So you have this new website done in WordPress. It’s attractive, interactive, and is getting your name out there. That’s awesome! You’re good to go, right? You even know how to add products, blog posts, or page content yourself, but just the basic stuff. What more do you need? You’re paying for hosting, and they have some basic security and backup features. That’s all you need, right? Then your web designer or developer mentions something you hadn’t considered… WordPress maintenance.
What WordPress Professionals Should Do…
WordPress professionals need to remember about warning people that they will need maintenance after site completion. I admit, I didn’t used to mention it in my initial meeting with a client. As a result, clients often showed surprise when I launched their sites and then brought it up. WordPress maintenance? You didn’t say anything about that. It kind of came off as me looking for more money once the project was complete.
I now include that conversation in all initial client meetings, talking to them about the importance of WordPress maintenance and what it will do for them. I also tell them to look over my maintenance plans and that we’ll discuss which one is best for them after project completion. As a result, more of my original website clients have become long term maintenance clients. Why? They no longer felt blindsided about the cost.
Why Do I Need WordPress Maintenance?
Even the folks who created WordPress suggest that regular maintenance is essential. In their article, they liken it to auto maintenance. You understand the need to keep your car service in tune; your website is no different. Keeping a well maintained site ensures it always runs at its best.
Should I Do My Own WordPress Maintenance?
That depends. How comfortable are you? How much time do you have? You may be comfortable driving your car, but that doesn’t make you competent to work under the hood. Similarly, you may be able to add/edit content on your WordPress site, but that doesn’t qualify you to do all its maintenance.
A car mechanic knows the intricacies of your car and what could go wrong. Because of that, he or she can take preventative measures. WordPress maintenance works the same way. A professional knows what can happen if WordPress and its plugins are not updated regularly and correctly. Perhaps even more important is the site’s security. Someone extremely familiar with WordPress also knows of its security vulnerabilities. Not addressing WordPress security is just asking for trouble.
Not only is your comfort and expertise in question, but do you have the time? When people get swamped in business, WordPress maintenance and security is not at the top of their lists. In fact, it’s often the first thing to get pushed to the back burner. It’s only when something goes wrong that it gets the attention it deserved all along, and by then it’s too late. You’ll have to pay someone much more to fix the WordPress problem than to prevent it.
WordPress Maintenance is Insurance
Think of WordPress maintenance fees as an insurance policy. You pay the small monthly fee for the professional to handle it. My maintenance clients even get monthly reports of what I’ve been doing behind the scenes so they see where their money goes. Then, if something goes wrong, it’s on the professional and not on you. Having WordPress maintenance doesn’t mean nothing will ever go wrong, but it does ensure that the problem will be fixed immediately if it does. So make sure someone takes good care of your website (and backs it up), and keep swimming along!
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