Ten Thoughts on Creating a Website: 8. How Do I Maintain My Site?

Websites that never change are boring but, more importantly, they are ineffective. The web is a place of constant, dynamic change and as information develops, search engines adapt their listings. If your site is never updated, it slides further down in the list of what’s out there. So, maintenance is part of your site, even if you are just starting a new project. When choosing a developer, ask how they handle maintenance. Is it available on an as-needed basis by the hour (that’s how we do it here) or through a monthly contract? What are the turn around times on requests? Who will be doing the maintenance? What if that person is not available?

It’s a good idea to make your website maintenance a regularly scheduled item and not an after thought. If you are a software company, how about posting at least one new Press Release every quarter? Including the website in your real world marketing efforts seems obvious, but is often overlooked. Think about how you might include a new product announcement on the site as an animated banner or some other attention-getting item that will freshen up the look of your home page. If you attend trade shows, provide a list on your site and include a promotion that rewards anyone who visits your booth (Visit us at TradeShow Max and get a free compass keychain!). Keeping the site fresh should be fun and easy. If you are meeting with a new developer, ask what ideas they have for assisting you in keeping the home page interesting.

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