A Step by Step Guide for Website Maintenance for Businesses

As the 21st-century ushers in the digital era, websites become the backbones of businesses. With this said, it’s imperative businesses enforce effective means and systems for maintenance.
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In this article, our a boutique travel and lifestyle public relations agency has teamed up with Webster Solutions, to provide a step-by-step guide in website maintenance that up-and-coming businesses in the digital era are likely going to find useful:

Conduct Regular Reviews
At a minimum, annual reviews and testing are necessary for websites. Reviews and testing are also essential after any updates on websites have taken place. It’s important to note, though, that quarterly reviews and testing are likely more effective, given the fact that many changes are digitally taking place. 

Website maintenance experts may find content errors, URLs that don’t work, site components that are not loading appropriately, if at all, the sites’ download speed, and typos in the content of websites, among others. 

Conduct Device Compatibility Tests Semi-Annually
Devices and browsers upgrade in version modernity as time passes by. The only way of finding out the functionality status of websites accessed from devices is by conducting semi-annual tests. The best way to conduct these tests is to do them via Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Apple Safari browsers along with the latest models of mobile devices and tablets.

Conduct Crucial Contact Testing Points Quarterly
All components that websites have had in contact with must undergo testing every quarter. After every update, websites must go through testing, as well. In other words, such testing involves the verification of websites’ forms, CTA’s, and properties of the checkout systems. Site administrators determine whether or not they have done such testing successfully by intentionally keying in inaccurate data to generate user errors. If such errors materialize after administrators enter incorrect information, it means the websites have not had any contact with harmful online elements. 

Check the Backups Quarterly
Backups for websites are likely to change within a short period. Checking backups frequently minimize the chances of loss of files and other information in case websites incur serious damage and cyberattack issues. 

Review the Websites’ Monthly Analytics 
Reviewing analytics every month is the key to determining the websites’ performances. Performances reviews cover measurements of key performance indicators (KPIs), reviews of SEO ranks, and analyses of reports. Reviews of websites’ performances are also the sources of resolutions to problems or matters that may turn into problems. Reviewing the analytics at least once a month is a key to swiftly verifying and fixing potential error issues before it’s too late to do so. 

Conduct Monthly Safety Check-ups
Software and other related apps need to be installed in their updated versions. Installing such apps is one way of conducting monthly safety check-ups for websites. Examples of these apps or software are security patches, bug fixes, and other updated tools concerning web servers, databases, CMS, and operating systems. It’s always a good idea to install patches on websites once the former is distributed in the market. However, any updates that site administrators may oversee can be fixed when monthly safety checkups are done.

Study and Update (if needed) Contact Details Monthly
Countless websites don’t get good regular management in the distribution of contact details. These sites have outdated contact details, with the likes of phone numbers, physical addresses, and team members’ data. There’s no way potential clients or customers can get in touch with businesses if the contact details posted are inaccurate.

Update Copyright Dates on an Annual Basis
Normally, the copyright dates posted on the primary pages of websites apply to other subsites, as well. As years pass by, the content on all pages of websites changes. So, it’s objective to update the current copyright years on home pages. 

Update Legal Disclaimers Yearly
Annually, there are normal changes in websites’ privacy terms, site use rules, and sales policies, among other disclaimers. Customers have to be aware of such changes. Being aware of these changes protects businesses, website administrators, and clients. 

By Vishal Dudhal, partner, Webster Solutions and consultant for Allen Marketing Communications, Inc.
 

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