Your website is the digital face of your business.
It will become susceptible to bugs, hacks, and decay without proper care and maintenance.
Just so you know, as of 2023, there are more than 1.11 billion websites on the Internet. And only 18% of that number are active. Even so, it comes to about 200 million websites.
With a number this huge, upkeep is essential and primary. Consider a website to be a garden where the internet’s overgrowth will swallow unattended plots.
So, you must tend your site through proactive website care plans. Backups, speed checks, and security scans should be routine.
Also, a Stanford study shows 94% of first impressions are design-based. So, if you have an outdated or broken site, it will reflect poorly on your business/brand.
Regular updates and optimizations would make good “curb appeal.”
Further, this would reduce the load time, indirectly improving conversions and user retention.
To shed some light, as per a study by Portent in 2019 (updated back in 2022), 0-2 second load time has seen the best conversion rates, going about 40%.
Any more and the conversion was seen to tank drastically. Going down to 29% and further decreasing as the page load time increased.
So, understand that the risks of an abandoned website are too great. Visitors will quickly go elsewhere. A robust care plan keeps things tidy, secure, and engaging.
Let’s explore how to keep your online home thriving in the wild digital landscape.
Website care plans are proactive maintenance programs designed to keep websites healthy, secure, and performing optimally.
They involve regularly monitoring, updating, and improving a website to prevent problems and keep it running smoothly.
A website care plan is essential for businesses to maintain the functionality and security of their websites.
Regular updates and security measures help protect against cyber threats and ensure a smooth user experience.
Next up, we look at the key elements you can find in a website care plan.
What are the key elements of such website care plans?
Some key elements of a robust website care plan include:
- Security updates – Installing patches, updates, and plugins as soon as they are released prevents over 80% of hacks and malware infections. Neglecting security updates leaves websites exposed.
- Backups – Regular automated backups save 99% of lost data and files in the event of server crashes, hacking, or human errors. Backups enable quick recovery with minimal disruption.
- Performance checks – Monitoring site speed, broken links, error messages, and other performance indicators on a bi-weekly basis to identify over 90% of optimization needs before they severely impact traffic and conversions.
- Content updates – Adding new content, checking for outdated information, and freshening design elements monthly keeps information accurate, websites compelling, and keeps visitors engaged.
- SEO improvements – Optimizing keywords, site architecture, alt text, and ensuring technical SEO best practices maintains organic rankings and improves domain authority.
- Testing – Cross-browser, cross-device testing bi-annually catches over 85% of display and compatibility issues. Annual accessibility testing is also critical.
- Malware scanning – Using malware detection software monthly prevents infections and blacklisting.
Following such a comprehensive web care plan requires an investment of time and other resources but pays off exponentially by keeping websites in peak condition year-round. It’s essential for preventative web maintenance.
Some alarming stats you might want to know!
Before we proceed and discuss why you should require a web care plan, here are some facts/stats I would like to share to understand why website maintenance is important.
- Downtime: According to a study by Gartner,the average cost of IT downtime is $5,600 per minute. This highlights the importance of regular website maintenance to prevent downtime and ensure that your website is always up and running.
- Security: In 2022, there were 5.3 billion internet users worldwide. This means that there is a large pool of potential targets for cybercriminals. Regular website maintenance, including software updates and security checks, is crucial to prevent security breaches and protect your website and its users.
- Speed: A 100-millisecond delay in website loading time can result in a 7% reduction in conversions. This emphasizes the importance of regularly optimizing your website’s speed through maintenance tasks such as image compression and code optimization.
- Backups: 30,000 websites are hacked every day. Regular website backups are crucial to ensure that you can quickly restore your website in the event of a security breach or other issues.
I’ve quite frequently mentioned hacks. Another alarming stat, as per Sucuri through their Hacked Website Report 2022, states:
- More than half (50.58%) of infected CMS applications were running outdated software versions at the time of infection. Keeping software up-to-date is a crucial security practice that many overlook.
- Over one-third (36%) of hacked websites had at least one vulnerable plugin or theme still active when remediation efforts began. The importance of promptly patching known vulnerabilities cannot be overstated.
- An alarming 69.63% of breached sites had backdoors planted by attackers at the time of discovery. Backdoors enable repeat compromises and must be thoroughly searched for and eliminated.
The data paints a problematic picture of systemic security shortcomings. From outdated platforms to unpatched flaws, poor software hygiene puts websites in the crosshairs.
Hope these found a way to gain your attention on the fact that your website could be on the verge of a potential threat.
Even keeping the threats aside, lack of maintenance would not only make your website look shabby and uncool but also take away the potential opportunities that were coming your way.
Key recommendations in terms of keeping your website safe
- Maintain updated CMS and plugins
- Implement strong passwords and two-factor authentication
- Install DDoS protection, malware scanners, and firewalls
- Perform frequent backups and software updates
- Monitor traffic for anomalies and threats
- Develop an incident response plan for attacks
- Limit employee access to critical systems
- Stay educated on emerging cyber threats and protection strategies
Maintain updated CMS and plugins
With the rapid release of new software versions, it’s critical to stay on top of updates for your CMS (WordPress, Drupal, etc.) and any plugins you use. Outdated systems become vulnerable to exploits that are patched in newer releases.
