Why does my website need maintenance?

BCBD has twenty years of experience in designing websites. Things have drastically changed since the internet boom of the mid-90s. But for many clients, there is a misconception that their new website will work perfectly and forever once published. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

At BCBD, we build websites in Worpress. WordPress is a free, open source Content Management System which allows our clients personal access to make updates “on the fly” — without needing to understand HTML or how a website works. This is beneficial because it saves time and money. Our customers can make a simple edit, such as posting a blog or updating text and images, without having to call upon us.

However, while our website owners appreciate the ability to make easy edits themselves, the vast majority do not maintain their website’s stability and functionality.

Why do I need to maintain my WordPress site?

A WordPress website depends upon open source “themes” and “plugins” to function for your specific needs. Just like apps on your smart phone, these themes and plugins (along with WordPress itself) are regularly upgraded with improvements in functionality and security by the WordPress developers who created them.

Think of your computer or smart phone. When your computers or mobile devices (or the apps used on them) have issues, you take necessary steps to get things running smoothly. You make updates to the operating system. You update your software. Then you update your apps. And, if things are still not happening, you take it to an IT specialist.

The same rules apply to your website. Generally speaking, it requires a professional to perform specific tasks to keep things functioning properly in an ever-changing environment. If not maintained, your website will quickly become outdated. This impacts your visitors’ experience with your website. Broken links, timely page loads, and outdated content gives the impression that you are not paying attention to your customers’ needs.

Why do websites break?

The primary reason websites break or go down is because the environments they are built with never stay the same. WordPress websites contain thousands of lines of code written by numerous developers at different times and with various skill sets. WordPress evolves almost every day.

This also means that hackers with ill intentions can expose vulnerabilities in WordPress’s open source code. They look for suitable website candidates to exploit with viruses or malicious software (“malware”).

Most of BCBD’s clients are aware of these issues, yet some choose not to do regular maintenance. They have the mindset that “things seem to be running smoothly” and “why spend extra money if we don’t have to?”. Naturally, budget is always the foremost concern. However, prevention through constant upkeep will always cost much less than fixing or rebuilding a broken website.

The aftermath of a hacked website can have devastating results. It’s usually bigger than re-building your site from a backup. Many hackers leave code in place which continues to mess with your system to suit their desires. Once your site has been hacked, you will need to figure out how it happened, repair the damage it has caused, and then upgrade the website code with the latest software.

So if my website breaks, who’s to blame?

At BCBD, it is our duty to provide our clients with a functioning, bug-free and professional website upon delivery.

It is your web hosting company’s (Network Solutions, Bluehost, GoDaddy, etc.) job to ensure the hosting environment is running updated software — applying security fixes and making regular backups.

And lastly, it is your responsibility as the website owner to ensure your website is getting constant attention and regular maintenance. BCBD can provide these services for you with an annual or monthly maintenance agreement in place.

In summary, your website is a necessary investment for your business. It is your storefront to the world. With regular updates and maintenance, your site’s shelf-life will be increased (over a site that is left unchecked). Your website is not something you can abandon or forget about. It needs be treated as a crucial piece of your business in a constantly evolving environment. To be a successful investment for your business, your website must always be maintained. It must be updated on both a technical functionality level and a content level very often.

Contact BCBD to design, develop and maintain a new website for your organization.