What you need to maintain your website, 5 lessons from a Manchester design agency

Maintaining a website is essential to ensure its performance, security, and relevance in today’s digital landscape. Whether you’re a local business in need of ongoing support or a company relying on a professional design agency, this guide explains the essentials of website maintenance, what you can handle yourself and what to expect from Future.

Why is website maintenance important?

A well-maintained website ensures:

• Optimal performance: Fast load times and seamless functionality.
• Strong security: Protection against malware, hackers, and data breaches.
• More effective SEO: Fresh content and healthy site structure improve rankings.
• User experience: A smooth and engaging experience keeps visitors returning, bringing you more business.

Key tasks for website maintenance

Regular backups

Frequent backups safeguard your data and make recovery easier in case of a crash or cyberattack. Use automated backup solutions to ensure consistency.

Software and plugin updates

Outdated software is a major security risk. Regularly update your website’s CMS (like WordPress), plugins, and themes to keep vulnerabilities at bay.

Content updates

Fresh content engages users and improves SEO. Regularly update blogs, products, and service pages to stay relevant and competitive.

Performance monitoring

Use tools like Google Analytics to track site performance and identify areas for improvement, such as slow-loading pages . Learn how to monitor your Google analytics 

Here at Future, we use the above in our monthly maintenance, we also test all the relevant contact forms on your site. Have a look at our WordPress maintenance services.

What to avoid in website maintenance

Ignoring security

Failing to install SSL certificates or update software leaves your site vulnerable to attacks. 

Using excessive plugins

Too many plugins can slow down your site and create compatibility issues. Only install essential ones from trusted sources. When we design and build your website we will communicate what plugins we recommend for your site. These will always be appropriate and only installed when absolutely necessary so site speed isn’t compromised.

Neglecting mobile optimisation

Mobile traffic accounts for a large share of web visits. Ensure your site is fully responsive across all devices and screen sizes. As mobile is getting more popular more than 63% of google searches come from mobile devices.

Should you handle maintenance or work with an agency?

DIY website maintenance

If you have the technical know-how, you can handle basic tasks like:

• Updating content – Through our custom site designs with wordpress it is easy to add new content and blog posts. For example, let’s say you post a new blog post to your site. The site will still function as normal and the blog post will match the theme of the rest of your content.
• Monitoring analytics – We can help you set up your Google Analytics account allowing you to track your site’s performance.

Agency-supported maintenance

For more complex tasks, Future can handle:

• Advanced security measures.
• Performance optimisation.
• Custom coding fixes.
• SEO audits and enhancements.

Hiring an agency ensures your site remains secure, fast, and user-friendly, allowing you to focus on growing your business.

What we offer

At our Web Design Agency in Manchester, we provide comprehensive website maintenance packages, including:

• Routine backups and updates: Keeping your site secure and functional.
• SEO monitoring: Ensuring your site ranks for key terms
• Performance optimisation: Improving speed and usability.
• Custom support: Tailored solutions to meet your unique needs.

FAQ Section: website maintenance

Q: Why do I need to maintain my website?

A: Maintenance ensures your site stays secure, performs well, and ranks higher on search engines. It also helps provide a better user experience. Nowadays sites need to be updated regularly to keep up with the speed of the market.

Q: Can I handle website maintenance myself?

A: Yes, basic tasks like content updates and monitoring performance can be managed. However, advanced security, SEO and coding updates are best handled by a professional agency.

Q: What should I look for in a website maintenance package?

A: Look for services like backups, updates, security checks, SEO monitoring, and performance optimisation.

Q: How often should I update my website’s software and plugins?

A: Updates should be performed as soon as new versions are released to minimise security risks and improve functionality. For blog posts, we’d recommend posting at least once a month, preferably every two weeks. This keeps your site ‘fresh’ in the eyes of Google.

Q: What happens if I neglect website maintenance?

A: Neglecting maintenance can lead to slow performance, security breaches, and lower search engine rankings. If your website could do with a revamp, contact us to see how we can help!