Our 3-phase web maintenance schedule is a budget-friendly way to keep your website up to date and functional while maximizing its lifespan. This plan takes into account the relevance of content, user experience and technology.
Frequency: As Needed
Signs You Are Ready for Phase 1:
Basic website optimization and updates are an ongoing effort. At a minimum, you should ensure your plugins and content management system versions are up to date for optimal functionality and security.
As you notice any minor errors, missing information, broken links, or other opportunities for improvement, take the time to make the updates. These issues are quick fixes and can have a major impact on the perceived quality of your brand. If you let these small issues pile up, they can become more daunting to fix.
If your visitors consistently ask the same questions or have trouble finding certain resources on your site, make that content more visible and accessible. You’ll be able to better educate your visitors and save time in the process.
Frequency: Once Per Year
Signs You Are Ready for Phase 2:
Phase 1 updates can go a long way in keeping your website content fresh, but after a certain amount of time, your design elements may start to look stale.
Stock images, hero banners, videos and graphics will look dated as design styles change. In Phase 2, take stock of anything on your site that seems outdated — whether it’s imagery, content or format — and make a list of desired changes.
If you’re implementing a new system such as marketing automation or a CRM, you may need to update your forms or implement Thank You pages.
And if you’re adding or changing a product or service, you’ll need new pages, content, graphics and calls to action to speak to your new offerings. You may even need to change your navigation menus.
Keep an ongoing to-do list with these types of updates and bundle them into one mini-redesign so the changes are cohesive.
Frequency: Every 2–4 Years
Signs You Are Ready for Phase 3:
Inevitably, your website will need a redesign at some point to keep in line with the latest trends and features your customers expect to see.
Websites typically need a redesign after 2–4 years depending on the competitive landscape of your industry, the design trends, and the evolving business goals of your site (e-commerce, lead generation, informational/educational, etc.).
Things to look for:
Competitive Landscape: The best way to tell if your site needs a redesign is to compare it to your competitors’ websites. If your site is looking stale or the messaging is outdated comparatively, or if you’re getting complaints from visitors that things are broken, it’s time to consider a new site.
Analytics: Another test is to review your website analytics to ensure you have quality metrics and users are visiting the pages you need them to visit. Track conversions and identify ways to help the user make better decisions.
Business Goals: Your website should serve as an extension of your sales team. Do you have plans to implement marketing automation or a CRM? Does the foundation of your site support these tools so you can easily streamline the process?
| Time Since Website Launch | Updates Needed |
|---|---|
| 0 | New Website Launch |
| + 1–11 Months | Phase 1: Small Updates as Needed |
| + 1 Year | Phase 2: Mini Redesign |
| + 13–23 Months | Phase 1: Small Updates as Needed |
| + 2 Years | Phase 2: Mini Redesign |
| + 25–35 Months | Phase 1: Small Updates as Needed |
| + 3 Years | Phase 3: Website Redesign |
Your website is a living, breathing asset that needs to be nurtured and cared for. Just like your garden will wither and lose its beauty if you don’t water and pull the weeds, your website needs the same care and attention.
Your website is a living, breathing asset that needs to be nurtured and cared for like a garden. Share on XIf you follow this 3-phased approach to website maintenance, you will get a longer life out of your website investment.
In addition to our website development and design services, we also cover the full range of web maintenance programs so your site is never dull. Contact us to inquire about our website services.