Set up automatic background updates wherever possible, or schedule regular manual updates. Prioritize updates that fix security issues. For plugins, choose only reputable ones with a good track record of maintenance.
Avoid abandoned or infrequently updated plugins where possible. Keeping your core systems and plugins updated is one of the easiest ways to protect your site.
Implement strong passwords and two-factor authentication
Using strong, unique passwords is an essential website security measure. Avoid common words, phrases, or personal info in passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to require a code from a separate device when logging in.
This prevents unauthorized access if a password is compromised. Use a password manager to generate and store strong passwords. Require strong passwords for all administrator and user accounts. Force password changes periodically.
Limit login attempts to prevent brute-force attacks. Implementing robust password policies and 2FA secures your site against account takeovers, one of the top threats.
Install DDoS protection, malware scanners, and firewalls
To guard against various cyber threats, deploy key protective tools.
DDoS mitigation services absorb and deflect flood attacks aiming to take down your site. Antimalware scanners detect and remove viruses, spyware, and other dangerous code.
Web application firewalls filter incoming traffic and block exploits. Hardening your site with a layered security approach makes it far more difficult for attackers to find vulnerabilities.
Monitor these systems and update their configurations regularly to ensure maximum effectiveness against an evolving threat landscape.
The right security tools provide invaluable shielding against attacks.
Perform frequent backups and software updates
One of the best defenses is being prepared to recover from an incident quickly.
Perform frequent automated backups of your website files and database so you can rapidly restore data in the event of corruption or deletion.
Test restoration periodically to verify backup integrity. Keep offline backups as well to aid recovery from ransomware. Also stay on top of software updates, which patch security flaws.
Following regular backup and update best practices enables you to minimize downtime and data loss from various mishaps or malicious actions.
Monitor traffic for anomalies and threats
Actively monitoring your web traffic lets you detect unusual activity that may indicate an attack. Use log analysis tools to watch for spikes in errors, bandwidth use, suspicious IP patterns, attempted exploits, and other red flags.
Configure alert notifications for potential issues. Also, scan regularly for malware, vulnerabilities, and other signs of compromise.
Having visibility into your traffic and environment allows quick incident response and remediation to limit damage from threats. Make active threat monitoring part of your daily security regimen.
Develop an incident response plan for attacks
Despite best efforts, your site may suffer a breach. Creating and practicing an incident response plan enables effective containment and recovery. Define steps to isolate, investigate, and remediate threats.
Train staff on response procedures and have technical/legal resources ready. Speed is critical to limit an attack’s impact once detected.
Take further steps like notifying customers if sensitive data is exposed. Planning ahead for security incidents helps you handle them in an organized way and bounce back faster.
A quick response time, as a result, will help battle and minimize operational downtime.
Limit employee access to critical systems
Your own staff likely has the most opportunity to intentionally or accidentally damage your site. Limit their access through role-based permissions and approve changes to critical systems.
Be cautious when granting admin privileges and review rights regularly. Enforce strong password policies and watch for suspicious insider activity.
Educate employees on security best practices and hold them accountable. While insider threats are difficult to control fully, taking proactive steps here makes a big difference in website security.
Stay educated on emerging cyber threats and protection strategies
The website security landscape evolves rapidly as new threats appear and technology changes.
Stay up-to-date by regularly reviewing security blogs, reports, and best practices guides. Attend web security training sessions and conferences. Sign up for services that provide intelligence on new attack methods and tools.
Adjust your defenses to counter emerging risks. Knowledge is power when it comes to cybersecurity. Maintaining continuous learning will help you keep your site’s protection current.
Why do you need website care plans?
Small business website care plans have been gaining popularity in recent times.
With increasing competition and technological advancements, small businesses find it challenging to handle the technical processes all by themselves while simultaneously working on the core business operations.
This is where web care plans come to the rescue.
It’s like a package where a team of experienced professionals handles your online operations for you. They ensure your company’s best salesman (i.e., your website) is free from any threats or technical issues that might ruin your brand’s online reputation.
But what’s the need for such measures?
Rock-solid website performance
Nothing hurts worse than your site crashing during peak sales hours. Or pages loading at a snail’s pace. Customers bail and revenue tanks. A care plan is your website’s lifeline.
- Daily automated backups ensure quick restores.
- Proactive security patches prevent vulnerabilities.
- Performance tuning and uptime monitoring keep things fast and functional 24/7.
If disaster somehow strikes, emergency response has your back. With proper website maintenance, your website is protected from the unpredictable.
Hacking attempts are constant
Scammers salivate over vulnerabilities to steal data and identities. Infect sites with malware. Launch denial-of-service attacks. A professional website care plan is your website’s armor.
One of the things companies do is use firewalls to block intrusions. And on top of that, they constantly engage in threat monitoring that helps detect any sort of unusual activity. This will shed light on any strange pattern discovered.
