Why Is Website Maintenance Important?
Website maintenance is important to any business, regardless of size.
Your website is a window into your business and it impacts the value of how your product or service is perceived.
All businesses need website maintenance to attract and retain customers, present new information, products and services to the public.
1.) Customer Interest
A well-maintained website attracts new customers and keeps existing customers.
Your website should stay relevant by refreshing content and ensuring that pages are in good working order.
Check that contact forms work, address and phone number listings are all in working order.
2.) Search Engines
Websites with old content rank lower in search engine listings.
Some search engines, including Google, check your page’s HTTP header to determine whether or not to crawl it.
Failing to make frequent updates will cause you to be pushed below active competitors in the listings and cost you business over time.
3.) Corporate Image
Your website is a public reflection of your corporate image. A poorly maintained website with lots of errors, broken links, dead pages and outdated content projects a sloppy corporate image and causes business to decline over time.
Review the look and feel of your website and update it to match your corporate image. Fix broken links, poor grammar and spelling mistakes as quickly as possible — preferably before a customer brings them to your attention.
4.) Considerations
You need to have a plan in place for your website and ensure that your hosting provider has a backup plan that is in line with your own service levels, especially if you have a real-time or mission-critical website.
Article written by Gissimee Doe for Chron.com.