Why Website Maintenance Updates Are Crucial for Your Business

How far would you drive your car with no oil, failing breaks and the check engine lights flashing on the dash? The answer is most people wouldn’t even feel safe driving around the block. 

Think of your website like your car, you need to make sure you address all those flashing warning signs and book in for regular maintenance and services. Without some care and attention, websites become slow to load, difficult to navigate, and plagued with broken links that can frustrate users and lose potential sales.

So what is the equivalent of an oil change for your website? Unsure if you need to a get a new website or fix your existing one? Let’s break down all you need to know about website maintenance for your site. 

Why is Website Maintenance Important? 

Is website maintenance really necessary? The answer is yes! Just like your car needs regular servicing and maintenance, your website needs proper care. Maintenance is essential to ensure your website runs smoothly and problems like broken links and performance issues are caught before they impact your business. 

For a regular maintenance checklist, include key steps like:

• Check for updates to your CMS, plugins, and themes regularly.
  • Ensure compatibility with the latest versions to avoid bugs and security vulnerabilities.
    
• Perform scheduled backups (daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your site’s activity).
  • Store backups in a secure location, preferably off-site or in the cloud.
    
• Fix or remove broken links to maintain a seamless user experience and SEO ranking.
  
• Review Google Analytics or other analytics tools to identify traffic patterns, user behaviour, and potential issues.
  • Keep an eye on bounce rates and any unusual traffic spikes that may indicate a problem.
    
• Remove unused plugins, old files, or outdated content that may slow down your site.

Website Security

Hackers love to target and exploit outdated software, leaving your website open to a range of ransomware, malware and breaches of data. Regular updates to your software ensure you have the most up to date security to protect your site. 

Schedule frequent checks for plugin updates and apply them as soon as they’re available. This includes your CMS (like WordPress), themes, and any third-party integrations.

For more website security measures, here are 8 Key Tips you can follow. 

Maintenance Tips for Website Security

• Keep plugins up to date to minimise the risk of data breaches.
• Regularly update plugins, especially if your site handles sensitive information like user data or payment details.
• Outdated plugins can lead to vulnerabilities that expose critical information.

Website Performance

Website load time refers to the amount of time it takes for a web page to fully load and display all its content, including text, images, videos, and interactive elements. According to skilled.co, 47% of customers expect a website to load in under 2 seconds. Your website’s loading time is a crucial factor in shaping the first impression your customers have of your business. It’s one of the key elements that instantly influences their perception. 

A website with fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and functional elements keeps users engaged and encourages repeat visits. 

Most importantly, the faster your load speed is and more efficient your website is, the higher likelihood of converting browsing customers to paying ones. 

Maintenance Tips for Website Performance

• Compress large images using tools to maintain quality and improve loading speed.
• Regularly remove outdated plugins to enhance performance and reduce security risks.
• Include plugin checks as part of your routine maintenance.

SEO: Maintaining Search Engine Rankings

Good SEO maintenance often translates to faster load times, mobile-friendly design, and up-to-date content, all of which enhance the overall user experience.

On the flip side, broken links create a poor user experience and can negatively impact your SEO. Search engines will penalise sites with too many broken links, as they indicate a lack of maintenance.

Maintenance Tips for SEO

• Regularly update meta tags and descriptions to stay relevant with current search trends.
• Ensure meta tags and descriptions reflect updated content and keywords for improved SEO.
• Keep an eye on search trends to adjust your meta tags accordingly.

Keeping Your Audience Engaged

What’s the benefit of refreshing your content? According to Contentoo with content marketing strategies you can create the same amount of new business for your site as traditional means of advertising, but with a 62% less cost. 

Refreshing and updating your content is also an essential part of staying relevant and up to date with industry trends. Sharing recent industry news or changes helps establish your website as a credible source of current information. This can position your company as a thought leader in your field and encourage users to return for the latest updates.

Maintenance Tips for Boosting Audience Engagement

• Regularly update high-impact pages (homepage, service pages, blog posts) to reflect the latest information and trends.
• Ensure key pages are fresh and relevant to boost user engagement.
• Optimise your website’s navigation and internal links to make it easy for users to find important content. 

Compliance and Compatibility

When updating your website it’s not just your customers that you need to consider, but also government regulations and compliance.

Regulations and guidelines are essential for protecting personal information, ensuring accessibility for all users, maintaining high-quality digital experiences, and preventing misuse or harm. They help safeguard privacy, promote fairness, and ensure that websites remain functional and inclusive.

Regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US, and the Australian Privacy Act (The Privacy Act 1988) dictate how businesses must handle user data and ensure accessibility. 

Non-compliance can result in hefty fines, legal actions, and damage to your business’s reputation.

Maintenance Tips for Compliance and Compatibility

• Regularly test your website on different browsers and devices to ensure compatibility and optimal performance.
• Keep your site updated to prevent functionality issues across various platforms.
• Ensuring cross-platform compatibility improves overall user experience and accessibility.

Key Takeaways 

Website maintenance is like regular car servicing, it’s not optional but a vital investment to keep your vehicle running smoothly. Just as a car needs periodic checks to ensure its engine, brakes, and tyres are in top condition, your website requires consistent upkeep to safeguard its security, maintain performance, and enhance SEO.

Neglecting these aspects can lead to vulnerabilities, slow load times, and decreased visibility in search engine results.

To keep your digital “vehicle” in prime condition, evaluate your current maintenance practices and consider the benefits of routine updates and audits. Regularly checking for issues and implementing improvements can significantly boost your site’s effectiveness and user satisfaction.

Evaluate your website’s maintenance practices! Unsure about how you can best serve your customers? We reckon we can help! 

ireckon Digital can with your Website Maintenance and Fixes! Don’t keep losing out on your customers due to performance issues! Start converting more customers today!