What is web maintenance and plugin updates and how a business’s bottom-line can be harmed when not done.
Picture this: it’s 2014. The iPhone 6 is the hottest gadget around and everyone’s buzzing about the newest Marvel hit, Guardians of the Galaxy. But the best thing that happened that year? You just launched your shiny new website. 🎉
Now, fast forward a decade. You’re working remotely, chatting with clients on your iPhone 16, and Marvel has released twenty more films. Your website? It’s the exact same.
Unlike your grandmother’s fine china, your website isn’t something you can just place on a shelf and never touch again, especially if you depend on it for business revenue. Here at NMCO, we get it. Keeping up with web maintenance isn’t glamorous, but it’s crucial. Regular updates and a little TLC can transform your site, building trust and rapport with your audience and ultimately converting visitors into customers.
What is Web Maintenance?
But what does web maintenance even mean? Web maintenance ranges from vital plugin updates, to monitoring site security, testing site functionality, and even adding new content to your website. NMCO offers a variety of web maintenance packages that can be custom-tailored to your website’s needs, but here are some tips and tricks to help you.
What are Plugins and Why Update Them?
We’ve all been there. You’ve spent countless hours on a project, you go to hit save, and BAM, your computer hits you with the devastating message: “Software update. Restarting computer.” Websites are the same way. WordPress websites have third party plugins and themes that require regular updates. A plugin is a software component that enhances an existing website by adding specific functionality. Developed by third-party creators, plugins extend the website’s capabilities without altering its core code. They serve various purposes, including adding new features, boosting performance, enhancing security, and integrating additional services.
So, as developers of these plugins adjust bugs and improve their technology, your website also must be updated.
Failing to update your website can lead to several issues:
- Security Vulnerabilities: Outdated software is more susceptible to hacking and malware attacks. Updates often include patches for security flaws that have been discovered since the last version.
- Performance Issues: Updates frequently contain performance enhancements. Without these updates, your website may run slower or experience glitches.
- Compatibility Problems: As web technologies evolve, older versions of software may become incompatible with newer browsers, plugins, or other software components, causing parts of your website to malfunction or display incorrectly.
- Missing Features: Updates can bring new features and improvements that enhance user experience and functionality. Without updates, you miss out on these enhancements.
- SEO Impact: Search engines prefer websites that are secure, fast, and up-to-date. An outdated website can negatively affect your search engine rankings, reducing visibility and traffic.
- User Trust: A website that is frequently down, slow, or prone to errors can erode user trust and drive visitors away.
- Revenue Loss: Would you put your credit card information into a credit card machine that looks abandoned or not well cared for? The same scenario goes for your website. Not only that, lack of updates may affect the option to receive payments or to use your ticketing system if you have one.
Regularly updating your website helps ensure it remains secure, efficient, and user-friendly. It’s important to update these pieces as they get released. Ignoring updates and letting them pile up can cause more complications down the road as some updates may conflict with one another.
Note: Even with the best web maintenance, things still have a chance to go wrong. So don’t forget to back up your website before performing any major updates. And just like how you don’t have the same phone from 2014, you’ll want to do an overhaul on your website every two years.
The Best Content is Fresh Content
Your website is one of the first touchpoints that people have with your organization. To build and maintain trust, it’s vital that the content is accurate and true. If one part of your website’s content is false, why should your users believe the rest? Search Engines are constantly crawling web pages for new content, so give the people what they want and add new content to your website. This can be as small as staff page updates or as involved as weekly blogs.
Catch Bugs Before Your Users Do
Don’t let people who come to your website accidentally become user-testers. Ensure they have a 5-star digital experience by regularly testing contact forms or e-commerce functionality. Fifteen minutes of testing could result in hundreds of potential customers. Don’t let a pesky digital form be the thing keeping you from your full potential.
Don’t Let 2024 Be the New 2014
You’re not the same person ten years ago and won’t be the same in ten years. Your website shouldn’t be either. Websites are meant to grow with your business and serve your needs. So, don’t let your website gather virtual cobwebs. Let NMCO think about maintaining your website, so that you can focus on the things you do best. Reach out for a quote today!
