Most business owners think of their website as something you build once and then leave alone. It works more like a shop. Stock changes, offers change, software gets updated, and every so often something breaks. Maintenance is simply the routine work that keeps it secure, fast, accurate and bringing in business.
Here's what that actually involves, and how to work out what your site needs.
What maintenance covers
Keeping software up to date
On WordPress, that means updating the core software, your theme and your plugins, and checking nothing breaks afterwards. On Shopify, the platform updates itself, but themes and apps still need updates and compatibility checks.
Security
Regular scans (especially on WordPress), removing plugins, apps and admin accounts that aren't used any more, and keeping an eye on SSL and domain renewal dates. An expired domain is an entirely avoidable disaster.
Backups
Regular backups of files and database for WordPress, and of theme and content for Shopify. If something goes wrong, a backup turns a crisis into an inconvenience.
Content and design changes
New banners for sales and festivals, product uploads, collection changes, updated prices, new team photos. The everyday stuff that keeps a site looking alive.
Performance
Sites slow down over time as apps, plugins and images pile up. Regular checks catch it early. We've written about why stores slow down if you want the details.
Making sure things still work
Testing contact forms, checkout and payments, fixing broken links and 404 errors, and checking mobile layouts after changes. A broken contact form can quietly lose you leads for weeks before anyone notices.
Basic SEO hygiene
Titles and descriptions on new pages, alt text on new images, redirects when URLs change, and keeping an eye on Google Search Console for errors.
How often?
For a busy site, backups and quick checks on forms or checkout are worth doing weekly. Updates, a security scan, a speed check and a look at Search Console fit nicely into a monthly routine. Every quarter, review your apps and plugins, refresh key banners and look over important content. Once a year, handle renewals and do a proper review of how the site works for visitors.
What happens when it's skipped
Honestly, most of the emergency calls we get come from sites that went a year or two without any care. Outdated WordPress plugins get exploited. Contact forms stop sending and nobody notices. Pages get slower month by month. Old prices and expired offers stay up and make the business look careless. And fixing a hacked or broken site almost always costs more than preventing it would have.
Shopify vs WordPress maintenance
Shopify needs less technical upkeep because Shopify handles hosting and security. Most Shopify maintenance is operational: products, banners, app problems and small design tweaks. WordPress needs both the technical side (updates, security, backups) and the content side.
Who should do it?
If you're comfortable in the admin and can set aside time each month, doing it yourself is fine. An ad-hoc freelancer works for occasional changes, though they may not be free when something urgently breaks. A yearly maintenance plan gives you a predictable cost, quicker response and people who already know your site.
We offer a Shopify Yearly Maintenance plan and a WordPress Yearly Maintenance plan, both with a monthly health check.
A five-minute monthly checklist
- Submit every form, and place a test order if you have a store.
- Run PageSpeed Insights on your homepage and your most important page.
- Check Search Console for new errors.
- Update plugins or apps (on WordPress, back up first).
- Look at your homepage with fresh eyes. Is every banner and offer still current?
Common questions
Does Shopify need maintenance? Less than WordPress, but yes. Apps, theme updates, content and speed still need attention.
Is maintenance the same as SEO? No. Maintenance keeps the site healthy. SEO grows traffic through content, keywords and links. Maintenance includes basic SEO hygiene, not growth work.
If you'd rather not think about any of this, take a look at our maintenance plans or get in touch.