Written by authenticweb
It is dizzying how quickly technology evolves.
Case in point? The way we consume music has changed dramatically over time. Vinyl records ruled as kings until the portable 8-track came along, only to eventually be replaced by cassette tapes. Later, CDs rose to fame (because who has time to be kind and rewind?). Time kept marching on, and MP3 players—and eventually digital streaming—replaced the CD format.
This is one of many examples of the speedy pace of change. Technology doesn’t stay stagnant—your website shouldn’t either. To stay relevant, you have to be vigilant about keeping your website maintained.
Here’s why.
You’re probably feeling pretty good about that sleek new site you just launched. It’s got all the bells and whistles, looks good on any sized browser, and your code is on point. So, you’re thinking you can set it and forget it for a little while.
And you would be wrong, wrong, wrongity, wrong.
You can’t plant a garden and expect it to grow without water. JavaScript, HTML and CSS need to be nurtured.
Right now, your website might be at the top of its class, but the web evolves rapidly, and before you know it, the functions that make the site run could be outdated. If you’re using a content management system (CMS), the main CMS files, templates and plugins/extensions will need to be refreshed frequently.
Regularly scheduled maintenance, we recommend at least monthly, can ensure that your website stays current with the latest technology. If you don’t stay on top of it, that hard work all goes out the window.
If you don’t make continued security updates a priority, you’ll end up paying for it in one way or another.
If your site is compromised by hackers, not only will your business lose revenue as a result of your site being down, but the cost of fixing the problem will likely be more expensive than if you had paid to prevent it from happening in the first place.
To add insult to injury, your company’s reputation might take a hit when customers see your site on the fritz and decide that a company that can’t maintain a decent website isn’t worth doing business with.
Many web agencies (like us!) offer 24/7 security monitoring for your site to help prevent website security breaches. Protect your website and invest in regular maintenance and support.
Maintaining your website is more than just implementing the right security measures, conducting updates or installing virus protection. It’s about building a relationship with your customers. One of the primary ways that customers engage with you is through your content.
From the copy on your homepage to the articles on your blog, fresh content is important to your users. They want to see that you’re active, involved, and on top of things.
Communicating well with your customers builds an impression of trust, responsiveness, and caring. When they see outdated content, any number of things may cross their mind.
Your company image is a priority. Don’t give site visitors a bad first impression. With a proper content maintenance strategy, you can keep your site fresh, relevant, and appealing.
Is your website on autopilot? Google knows, and it displeases them.
Outdated content, broken links and a dated search engine optimization (SEO) strategy will hurt your rankings, and probably your bottom line. Staying on top of competitor trends, optimizing your site’s keywords and pumping out new content will keep you at the top of your SEO game.
Refreshing your site’s content will help you stay relevant in the search engines, making it easier for people to discover your business. Consider launching a blog and posting to it a few times a month to ensure the content keeps coming.
Just make sure that continued evaluation of your site’s SEO is a part of your maintenance plan.
Failure to continue to keep your website maintained can torpedo all the hard work and money that you’ve invested into it.
Enlist your web marketing agency to handle your website’s maintenance support and management, so you can leave the web work to them, and focus on your business.
And, if you don’t have an agency at the moment or have gone the DIY route, we’d be most pleased to chat with you and see if we may be of service.
