Your website is like your vehicle; when maintained correctly, it will continue to function at peak efficiency for many years to come. If not maintained, however, it may leave your company, and even worst, your customers, stranded and seeking other online alternatives. Not only does this look bad on your company, but it leaves money on the table from potential customers who are turned off by an error on your website.
With that said, website maintenance should be a foundational consideration for anyone who owns/operates a website, or anyone who is considering launching one.
But how much does website maintenance cost?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is not always so clear. Depending on the size of the website, functionality, complexity, as well as the skill-set and expertise of your maintenance provider, your business may pay between $30 and $6,000 per year to maintain your website.
So before we jump into pricing, let’s define what is included in website maintenance services.
What is Website Maintenance?
Website maintenance involves frequent and regular inspection of your website for errors and issues that cause the website to display or function incorrectly. Additionally, website maintenance involves ensuring the websites applications, security, and content are up to date and relevant. These routine updates are necessary to keep your website healthy, which also factors in to how your site will appear in search engines and ultimately, drives more traffic.
Troubleshooting and Support
Security Updates
App and Integration Updates
Content and Website Changes
Data Structure Optimization
Backup and Data Integrity
Website Maintenance; Cost Estimate Based on Site Type
Below are general estimates of maintenance costs based on the type of website you operate. Keep in mind this is just a basic estimate and will vary based on your individual needs.
|
Type of Website |
Monthly Website Maintenance Cost |
|
Personal Blog or Website |
$15 to $35 /mo |
|
Professional Blog i.e. cooking blog, etc… |
$25 to $125 /mo |
|
Small Business Website |
$35 to $170 /mo |
|
Medium Business Website |
$145 to $650 /mo |
|
Corporate Website |
$350 to $3700 /mo |
|
Web Application or Program |
$350 to $2500 /mo |
|
Custom Built Business Website |
$375 to $5500 /mo |
|
Simple E-Commerce Website |
$500 to $3500 /mo |
|
Custom Built E-Commerce Website |
$1200 to $6500 +/mo |
Do it yourself or outsource?
This is a very common question. And again, one with many variables.
With a little bit of technical knowledge, database understanding and laser-focused google research, you very well can perform your own website maintenance and save a little bit of money in the meantime.
However, just because you can do it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Here are a few things you must ask yourself before deciding on a website maintenance strategy.
- How much time do you have to devote to learning and/or researching how to fix issues and perform routine tasks.
- What is your technical prowess? Are you easily frustrated when technology does not cooperate?
- What are your personal strengths as it relates to your brand or business? Would your time be better spent focusing on those areas?
If you do not have the time, patience, or experience to perform these tasks, then it may be beneficial to outsource this service to a provider who specializes in these areas. This way you can focus on building your business without worrying about losing customers as a result of an insecure, outdated website.
Tuktukdigitalmedia.com provides fully customized web maintenance packages as well as a la carte and hourly rate services. Shoot us a message if you would like to learn more about how we can help keep your website operating at peak efficiency.