We’ve had numerous clients come to us with the same story: “Our website just isn’t working anymore.” And when we dig in, we often find the same root problem – a site that was built a decade (or two) ago and left to fend for itself.
The design looks outdated. The back-end is a patchwork of plugins and legacy tools. Broken links, pages that take forever to load. Half the content is irrelevant. And the person who originally set it up? Long gone.
How does it get this bad?
Simple: the website was neglected.
Too many small business owners think of their website as a one-and-done project: you get it set up, you launch it, and then forget about it.
But the truth is: a website is a living digital organism. Just like your car needs oil changes, your website needs ongoing maintenance. And it doesn’t take much. You simply need to get in the habit of giving it some attention.
The good news? You don’t need to be in there every week. One focused website maintenance day a month is enough to keep things running smoothly.
Here’s your one-day-a-month website maintenance plan—everything you need to check, update, and adjust to make sure your site stays in shape.
1. Back up your site – a website maintenance must!
Before you touch anything else, create a full backup. If something goes wrong during an update, you’ll be grateful to have a recent version ready to restore. It’s also your insurance policy in case your site gets hacked.
If you’re using a managed hosting provider, automatic backups may already be enabled. If not, use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration to do it manually.
2. Update plugins and trim the extras
Go through your list of plugins and update any that are out of date. While you’re at it, scan for ones you’re not actually using anymore.
Deactivate and delete anything unnecessary. Keep only what you need, and keep it all current.
Outdated plugins can be a major security risk. Removing unused ones helps your site run faster and reduces points of entry.
3. Update your theme (if applicable)
If your theme has a pending update, apply it. Just make sure you’ve backed up the site first, especially if you’ve made any manual changes to theme files.
Theme updates often include security patches, compatibility improvements, and performance tweaks.
4. Audit your content
Browse through your blog or evergreen pages and check for anything outdated:
- Old pricing?
- A lead magnet that’s no longer relevant?
- References to “upcoming” events from two years ago?
- Evergreen blog posts that could use fresh stats or a new example?
Keeping your content fresh signals to both Google and your visitors that your business is active and attentive. Even minor updates help your content stay relevant and SEO-friendly.
5. Check for 404 errors and fix broken links
Use a tool like Ahref’s broken links checker to see if any pages on your site are returning a 404 error.
Set up 301 redirects for any broken or outdated URLs. Update internal links if you’ve changed slugs or deleted pages.
Broken links are frustrating for users and can hurt your SEO. Redirecting them keeps your site’s experience smooth and professional.
6. Improve speed as part of your website maintenance routine
Use tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights to test your homepage and key service/product pages.
Look for elements slowing things down: large images, uncompressed files, unnecessary scripts. If needed, compress images, lazy-load media, or reconsider slow-loading plugins.
A fast website keeps visitors engaged, improves SEO, and increases conversions.
7. Retire expired pop-ups or promotions
Have any limited-time offers, old webinar invites, or seasonal pop-ups still running?
Replace with relevant offers, or remove them altogether if nothing current is needed. Outdated promos make your site feel neglected and confuse potential clients.
This one-day website maintenance routine can prevent a lot of headaches down the road. Set a recurring calendar reminder. And treat your website to the digital equivalent of a checkup and tune-up.
You don’t need to do it often. You just need to do it regularly.
Need help setting up a site that actually works for your business and is easy to maintain?
We help service providers and software companies develop sites that are not just beautiful and functional, but also built for long-term ease. Our goal is to make ourselves obsolete.
