If you’re overwhelmed or don’t have time to devote to website maintenance, finding a reliable partner might be the right solution. This blog post will discuss what you need to know before opting to outsource website maintenance.

Do you need to outsource website maintenance? 

Before you begin searching for a web maintenance partner, it’s essential to sit down and assess your needs. First, look at your current website maintenance workflow and see where there are gaps. If you find yourself in any of the situations below, you might want to consider outsourcing:

Your internal resources are stretched thin: If your team is already juggling many projects, adding website maintenance to their plate might be too much. Trying to do everything in-house can lead to mistakes and missed deadlines. Startups are especially prone to this problem since they often have small teams with a lot of responsibility.

Your team is struggling to meet the demands of regular website maintenance: Website maintenance is about more than design changes and bug fixes. You also have to worry about website security, performance, and content updates. Keeping up with all of these demands can be challenging for the uninitiated. Depending on your industry, you might also need to comply with specific regulations (HIPAA, PCI, etc.), which can add even more complexity to the mix.

Your site’s web design is falling behind current industry standards/trends: On top of the regular site maintenance every company has to watch for, the industry changes rapidly. To stay ahead of the curve, you must be on top of the latest web design and usability trends. This can be a full-time job in itself. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a dated and lackluster website.  From mobile responsiveness to AI chatbots, there’s always something new to learn. 

You don’t have a team member who specializes in website maintenance: Not every company has a web designer or developer on staff. And even if you do, they might not have the time to dedicate to website maintenance. They could already be working on other projects, so they might not be able to give your site the attention it needs. 

Your UX is slow, glitchy, or less than optimal in any way: Your website’s user experience (UX) is vital for both your visitors and your bottom line. If your site is hard to use or navigate, people will leave, and you’ll lose out on potential customers. In today’s competitive landscape, you can’t afford to have a sub-par UX. Visitors expect a smooth, seamless experience; if you can’t provide that, they’ll visit your competitors.

You are unsure if your website or web product aligns with best practices: Things change rapidly in web design and development. New best practices are constantly emerging, and it can be hard to keep up. As a result, your website or web product might not be aligned with current best practices. That can lead to problems down the line, so staying up-to-date is essential. For example, automation is a huge part of website maintenance. You’re already behind the curve if your framework or platform doesn’t support that.

How does outsourcing website maintenance solve your problems?

Now that we’ve covered some common reasons for outsourcing your website maintenance services, let’s take a look at how working with an outside partner can help solve those problems. Here are the main benefits of outsourcing website maintenance:

Time and energy:

One of the most notable benefits of outsourcing website maintenance is that it frees up your time and energy. You no longer have to worry about keeping your site up-to-date or fixing bugs because you’ve invested in experts who have a definitive maintenance plan. Delegating allows you to focus on other aspects of your business. 

By outsourcing website maintenance, you can avoid the hassle and frustration of trying to do everything yourself. You’ll undoubtedly run into issues to which you don’t know the answer. This can be frustrating and time-consuming, as you have to research the problem and find a solution. 

It’s essentially learning a whole new skill set on top of everything else you have to do. If your resources are already stretched thin, working with an outside partner can help take some of the pressure off. You can focus on what you do best and leave the website maintenance to us.

Budget: 

Some companies choose to onboard a full-time web designer or developer to take care of their website maintenance. While some companies find that this may be the right solution for them, it can be a costly endeavor. You’ll have to account for salary, benefits, training, and other associated costs. While you might hit the jackpot and find the perfect candidate, there’s no guarantee that this new hire will be able to handle everything on their own. In addition, managing developers is often a skill in itself and you often need a product person to serve as middleman and translator.

And what happens if they decide to leave you high and dry? Maybe they don’t like the work or get a more competitive offer. Then you’re back to square one, trying to find someone new and starting the process all over again.

Whether you are a small business on a tight budget or a larger business looking to minimize costs, outsourcing may be a more cost-effective option. In addition, when you outsource website maintenance, you have the flexibility to scale up or down as needed. It can be helpful if you’re a seasonal business or your needs fluctuate throughout the year.

Expertise: 

You get access to a team of experts when you outsource website maintenance. That’s beneficial because it ensures that your site is always in good hands. For instance, the team at SWARM stays up-to-date on all the latest trends and best practices. Instead of learning everything from scratch, you can leverage our web development expertise to ensure that your site is always up-to-date.

Our team can provide insights into how your site is performing and offer suggestions for improving it. This helps you get the most out of your investment and ensures that your site always works for you.

Now, that’s not to say that you can’t achieve the same expertise in-house. However, it’s important to consider the opportunity cost. How much time and money would you have to invest in getting your team up to speed? And how long would it take them to reach the level of expertise of an outside partner?

For most website owners, it doesn’t make sense to try and recreate the wheel. 

Website quality & UX: 

Regular maintenance by an expert team means your business website assets will always be up to date and functioning correctly. If you’re trying to do everything yourself, there’s a greater chance that things will fall through the cracks, such as broken links, slow page load times, etc. This lack of attention can lead to a decline in website quality and a poor user experience.

If you don’t update your plugins or content regularly, your site might start to feel clunky or outdated. Or omitting to monitor your site for issues might leave problems unnoticed until it’s too late. This could result in lost sales or customers.

Security: 

Another crucial aspect of website maintenance is security. If your site is hacked, it can have devastating consequences. Not only will you lose customer trust, but you could also face legal action. In some cases, a hack can even lead to your business being shut down. It’s always best not to take any chances when it comes to the security of your website.

Website maintenance professionals will have the expertise and tools necessary to eliminate any vulnerabilities. They’ll also know how to resolve any issues that do arise quickly. Some security measures that should be in place to protect against hackers include regular website backups, malware scanning, and firewalls. There’s also a lot that goes into payment security if you have an eCommerce website.

Growth: 

Next, let’s talk about growth. If you don’t understand the inner workings of your WebOps, it can be difficult to make changes or optimizations. You might inadvertently leave money on the table because you’re not leveraging your website to its full potential.

An expert team can help you identify areas where your site could be improved and offer suggestions on how to make changes. They can also help you track your progress and ensure that your site is always moving in the right direction. With a partner that knows how to handle these crucial maintenance tasks, you have the website support you need to scale to your company’s growth.

Access to advanced tools: 

When you outsource website maintenance, you also gain access to advanced tools that can help you take your site to the next level. These are tools you might not have if you try to do everything yourself. They include analytics platforms, A/B testing software, and heat mapping tools.

These programs can help you optimize your website for conversions and ensure that you’re providing a great user experience. Plus, they can also help you save time by automating specific tasks. For example, if you have a lot of content to update regularly, you can use a content management system (CMS) to make the process easier.

Conclusion

Overall, opting to outsource website maintenance can save you time and money. It also can improve your website quality, security, and user experience. If you’re looking to free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business, consider working with an outside partner.

You can take the burden of website maintenance off your plate by turning to experts who know how to do the job and help you grow. If you are interested in looking outside your company for website maintenance, check out our services at SWARM NYC to take your website to the next level. Our team of experts can help you with everything from website design to content creation. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you grow your business.