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07 Jan Why “Website Maintenance” Is Not the Same as Fixing a Broken Website

Posted at 20:16h in Featured, Internet Marketing by Debra Elwood

We often get requests for website maintenance when a site isn’t working. The website could be displaying an error message such as “internal server error,” “error establishing a database connection,” or “your connection is not secure.” The client might even see the dreaded white screen of death. At this point, they don’t need website maintenance. There’s a problem that needs fixing. Let’s discuss why website maintenance is not the same as fixing a broken website.

Website Maintenance vs. Fixing a Broken Website

Website maintenance is just like any other form of maintenance, from getting an oil change to servicing your furnace to brushing your teeth. The idea is to prevent problems from happening. It’s less expensive and disruptive to maintain something than it is to fix or replace something after it breaks.

Website maintenance includes ongoing monitoring of the site, software updates, and security firewalls, as well as backing-up files to off-site servers. The idea is to prevent errors, downtime, costly emergency fixes, and other problems that can hurt your reputation and bottom line.

Website errors are common with older, outdated websites but can also occur with newer sites that aren’t regularly maintained. There are several reasons why you might see website errors. If your domain name or security certificate has expired, your website was hacked, there are issues with your hosting server, or there are compatibility issues with themes and plugins in WordPress, you’ll probably see an error message.

If your website has errors – it needs to be fixed asap.

Basic Website Troubleshooting Tips

Here are a few basic steps you can take to pinpoint and/or fix a website error.

Check your internet connection. If your wired or Wi-Fi network is down or spotty, the issues could be with connectivity, not your website.
Check for messages or alerts. Did your web hosting company or content management system (WordPress) try to contact you about a software update, billing issue, or a change to your user agreement? Look through your email. Log in to your website and web host provider accounts. See if you missed a message that could be tied to the issue you’re experiencing.
Check for expiration. You could be seeing an error message if your domain name or security certificate expired. If you can’t or don’t want to auto-renew various subscriptions, you need to monitor your software to avoid expiration.

If these steps don’t work, contact your web host provider or your website developer. The issue could be something simple that you’re just not trained to see, or it could be something complex that requires more knowledge and experience to address.

Website maintenance is not the same as fixing a broken website. Regular website maintenance greatly reduces the risk of problems happening in the first place. Requesting web maintenance after your website is broken is like scheduling an oil change after your engine is fried.

Avoid business disruption and costly fixes by keeping your website engine running smoothly with an ongoing web maintenance plan from the Elwood Studio.

Contact Us Today!