We work with dozens of Sheffield businesses, and the number one mistake we see? Thinking their website is 'done' once it launches. Sites need ongoing maintenance - here's what that actually means...
What Is Website Maintenance?
Website maintenance is the process of keeping your site updated, secure, and performing as it should through regular checks and updates. It’s about preventing issues before they happen, so your customers always have a smooth experience when visiting your site.
For WordPress websites in particular, this means updating plugins, themes, and the WordPress version itself, as well as making sure your hosting environment is stable and secure.
What Does Website Maintenance Include?
The exact details vary depending on your hosting provider, but a full and comprehensive website maintenance plan will typically include:
1. Regular Updates
Keeping WordPress, plugins, and themes updated is essential for a healthy site. Outdated software is one of the biggest security risks for websites, and updates often include critical fixes to keep your site running smoothly and stay secure. At Convrtem we check for updates every few days - we've seen sites get hacked within a week of a security patch being released.
Not only is security an issue, sometimes plugins can have conflicts and mess up your entire site. For example, recently a Sheffield-based client of ours installed a new plugin which clashed with Elementor and made all interactions stop working. Within an hour of them telling us, we had it back up and running.
2. Backups
A good maintenance plan will include daily or weekly backups of your entire website. If something goes wrong, from a hack to a simple mistake, you can quickly restore your site. We run backups daily, not weekly. We had a client accidentally delete their entire product catalog last year - we restored it in 10 minutes.
3. Security Monitoring
Websites are constant targets for attacks. Maintenance services often include tools to scan for malware, block malicious logins, and monitor vulnerabilities.
4. Performance Optimisation
From database cleanups to image optimisation and compression, regular maintenance makes sure your website runs quickly and efficiently. Speed matters both for your visitors and for SEO.
5. Bug Fixes & Troubleshooting
Things break - like when WooCommerce updates and suddenly your checkout page stops working. That happened to a Sheffield retailer last month and they lost an entire day of sales before catching it.
6. Uptime Monitoring
The best web maintenance providers will keep an eye on whether your site is online 24/7 - and alert you immediately if it goes down.
7. Content Support (Optional)
Some maintenance providers also include time for content edits/changes, like updating text, adding images, or publishing blogs.
Hosting vs Maintenance: What’s the Difference?
It’s common to confuse website hosting with website maintenance, but they’re not the same:
- Hosting is the service that keeps your site live, accessible, and running.
- Maintenance is the ongoing care that keeps it secure, updated, and optimised.
Why Website Maintenance Matters
Skipping maintenance can leave your site open to problems like:
- Security breaches from outdated software
- Slow load times that frustrate visitors
- Broken features due to plugin conflicts
- Downtime if something crashes/breaks unexpectedly
- SEO drops if Google detects poor performance or security issues
Regular WordPress website maintenance prevents these problems, protects your investment, and makes sure your site continues to generate leads or sales.
How Much Does Website Maintenance Cost?
The cost depends on the level of service you need. Basic plans may just cover updates and backups, while more advanced plans include performance monitoring, security, and support.
At Convrtem, our WordPress hosting and maintenance packages start from £75 per month. This combines reliable UK-based hosting with full maintenance, giving you everything you need in one simple plan.
Final Thoughts from Convrtem
We get it, maintenance fees feel like an extra cost but we've never had a single client regret having it after their first plugin conflict or security scare. From updates and security to performance and backups, maintenance is what keeps your website running at its best.
If you’re looking for a hassle-free way to manage your WordPress site, check out our WordPress hosting and maintenance packages.