Regular website maintenance is crucial for all businesses, big or small. Because the digital world is continually growing and evolving, websites often becomes the “face” of a company.
This is where potential clients and customers come to not only learn about your products and services, but to understand who you are and what you stand for.
Similar to maintaining a car, websites need regular checkups to ensure that everything is in working order and functioning in a safe and efficient manner. Having an attractive, user-friendly, responsive website creates a great foundation for your online presence, but regular upkeep and maintenance is where you will see your site, and your visibility, grow and flourish.
Here are six reasons why regular website maintenance is important for your business.
1) Security- Protect Yourself and Your Customers
If you use a content management system (CMS) like WordPress, it’s important to keep it updated with the latest bug fixes and security patches. Hackers don’t discriminate when it comes to breaking into websites, and when they get in, they often upload Trojan and malware that not only wreaks havoc on your site, but has the potential to infect your customer’s computers. How do hackers get in? Outdated software. Hackers will actively seek out websites that haven’t upgraded to the most recent software because they are easier targets.
2) First Impressions Matter- The Customer Experience
Do you ever go to a meeting or exchange business cards with someone and later go online to check out their website? There’s a good chance they are doing the same thing.
The last thing you want is for a potential customer or business partner to visit your website for the first time and see your “latest company update” that’s three years old. Same goes for featured products, specials, or events. Regular website maintenance will ensure that the user experience is fresh and exciting as well as sending a message to customers that you are active and on top of your game.
Have you checked your links or contact forms lately? How about names, phone numbers, or price lists? When customers encounter broken links or outdated information, this reflects poorly on your company and often results in a negative user experience, reducing the odds of customers revisiting your page.
3) Search Engines- Boost Your Rankings and Drive Traffic
Search engines adore new content. The more you update your website, the more search engines will visit your site and raise your rankings. Adding new content not only keeps your site interesting, but it gives you the opportunity to use more keywords, and increased rankings result in increased traffic.
4) Information- Give Customers a Reason to Come Back
If you provide relevant, interesting, shareable content, there’s a good chance customers will continue to revisit your site. Let people know you are an industry leader by giving them recent news, images, and videos that are both informative and engaging. Regularly update your blog (or start one if you don’t have one), send out a monthly newsletter, or become more active on social media platforms. Help your customers achieve their goals with fresh content and become the go-to company in your field.
5) Updates- Keep Your Website Running Smoothly
On platforms like WordPress, updates are offered on a regular basis. These updates keep your site running smoothly and efficiently which creates an easier, more user-friendly experience for visitors. Most platforms will alert you of new updates, so be sure to keep an eye out and update as soon as possible.
6) Backup Your Website- Don’t Lose Important Information
Backing up your website on a regular basis is crucial. Technology has its downfalls, and the last thing you want is to lose all of the information on your website. Backing up your site once a month is a great idea and an integral aspect of website maintenance.
Too busy running your business to perform monthly website maintenance? No problem. Here at Blindspot, we specialize in helping small-medium businesses navigate and grow in the digital space.
Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you maintain your website to ensure it’s safe, efficient, and providing your customers with the ultimate user experience.