Whether you’re thinking about creating a website for your business or you’ve already had one for years, something that will never go out of style is the need for a website that is secure and well-maintained. There are plenty of articles and how-to guides that will tell you website maintenance and security are important, not only for your company but for your customers as well.
That being said, simply explaining “how” isn’t enough – there must also be a “why.”
We’ve already covered our best website maintenance tips, so let’s take a deep dive into why it’s absolutely critical to keep your website well-maintained and secure.
1) They Keep Your Business Safe
Imagine someone broke into your facility and stole every piece of valuable technology from your office. How damaging would that be for your business? In fact, the only thing more shocking than a break-in at your office would be finding out your company didn’t already have a lock-up procedure in place to prevent one from happening.
You know it’s important to protect your company’s physical property, but in our increasingly cyber society, your digital property can be even more valuable. These criminals aren’t breaking in to steal your top-of-the-line computers, they’re after thousands of files made up of sensitive information such as website passwords and your customers’ banking numbers. Ensuring your website’s cybersecurity and maintenance are up-to-date helps to safeguard not only your business, but also your customers who rely on you to protect their private information from cyberattacks.
2) You’ll Experience Less Downtime
If you’ve used the internet for any period of time, chances are you’ve run into a down website. With so many moving parts on a website, downtime is inevitably going to happen on occasion. However, it could become a regular issue when some of those moving parts are outdated and no longer functioning properly.
Downtime doesn’t necessarily mean a website is completely inaccessible – it means the website is unable to carry out its primary function. This could mean a social media platform where a user’s posts are not sharing, or an e-commerce website whose checkout page crashes. Thankfully, routine maintenance checkups will help to identify any “weak links” within your website’s infrastructure that could be contributing to these lapses in functionality. If you’ve noticed an increase in your website’s downtime lately, check to see if you have any pending updates that need to be made manually.
3) They’ll Improve Your UX
User experience is crucial to the success of your website, and in turn, the success of your business. Today’s consumers expect a website to flow well, function optimally, and provide the same browsing experience from device to device. If your website looks and behaves in a way that is outdated by today’s standards, consumers will likely believe your business is, too.
Consumers place a high value on user experience when deciding whether or not to explore a business’ website further. In fact, a whopping 89% of consumers admitted they would go with a competitor if the website they were browsing provided a poor user experience. Stay on top of your website security and maintenance updates to ensure you are showcasing the best and most current version of your website. Providing a positive user experience will keep users on your website longer, which increases your chances of generating a lead or making a sale.
4) Search Engines Will Reward You
SEO is much more than just targeting the right keywords. Of course the search engine crawlers that index your website are looking to see that you’re using relevant keywords, but they’re also looking for several technical aspects that weigh heavily on your ranking. The primary goal of a search engine is to connect users with the best pages to fit their needs, so even websites that hit the keyword bullseye will still struggle to rank well if they cannot perform basic functions such as mobile-friendliness and secure browsing.
While running through a website security and maintenance update, be sure to also conduct a basic technical SEO checkup to ensure your pages are functioning in a way that satisfies the needs of both consumers and search engines. Some common questions to ask yourself include:
- Does my load time seem slower than usual?
- Do I have an SSL certificate enabled?
- Have any 500 or 404 errors appeared since my last update?
- Is there any duplicate content?
- Does the website work and function the same on any device?
There are many more complex aspects that go into a full SEO checkup, but integrating the basics into your routine maintenance checklist will help you catch problems before they begin to hurt your SEO. Your customers will thank you, and search engines will reward you with a rankings boost.
5) You’ll Save Money
Maintaining and securing your website is much more cost-effective than having to repair your website should something go wrong. Let’s think about it in terms of car maintenance: If you heard a mysterious rumbling while you were driving, would you be more likely to get it looked at before it turns into a problem or wait until your engine goes up in smoke?
Setting aside time each month to ensure your website security and maintenance is up-to-date will not only save you a headache, but it’ll also save you money. The price of routine maintenance & security cannot compare to the price you’ll pay if your malfunctioning website costs you tens, hundreds or even thousands of potential customers. Don’t let a dollar sign deter you from a worthwhile investment – the cost breakdown for monthly maintenance is far less than the cost would be should your website break down.
Ready to Amp Up Your Website Security and Maintenance?
Website security and maintenance go hand in hand, and for a good reason. A well-maintained website with security vulnerabilities serves no benefit, nor does a secure website that is outdated.The easiest and most effective way to bolster your website with an impactful one-two punch is with an all-in-one security and maintenance package. Contact us to learn more about the security and maintenance vulnerabilities that could be affecting your business, along with what we can do to ensure your website is routinely up-to-date.
