Key facts
- Update WordPress core, themes and plugins promptly; most vulnerabilities are in plugins
- Keep daily off-site backups and test that restores work
- Monitor uptime and SSL certificate renewal
- Check forms monthly by sending a test enquiry
- Review content: prices, opening hours, staff, offers and the copyright year
- dijitul small changes: £45 an hour + VAT; care plans from £25 a month + VAT
Why websites need maintenance
A website is software, and software ages. New security holes are found in plugins, browsers change, PHP versions reach end of life, forms stop delivering because an email setting changed, and content goes out of date. A site left alone for two years is often insecure, slower and showing last year's prices. Maintenance prevents the expensive emergency: a hacked site, lost data, or a contact form that has silently failed for months.
Maintenance is also how you catch slow decline. Page speed drifts down as plugins and tracking scripts accumulate, Search Console starts reporting errors nobody reads, and an SSL certificate fails to renew. None of these is dramatic on its own, but together they cost enquiries.
The regular tasks
| Task | How often |
|---|---|
| Backups (files and database), stored off the server | Daily, automatically |
| Security updates to core, theme and plugins | As soon as released, after a quick check |
| Uptime monitoring | Continuous, with alerts |
| Test enquiry through every form | Monthly |
| Broken links and 404 errors in Search Console | Monthly |
| Restore test from backup | Every few months |
| Speed and Core Web Vitals check | Quarterly |
| Remove unused plugins, users and old admin accounts | Quarterly |
| Content review: prices, hours, team, offers, legal pages | Quarterly, or when anything changes |
| PHP version and hosting review | Yearly |
Platform differences
WordPress and WooCommerce need the most attention because you are responsible for updates. Updating plugins on a live shop without a backup is how sites break; test major updates on a staging copy first. Shopify handles platform security and hosting, but you still review apps, theme updates, product data and checkout settings. Hosted builders such as Wix and Squarespace need little technical upkeep, but content still goes stale. See what is a CMS for the trade-offs.
Whatever the platform, keep a list of every service the site depends on, such as the domain, hosting, email, payment provider, booking system and premium plugins, with renewal dates and who holds the login. Many website emergencies turn out to be an expired card on a renewal nobody knew about.
Content maintenance is maintenance too
Visitors notice old prices, staff who left, a 2021 copyright line and a news page with one post. Each makes people wonder if you are still trading. Schedule a quick review every quarter. Add new work examples and reviews, update service pages when you change what you offer, and keep your legal details, privacy notice and cookie banner accurate. See how to get more enquiries.
Ways to handle it
- Do it yourself. Fine for hosted builders and confident WordPress users, if you actually set time aside.
- Pay as you go. dijitul makes small changes and fixes at £45 an hour + VAT. Good if you need occasional edits.
- A care plan. A fixed monthly fee for updates, backups, monitoring and a set amount of help. Our sister company dijitul support offers website care plans from £25 a month + VAT.
Signs your site is overdue
- The WordPress dashboard shows a long list of pending updates.
- Nobody knows when the last backup ran, or where it is stored.
- Your copyright year, prices or opening hours are out of date.
- Search Console shows rising 404 errors or a drop in indexed pages.
- The site has slowed down noticeably on phones.
- The last test enquiry anyone sent was months ago.
If two or more of these sound familiar, the site needs attention before something breaks.
Whichever route you choose, write down who is responsible. The most common maintenance failure is not a technical one; it is everyone assuming someone else is doing it.
When to call us
If your site has not been updated in months, or you are not sure whether backups are running, get in touch. We will check its state and tell you what needs doing. Call 01623 650333.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a website be updated?
Security updates should go on as soon as they are released, after a backup. Backups should run daily. Content should be reviewed at least quarterly, and whenever prices, services or contact details change.
What happens if I do not maintain my WordPress website?
Out-of-date plugins and themes are a common way sites get hacked. You also risk broken features after browser or PHP changes, slower pages, and forms that stop working without anyone noticing.
Does a Shopify website need maintenance?
Less than WordPress, because Shopify handles hosting and platform security. You still need to review apps, update your theme, keep product data and policies accurate, and check the checkout and emails regularly.
How much does website maintenance cost?
dijitul makes small changes and fixes at £45 an hour + VAT. For ongoing updates, backups and monitoring, our sister company's website care plans start from £25 a month + VAT.
Can you maintain a website you did not build?
Usually, yes. We need admin access to the site and hosting. We will check the current state first, update safely with a backup in place, and tell you about anything that needs fixing before it becomes a problem.
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