updates, resolving performance issues, and minimizing downtime contribute to improved website performance. Faster-loading pages enhance user experience, reduce bounce rates, and positively impact search engine rankings.

9. Cost Savings

Proactive website maintenance helps prevent costly issues such as security breaches, data loss, and website downtime. By investing in regular maintenance, website owners can avoid expensive emergency fixes and mitigate the risk of revenue loss due to website-related issues. When considering how much a website costs, it's important to consider the cost of ongoing maintenance.

What happens if a website is not maintained?

If a website is not properly maintained, over time several negative consequences can occur including:

• Security Vulnerabilities: Without regular updates and security measures, websites become vulnerable to cyber attacks, malware infections, and data breaches. Hackers often exploit outdated software or known vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to websites and sensitive information.
• Performance Issues: Neglected websites may experience slow loading times, frequent downtime, and usability problems. Outdated software, bloated code, or server issues can degrade website performance, leading to poor user experience, higher bounce rates, and loss of traffic and revenue.
• Loss of Trust and Credibility: Websites that appear outdated, contain broken links or errors, or lack updated content can create a negative impression on visitors. Users may perceive such websites as unprofessional, unreliable, or insecure, leading to a loss of trust and credibility in the brand or organization behind the website.
• SEO Penalties: Search engines prioritize websites that provide fresh, relevant, and high-quality content while penalizing those with outdated or low-quality content. Neglected websites may experience a decline in search engine rankings, reduced organic traffic, and diminished online visibility, impacting their ability to reach and attract new audiences.
• Data Loss or Corruption: Without regular backups and maintenance, websites are at risk of data loss or corruption due to server failures, hacking incidents, or accidental deletions. Without backups, recovering lost data can be challenging or impossible, resulting in permanent loss of valuable content, customer information, or business data.
• Legal and Compliance Risks: Websites that do not adhere to legal requirements or compliance standards related to privacy, accessibility, or data protection may face legal consequences, fines, or lawsuits. Failure to maintain compliance with regulations such as GDPR or ADA can result in legal liabilities and reputational damage for some businesses or organizations.

Whether you do it yourself or have someone else manage your website, website maintenance is essential for ensuring the security, performance, functionality, and credibility of your website, ultimately contributing to its long-term success.

Want to learn more about WordPress Website Care & Maintenance?

Our Maintenance & Care Plan