When dealing with website maintenance packages, or really anything todo with websites it is worth doing your research. Not only can anything tech related be confusing for small business owners but there are also countless options out there meaning choosing what is right for you can be more then challenging.
Today I am going to provide you with some basic information on website maintenance packages (or monthly website packages to be more specific) but of course, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to comment them down below or visit our support page by clicking here.
Full disclosure, Worldwide Web Designs does include maintenance in our monthly website packages. However, in this article we do our best to remains unbias and even offer solutions that do not include our services.
First Of All, Lets Figure Out What You Need
Do you already have a website built that you need maintained?
Worldwide Web Designs specializes in pay monthly web design packages however, we do not manage websites that have already been built by different agencies or freelancers. That is the same policy across the board for most agencies as well for a handful reasons. #1) If a website is built poorly, it takes a lot more effort to maintain. #2) We might not be familiar with the software that was used to build the website. #3) We don’t want to be liable if something breaks on the website that is the fault of the original developer. #4) There could be issues with the old developer having admin access / a backdoor.
On a positive note, Worldwide Web Designs doesn’t have a build fee or any startup costs. Whether we are rebuilding your website from a previous design or from scratch, either way it is $99 a month.
If you are running an eCommerce store and need someone to manage your orders, customers and support you might be better off hiring an assistant. While Worldwide Web Designs does offer monthly maintenance packages for eCommerce stores, that does not include actually shipping out the orders or providing customer support. With that being said, there are eCommerce order fulfillment companies that might be able to help take the load off. For example; Amazon Multi Channel Fulfillment. Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF), not to be confused with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), is a fulfillment service from Amazon for brands that sell outside of the Amazon Marketplace.
If you have questions on what option is best for you, please don’t hesitate to comment down below and ask or visit our Support page by clicking here.
The Difference Between Website Maintenance Packages & Updates
I compare websites to cars a lot. I know my clients find it annoying but it is the perfect analogy. For example, back before Worldwide Web Designs offered pay monthly websites, when giving a quote and asking the clients budget I would often say “a website is like a car, you could get a $500 car or a $1,000,000 car but what you get depends on your budget”. Anyways, another comparison is with maintenance. If you drove a car without changing the oil, it would eventually break down, and a website is exactly the same. Not maintaining a website can not only cause it to break but it can cause even more serious issues such as you and your customers data being stolen or even held for ransom.
Website Maintenance: Keeping a website up and running smoothly without any visible changes to the design or content.
Website Updates: Changing content on a website. For example, a business changes the hours their open. Updating those hours on the website would count as an update.
Do All Websites Need Maintenance?
Yes and no. For all the horrors of a website builder like Wix, there is a positive and that a lot of it is self-maintaining. To a certain extent at least… Most of the website security for example is managed by Wix. Same goes for other basic site builders like Squarespace or Shopify. When they update their underlying software, it will update on your site as well. You are paying quite a bit for that underlying software though, so in a way, you are paying for that maintenance through their monthly plan.
Even then, I highly recommend not letting any website just sit and stagnate. There are browser and SEO changes constantly happening that these platforms are not responsible for. So put simply, yes, all websites need some form of maintenance.
When You Shouldn’t Get a Monthly Website Maintenance Package
Pay monthly websites offered by Worldwide Web Designs (or any other company) are a great option for business owners. However, they are definitely not right for everyone. For example, I wouldn’t recommend for Walmart to use a web design agency. Obviously that is a ridiculous example, however, I believe you get my point that when a business is at a certain level, they need to have their own full time web development team on staff. This goes on the opposite end of the spectrum as well. The best example of this I could think of is when a friend of mine, who is an aspiring musician came to me and asked for a website. Their music was on YouTube and SoundCloud and they promoted themselves on social media. They were also very strapped for cash. Even booking studio time to record their songs became a challenge. For someone like that, spending money on a monthly website package may not be a great idea. You have to make sure you create your business before you start promoting it online. Make sure you have all the proper equipment, licensing, etc. and then, when you are ready to show it off, come to us.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the right website maintenance package depends on your specific needs, budget, and business stage. Thorough research, asking questions, and seeking professional guidance are crucial for making an informed decision that aligns with your goals and resources.