But it doesn’t stop here. Next, the team will conduct a full-scale security audit to uncover your website weaknesses before those pesky criminals do.
Consider the partnering company a 24/7 security force, standing guard against malicious attacks and protecting your customers and reputation.
Don’t become outdated and non-compliant
Technology sure moves fast these days.
It seems like every time I blink, something new has come along that makes the old stuff obsolete.
All those themes, plugins, and security certificates constantly need updates to stay compatible and secure as technology progresses.
And don’t even get me started on the ever-changing laws and regulations around running a website! It’s enough to make your head spin. If you’re not careful, it’s easy for your website to become a dusty old relic of the past, full of security vulnerabilities and not up to code.
That’s why having a plan to keep your site well-maintained is so important. Like a diligent butler attending to his stately manor, a good web care team will handle all those necessary updates and renewals behind the scenes so you don’t have to worry about it.
They’ll keep WordPress, themes, plugins, certificates, and hosting current and will regularly review your site’s custom code for potential issues. With their faithful service, your website will stay fresh, compliant, and ready to welcome visitors.
Gain a technical team without the cost
Running a website is no joke – it takes real know-how and tons of time to keep things up and running smoothly.
Hiring a full-time team to handle all that tech stuff is way too expensive for most businesses. That’s where a team like us comes in.
Our website care plan is like having your own personal technical team, without all the overhead costs and HR paperwork. We handle all the behind-the-scenes maintenance, updates, and support, so you can focus on what matters most – your business.
Think of us as your on-call technical crew. Whenever your site needs a tune-up or help with a tech issue, we’re there 24/7 with the expertise to fix it fast. No need to stress over the technical details or spend big bucks on a full-time team.
With our simple and affordable monthly fee, you can tap into tech pros anytime your website needs a hand.
Tap the real potential of your website
You’ve put in all this hard work, but your site still feels slow, insecure, and impossible to find on search engines. Conversions are low even though you’ve done everything you can think of.
But there’s hope.
Think of your website like your body. Even the most fit athletes need a coach to push them to new levels. Your website needs the same expert guidance.
That’s where website care plans come in.
The team works tirelessly, optimizing and improving its performance.
They start with a thorough audit of your site.
Finding weaknesses, removing bottlenecks, testing design upgrades – consider them your website’s workout partners.
Usability issues? – They will fix them.
SEO needs work? – They boost your rankings.
Security holes? – They will patch them up.
Conversions low? – They can maximize them.
With support from a professional web design and maintenance team, you can push your site to new heights, just like a personal trainer would for your body.
A few questions.
Were you hitting your head while understanding what you’ll need to do from the “recommendations’ section?
Do you feel you already have too much on your plate to be working on the technicals of your website?
But had some relief reading this section?
A team that handles the online operations for you. Keeps your website safe and up-to-date while you rack up the bottom line.
One such team is mine, at Your Hustler. In the following section, I’ll put forth what exactly my team provides in a small business website care plan.
Here’s what you get with Your Hustler
I’ve always believed that – I can only receive by giving first. So here is what I give you in order to build the rapport. A plan (more like a support system) built to ensure your business bypasses all the threats and issues lurking ahead.
Robust site care that keeps you covered
Running a website smoothly requires vigilance across many fronts. Our comprehensive care plans handle every aspect of site health so you can focus on business goals.
Continuous software updates
New WordPress versions introduce beneficial features and security fixes. We install each update as it’s released to keep your site up-to-date. Our lead developer thoroughly tests updates before deploying them to avoid conflicts.
Backup protection from all angles
We back up your site daily, storing copies locally and offsite. If disaster strikes, we can quickly restore your content with minimal downtime. We also provide firewalls and 24/7 threat monitoring to stop attacks proactively. Defense is our best offense.
Detailed website analytics
Our analytics tools track visitor behavior so you can optimize the user experience and improve conversions. We’ll help you interpret the data and take strategic action on insights.
 Expert WordPress guidance and support
Have a question or special request? Our WordPress pros have you covered. We can guide you on implementing features, integrating tools, developing designs, and more. We love tackling new challenges.
Premium hosting you can count on
Our rock-solid hosting delivers 99.8% uptime and rapid load times to keep visitors happy. You can trust us with your online presence. We monitor servers round-the-clock from multiple backup locations.
Proactive security precautions
Over 13,000 WordPress sites get hacked every day. We invest in firewalls, threat monitoring, and other precautions to lock down your site proactively. Security is woven into every aspect of our care plans.
Final thoughts
Website care plans are a necessity in the present-day scenario where cyber crime is at its peak.
Neglecting your website’s maintenance and security opens the door to lost revenue, damaged reputation, and wasted investments.
Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Be proactive.
Protect your online presence with a professional web maintenance partner like Your Hustler.
Our all-encompassing website care plan vigilantly monitors, updates, optimizes and secures your website. Leverage our web experts so you can focus on what matters – growing your business.
The internet is always changing. Your site needs to change too, and stay up-to-date.
Let’s talk more about making a plan to care for your website-house. Keep it strong against the storms of the internet!
