Keep the website accurate, usable and recoverable. Maintenance includes content corrections, supported software, backups, renewals and delivered enquiries. Assign an owner to each task.
This checklist separates routine checks from a redesign. For a larger change, see our web design service; agree ongoing support separately in writing.
Test the tasks customers actually perform: find a service, confirm coverage and contact the business. Correct failed forms or inaccurate information before adding decorative features. Compare any provider on scope, evidence and responsibilities rather than location alone.
A copyable maintenance responsibility record
- Domain/hosting renewal owner and notification address.
- Update owner and safe testing/rollback arrangements.
- Backup location, recovery owner and last safe restore test.
- Form-delivery checks and person responsible for replies.
- Content owner for services, hours and contact corrections.
- Paid licence renewals and agreed support boundaries.
Why Update Your Website
Change content when it improves accuracy or usefulness, not merely to make a page look recently updated. New pictures, repeated keywords and frequent rewrites do not guarantee higher rankings. Preserve useful URLs and use search/enquiry evidence to prioritise work.
Routine checks versus project work
- Routine: contact details, links, enquiries, renewals and agreed backup/update checks.
- Fix promptly: broken forms, unavailable pages, incorrect offers or reported software problems.
- Plan separately: new booking/payment integrations, a platform move or substantial redesign.
Check after meaningful changes as well as on your agreed schedule. Frequency should reflect site changes and the impact of downtime.
Assistance Beyond Just Updates
Support should have a clear scope. Record what is monitored, what is included, which problems require a separate project and who responds to failures. Do not assume hosting support includes content corrections or every integration.
Our WordPress maintenance-plan guide gives you specific scope questions to use when comparing proposals.
After an update: a copyable acceptance check
- Confirm the important pages load and show accurate content.
- Test navigation and links on a phone.
- Run a labelled form test and verify actual delivery with its owner.
- Check any booking or checkout journey without using a real customer account.
- Confirm the backup/recovery arrangement still works.
- Record the change, result and any follow-up.
Use the provider comparison checklist to agree responsibilities. To discuss a website problem, send the website address, symptoms and desired customer action.
If enquiries fail to arrive, follow the contact-form delivery troubleshooting guide. When reviewing provider responsibilities, compare shared and managed WordPress hosting against the actual support agreement.
