When a website is launched, many like to think it’s a finished product and the work is complete. However, the reality of the situation is that websites are like houses and cars – they require ongoing maintenance to keep them fully functioning and up to date.

In the ever-changing world of the internet, software updates are inevitable, and with this comes bugs, broken links, and other unexpected problems. By proactively monitoring and maintaining your website, you can stay ahead of the game and prevent any major dysfunctional errors from occurring. After all, your website is one of the most important reflections of your business, and a website glitch could cost you potential customers.

Below are 5 reasons why web maintenance is beneficial for business:

1. Cost-Effectiveness
A common reason why website owners don’t invest in maintenance is that of the associated costs. However, just like a car, a website is cheaper to maintain than it is to repair. If your website isn’t running effectively, this may result in lost business from customers leaving your site, particularly if the site is e-commerce. Examples of reasons why customers might back out include slow loading times, unresponsiveness, broken links, and an outdated or unprofessional look and feel, to name a few. To summarize, it is more cost effective to make regular maintenance updates than it is to patch up huge issues.

2. Peace of Mind
Making sure you have access to a developer that is capable of solving any website issues will give you peace of mind. Using the car metaphor again, compare the developer to roadside assistance or insurance – someone who is on call and ready to solve any problems you may have.
By ignoring your website’s maintenance needs, these issues can build up over time and lead to bigger, more expensive problems. Or if something happens completely out of the blue, like a cyber attack for example (according to Huffington Post, they are on the rise), it’s best to have a developer on call.

3. Make The Right Impression
People make snap judgments, that’s just a fact of life. If your website was designed and developed two years ago and hasn’t been updated since, chances are, you won’t make a good first impression. This will reflect poorly on your brand image and reputation. How can visitors trust you to provide an adequate product or service, if you can’t provide a website that is fully functioning and up to date?
Websites should first provide a smooth overall user experience to make a good impression on the customer, and then they will take the time to learn about your products or services.

4. SEO
Search engines want to deliver the most relevant and timely information to their users, and so when you keep on top of updates and add new content to your website, search engines will favor you and improve your rankings. The more often you update, the higher your ranking will be. Conversely, search engines will lower your ranking if your site is outdated.

5. Customer Satisfaction
It’s important to provide the best possible user experience for your customers, because one bad site visit could prevent them from buying from you again. The last thing your customers want is a site that’s hard to navigate, or a site that’s filled with photos and blog posts that are years old. By making sure your website displays correctly across all modern devices, and by keeping your design and content fresh, updated and relevant, you’re much more likely to have satisfied customers that will spread positive word of mouth.

Here at HMG, we understand that web maintenance is critical for achieving optimal results from your website, but we also understand that maintaining your website can be overwhelming, and you may not have the resources in-house to do so. This is why we offer monthly ongoing support. Think of us as your go-to strategic development team, only a phone call away from help. This allows you to do the important things you should be doing in order to effectively run your business. Let us lighten your load!

Need more info? Get in touch!