Website Maintenance and Hosting – What Are You Actually Paying For?
Contributor Phil Robinson. Partner, Founder + CE
If you own a website, you’ll more than likely be asked to pay for website hosting. If you have a proactive provider, then even website maintenance and hosting services. But what exactly are you paying for? In this article, we’ll break down the basics of website maintenance and hosting so that you can understand what website maintenance and hosting involve…
What is Website Maintenance?
Website maintenance is the process of keeping your website up-to-date and running smoothly. This may include tasks like updating your content, ensuring that all links are working, and fixing any broken code. Website maintenance also encompasses security measures like installing updates and patches to protect your site from hacking attempts.
Why is Website Maintenance Important?
There are a few reasons why website maintenance is important. First, it ensures that your website is always up-to-date with the latest information. This is important for both SEO purposes and for providing visitors with accurate information about your products or services. Secondly, regular website maintenance can help prevent security breaches by keeping your site patched and updated against the latest threats. Finally, maintaining your website on a regular basis can help catch small issues before they become big problems.
How Much Does Website Maintenance Cost?
The cost of website maintenance varies depending on the size and complexity of your website, as well as the frequency with which you need updates. In general, you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $500 per month for website maintenance services. Add to that SEO services or Search Engine Marketing like Google Ads and the cost can go up considerably. You should understand that this not so much a cost as it is an investment.
What is Web Hosting?
Website hosting is a service that allows your website to be accessible to internet users 24/7. When you host your website with a company, they provide you with space on their servers where you can store your site’s files. When someone types in your URL, their computer will connect to the server where your site is hosted and retrieve the files in order to display them on their screen.
How Much Does Hosting Cost?
The cost of web hosting varies depending on the type of hosting plan you choose and the features you need. Shared hosting plans, which are the most basic and affordable set-and-forget type of plans, may start at around $8 per month. More robust plans like VPS or dedicated hosting can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per month. Here is a more comprehensive article about how much web hosting costs
Maintaining any tool comes at a price
Website maintenance and hosting are two important services that all businesses should not only consider but employ if they want their websites to be successful. Both services come with a monthly fee, but the cost is generally worth it when you consider all that goes into keeping a website up and running smoothly. If you’re not sure whether or not these services are right for your business, we recommend talking to a web development professional who can assess your needs and make recommendations accordingly.
