What to expect from a website maintenance package: A guide for small businesses and solopreneurs

5 October, 2024

Running a small business or solopreneur venture requires you to juggle many tasks – marketing, client relationships, financial management and more. Often, your website, one of your most critical business assets, can get lost in the shuffle.

But what happens when a plugin suddenly stops working, or your website loads slower than usual? This is where a website maintenance package becomes invaluable, especially for WordPress users.

In this post, I’ll walk through what you can expect from a WordPress website maintenance package, why it matters and how it can benefit your business.

wordpress website maintenance

1. Why website maintenance matters

Your WordPress site is more than just an online business card – it’s often your primary connection to potential clients. Keeping your website secure, fast and updated ensures you provide an optimal experience to your visitors while protecting your site from cyber threats.

Here’s why website maintenance is vital:

Security

Regular updates and monitoring help keep your website safe from hackers.

Performance

Regular maintenance ensures your site runs quickly and efficiently, improving user experience.

SEO

Search engines favour well-maintained websites that load quickly and have minimal downtime.

Uptime

Avoid losing potential business due to unexpected website crashes or broken links.

2. What does a website maintenance package include?

A well-structured WordPress maintenance package provides comprehensive care to ensure your site operates at peak performance.

Below are the essential services you can expect from a typical package.

1. Regular updates

WordPress frequently releases updates for its core software, themes and plugins. These updates often include security patches, performance improvements and new features. Without regular updates, your website could become vulnerable to security threats or stop functioning properly.

With a maintenance package, these updates will be managed for you, ensuring:

  • Your site is always running the latest, most secure versions.
  • Plugin compatibility issues are addressed quickly.
  • Your site’s performance remains optimised.

2. Website backups

Having regular backups of your website is critical. In the event of a security breach, server crash or accidental error, a backup allows you to quickly restore your site to its previous state.

A maintenance package usually includes automated daily or weekly backups, stored safely offsite, so you never have to worry about losing valuable content, customer data or hours of work.

3. Security monitoring

Security is one of the biggest concerns for small business websites, especially those handling sensitive customer information or ecommerce transactions. WordPress sites, like all websites, can be vulnerable to cyberattacks. Maintenance packages often include:

  • Real-time security monitoring to detect threats.
  • Malware scans to identify any potential risks.
  • Removal of suspicious or harmful files.

This helps keep your site secure, protects your customers and gives you peace of mind.

4. Performance optimisation

Have you ever visited a website and clicked away because it took too long to load? Slow load times can negatively impact your SEO rankings and your users’ experience.

A website maintenance package typically includes performance optimisation services such as:

  • Database cleaning and optimisation.
  • Image compression to reduce load times.
  • Caching configuration to boost speed.

These services ensure that your website remains fast and responsive, keeping both Google and your visitors happy.

5. Technical support

Not everyone is a tech expert, and even the most user-friendly platforms like WordPress can present challenges. A website maintenance package typically comes with access to support professionals who can assist with any technical issues.

Whether it’s a minor design tweak, a plugin malfunction or a more significant issue, having someone on hand to help allows you to focus on running your business rather than troubleshooting website problems.

6. Broken link and 404 error monitoring

Broken links or missing pages (404 errors) can frustrate visitors and hurt your SEO rankings. Maintenance services often include regular link checks to ensure that all your pages are accessible and working correctly.

request a free website audit

3. How a website maintenance package can benefit your business

Investing in a website maintenance package means you can focus on growing your business, knowing your site is in good hands.

Here’s how a package can benefit your small business or solopreneur venture: 

Save time

No more spending hours trying to figure out plugin conflicts or tracking down error messages. Your maintenance provider will handle it for you.

Reduce downtime

Regular monitoring and backups reduce the chances of your website going offline, ensuring potential customers can always access your business.

Boost your credibility

A fast, secure and well-maintained website conveys professionalism and builds trust with your visitors.

Improve SEO

Website speed, uptime and security are all factors that affect your search engine ranking. Regular maintenance helps improve these areas, boosting your visibility.

Peace of mind

Knowing your site is secure, backed up and running smoothly allows you to focus on your core business activities.

For small businesses and solopreneurs, a website maintenance package is not just an additional expense; it’s an investment in the long-term success and stability of your online presence.

Whether it’s regular updates, security monitoring, or technical support, a maintenance package allows you to focus on what you do best – running your business – while leaving the technical details to the experts.

Ready to keep your website performing at its best?

Consider signing up for a WordPress maintenance package that fits your business needs today.

Secure your website with my Website Care Plan. I’m here to help ensure your website remains a valuable asset for your business! 

FAQs

1. Why do I need a website maintenance package for my WordPress site?

A maintenance package helps keep your website secure, fast, and fully functional. It includes regular updates, security checks, performance optimisations, and technical support, which all work together to keep your site running smoothly. This lets you focus on your business without worrying about technical issues.

2. What services are typically included in a maintenance package?

A comprehensive website maintenance package usually includes:

  • Regular updates for WordPress, themes, and plugins
  • Automated daily or weekly backups
  • Real-time security monitoring and malware scanning
  • Performance optimization (e.g., caching, image compression, and database clean-up)
  • Technical support for troubleshooting issues
  • Broken link and 404 error monitoring
3. How does regular maintenance improve my website’s security?

Websites are vulnerable to cyber threats, especially if they aren’t regularly updated. Maintenance packages include real-time security monitoring, malware scans, and security patches that help protect against hackers and ensure your site remains safe for both you and your customers.

4. What happens if my website goes down or has an error?

Maintenance packages often include proactive uptime monitoring and regular backups. If your website goes down or an error occurs, your provider will work to restore it quickly using the latest backup. This helps minimise downtime and ensures a seamless experience for visitors.

5. Will a maintenance package improve my website’s speed?

Yes! Performance optimisation is a core component of maintenance packages. By optimising images, cleaning up databases, and setting up caching, maintenance services can make your website faster and more responsive, which benefits user experience and SEO rankings.

6. How does a maintenance package help with SEO?

Search engines favour websites that are fast, secure, and reliable. Maintenance packages ensure your website loads quickly, stays secure, and has minimal downtime — all of which contribute to better SEO rankings.

7. I don’t understand technical issues — can I get help if I need it?

Absolutely. A good maintenance package includes access to technical support professionals who can assist with any issues, from plugin malfunctions to minor design tweaks. This support means you don’t have to navigate technical problems alone.

8. What’s the difference between backups and security monitoring?
  • Backups are copies of your website’s data, saved on a schedule (daily or weekly), which can restore your site if there’s a problem.
  • Security monitoring involves actively scanning for threats like malware and identifying vulnerabilities. Together, they provide a robust defense against data loss and cyber attacks.
9. How does a maintenance package reduce my workload?

With a maintenance package, your provider handles updates, security monitoring, backups, and troubleshooting. This saves you time and ensures your website is always operating at its best, allowing you to focus on your business rather than website upkeep.

10. Is a website maintenance package worth the cost?

For small businesses and solopreneurs, a maintenance package is a valuable investment in the stability and security of your website. It prevents costly issues and downtime, enhances your site’s performance and SEO, and provides peace of mind, allowing you to confidently grow your online presence.

website designer
Hi there!

I’m Uta –
Brand and Website Designer for small businesses and solopreneurs.

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