Manage Your Website or Else!

Do you manage your website? Does anyone manage your website? If the answer to these questions is no, you have a problem. A website needs to be managed for several reasons. The main reason is that it will function better. A properly functioning website will gain favor with the Google Rankings Protocol  and that is a good thing! When a website is ranked well by Google it is easier for organic searches to find and display your website within the  search results.

Manage Your Website!

1. Security Firewall – Your security firewall protects your website from viruses and malware that can damage or destroy your website. It is necessary to monitor your security firewall at all times.
2. Software Updates – Like the programs or applications on your computer or mobile devices your website will need periodic updates. These updates generally are to fix bugs and to improve security. You need to monitor these updates regularly. Check at least once every week for these updates. After you allow an update to be installed check the operation of your website. Often times an update can cause website links to break, as well as, pictures or images to be broken. They can also cause the basic website design to be distorted.
3. Website Backups – Periodic website backups should be performed on your website. These backups serve as an insurance policy. A backup can be used to rebuild a website should something catastrophic happen. There are two types of backups needed. The first is the websites architecture. The second is the websites content. Active websites require more frequent backups than Non Active websites. A very active website may require daily backups.
4. Website Host Downtime – Websites are hosted on Host Company Servers and connected to the internet through the same Hosting Company. These Website Hosts have periodic downtime. Depending on the nature of your website depends on how important this downtime is. An active online store may lose thousands of dollars in sales if the downtime runs several hours. A blog on knitting may not even notice that there was downtime. Everything becomes relative when discussing websites.
5. Domain Name – Don’t let your domain name expire or your website will disappear. Make sure the domain name settings are set to contact you if any activity relative to your domain name occurs.
6. Website Functionality – Make sure that your website functions the way it was designed. Pictures are viewable, Images are clear and sized correctly, and Forms are being sent to your attention. Check the links for accuracy, Blog for responses, and website for correctness.

Manage your website or else! The “or else” is rather unpleasant. Or else usually means that your website is not performing the way you want it to. Or the way your website was designed to perform. Either way you have a problem. You may be missing emails. You may be missing phone calls. You may be missing website or website page views. You may be missing appointments. You may be missing quotation opportunities. You may be missing sales. Are any of these things okay with you? That’s the “or else” I was talking about. If you don’t manage your website you may be missing the next opportunity to grow your business. If all this management stuff appears confusing or laborious, hire someone to do it for you. It is as important as having a website. Be prepared to protect, maintain, and manage your website. Select Marketing will be delighted to discuss managing your website for you. Contact us at your convenience. If you manage your website properly, its functionality will remain in tact.