“Website maintenance” gets sold as a vague monthly fee. It shouldn’t be vague. Here’s what the work actually is, what happens when nobody does it, and how to tell whether a maintenance plan is worth paying for.
The monthly work
Software updates
WordPress, its theme and every plugin release updates, many of them security fixes. Out-of-date software is the most common way small business sites get hacked. Updates should be applied regularly, with a backup taken first, and the site checked afterwards in case an update broke something.
Backups you can restore
A backup only counts if it’s stored away from the website and someone has tested restoring it. Daily backups kept for at least a few weeks cover most disasters, from a bad update to a hack.
Security and uptime monitoring
Someone should hear about it before you do when the site goes down, the SSL certificate is about to expire, or a login is being hammered.
Speed and health checks
Sites get slower and messier over time: a large image here, a new plugin there, a broken link after a page is renamed. A monthly look at speed, broken links and errors in Google Search Console catches these while they’re small.
Content changes
New hours, a new service, staff photos, a seasonal offer. For most businesses this is the part they notice. You email the change and it’s done, instead of logging in and hoping you don’t break the layout.
What happens without it
Nothing, at first. That’s the trap. Then a plugin conflict breaks the contact form and nobody notices for a month, or the site gets hacked and starts redirecting visitors elsewhere, or Google flags it as unsafe. When we audited our own old site we found a robots file pointing Google at roughly a thousand pages that no longer existed. Nobody had looked.
How to judge a maintenance plan
- Is it written down? A list of what’s included each month, not “we’ll take care of it”.
- Are backups off-site and tested?
- What happens when something breaks? Is fixing it included, and how fast?
- Are content changes included, and how many?
- Do you get a report or at least a note when work is done?
- Who does the work? Ideally the people who know your site.
What it costs to keep a website running
Every website has running costs, whoever builds it. Some are bills and some are time:
- The domain name, renewed every year.
- Hosting, monthly or yearly. Cheap shared hosting and hosting built for speed and security are very different products.
- The SSL certificate that puts the padlock in the address bar, often included with hosting.
- Paid themes and plugins, many of which need a yearly license to keep getting updates.
- Someone’s time for updates, backups, checks and changes. Doing it yourself costs hours; paying for it costs a monthly fee.
Add these up when you compare maintenance plans. A plan that looks cheap may leave hosting, licenses or fixes as extras.
What ours includes
Our managed plans bundle the website, hosting and the upkeep for one monthly price, from $297 a month after a one-time setup fee. Every plan includes hosting with SSL, security and updates; higher plans add unlimited content updates, CRM integration, SEO and a monthly strategy meeting. The details are on the managed websites page, and the website cost calculator shows which plan fits.
If your current site has gone a while without care, our website rescue service gets it back to a safe starting point. Or get in touch.
Common questions
What does website maintenance include?
Software updates with a backup taken first, off-site backups that have been test-restored, security and uptime monitoring, speed and health checks, and content changes like new hours or services.
What happens if a website isn’t maintained?
Nothing at first, which is the trap. Then a plugin conflict breaks the contact form, the site gets hacked, or Google flags it as unsafe, often without anyone noticing for weeks.
How much does website maintenance cost with Carey Enterprises?
Our managed plans bundle the website, hosting and upkeep for one monthly price, from $297 a month after a one-time setup fee. The website cost calculator shows which plan fits.
Managed websites · Carey Enterprises
Want someone to look after your website?
Our managed plans cover hosting, updates, backups and changes for one monthly price, from $297 a month. We’ll tell you which plan fits.