The Beginner’s Guide to Website Maintenance
- William Wooldridge
- Aug 1
- 2 min read

You wouldn’t buy a car and never get an oil change, right? Your website is no different.
A well-maintained site isn’t just about avoiding crashes or broken links — it’s about protecting your investment, keeping visitors happy, and making sure you stay visible in search results.
Here’s why website maintenance matters, and how to keep your site running like a well-oiled machine.
1. Why Website Maintenance Matters
Your website is live 24/7. Every day, it’s exposed to:
Software updates
Plugin changes
Security threats
Shifting SEO algorithms
New devices and browsers
Without regular care, your site can slow down, break, or even disappear from search results.
2. What’s Included in Website Maintenance?
Whether you’re doing it yourself or hiring a team like Eleven65, here’s what a solid monthly maintenance plan should cover:
Security updates to protect against hacks
Plugin and theme updates to avoid compatibility issues
Speed optimization for better performance
Broken link checks to improve user experience
Form and functionality tests to ensure everything works
Content updates for accuracy and SEO
3. How Often Should You Maintain Your Website?
Weekly: Backups, plugin updates, check for broken links
Monthly: SEO audits, speed tests, analytics review
Quarterly: Review content, test contact forms, refresh images or offers
Annually: Design updates, full site audit, major content refresh
4. Signs Your Website Needs Help
It loads slowly
Pages or images don’t display correctly
Your contact form isn’t sending emails
You’ve seen a drop in traffic or SEO rankings
You haven’t updated anything in over 6 months
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s time for a tune-up.
5. What About Wix & Other Builders?
Even with platforms like Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify — updates are still needed. While the backend is managed, you’re still responsible for:
Updating content
Checking SEO
Monitoring performance
Making sure new features or integrations work properly
Let’s Keep Your Website in Peak Condition
At Eleven65, we offer monthly and quarterly maintenance packages to keep your site secure, fast, and functioning. You focus on running your business — we’ll handle the tech.