Websites Don’t Run on Autopilot
As with any operating system or software program, a website needs regular maintenance to keep it working properly. Years ago, when I was enrolled in preliminary flight training, the first thing I learned was that checklists were my best friends. I needed to make sure that the airplane I was about to fly had fuel, was in top shape, and that any issues found during website maintenance had been repaired and tested.
Many years later, I still employ checklists, but now I do so with my website care team as we methodically maintain websites for our clients. If you are busy running your business or organization, you probably don’t have the time or expertise to check your website regularly to see how it’s functioning or to keep it maintained on your own.
Your website is one of your most important marketing and communication tools, and it needs regular care and attention to ensure it is performing optimally for your business.
The Benefits of Website Care
Your website’s performance, load time, uptime and downtime, and user-friendly interface are all critical to your success online. All of these factors are largely dependent on how well and how often your site is being monitored, that backups are available in case a problem arises, and that updates are run in a smooth and error-free fashion.
Having website usage reports can also inform you about what is and isn’t working with your online approach, as well as show you how visitors are finding and interacting with your website. Where are you successfully converting site visitors into business leads, purchasing customers, or organizational supporters? And where are you losing them?
All of this data provides information on how to manage and improve your website over time to help you meet your goals.
Our Maintenance Process
With all of Status Forward’s website care plans, our team routinely checks and updates your website and provide monthly website care reports. We run through careful checklists for all maintenance and support tasks.
A backup is created before all updates, and then the site is checked after completion to make sure things are still running smoothly. We also keep a record of exactly what we are updating so if there is ever an issue, we can see what was changed to troubleshoot the problem.
Using software to monitor your website regularly, we know when critical updates need to be performed ahead of our regular maintenance schedule.
It is Costly to Rebuild
Allowing your website to sit and collect dust is no longer a viable business option. Over the past few years, we’ve seen increases in hack attempts, malware, phishing scams, and security vulnerabilities. As technology evolves, developers are constantly updating website software to make it more secure, faster, and more visible to search engines. If you miss those updates, you could be putting your website and online reputation at risk.
Neglecting your website can also lead to expensive repair fees or the need for a new website. We know because we’ve seen it. We’ve had many clients come to us over the years with an outdated site that no one at their organization knows how to manage. Or they seek our help after their site has been hacked. This usually happens when the original developer simply handed over the keys at the completion of a website build project.
As our clients know, we believe in long-term website care and in long-term partnerships. The sustainability and scalability of your website matters to us. It should continue to support your business as it grows and changes over time.
We Care About Website Care
We know you are busy doing what you do best. That’s why we offer robust website maintenance plan to do what we do best. If you partner with Status Forward to build or improve your website, know that we will keep your site in proper working order for the long haul.
