Common Website Maintenance Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
Your website isn’t a “set it and forget it” tool—it needs ongoing care to keep performing at its best. Regular maintenance ensures your site stays secure, fast, user-friendly, and optimized for SEO. But many small business owners unintentionally skip crucial steps, which can lead to lost traffic, security issues, and poor user experience.
In this post, we’ll cover the most common website maintenance mistakes—and how you can avoid them to keep your site running smoothly.
Not Updating Software Regularly
One of the biggest and most dangerous mistakes is failing to keep your CMS, plugins, and themes updated. Outdated software creates vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
How to avoid it:
Enable auto-updates where possible and check for updates weekly. Schedule a time each month to update plugins, themes, and the CMS manually if needed. For WordPress users, tools like ManageWP can automate this process.
Forgetting to Back Up the Website
Many website owners don’t back up their site until it’s too late. Whether due to human error or a cyberattack, data loss is a real threat.
How to avoid it:
Use automatic backup plugins or your hosting provider’s built-in backup feature. Store copies both online (e.g., Google Drive) and offline (e.g., external hard drives). Set backups to run daily or weekly, depending on how often your content changes.
Ignoring Broken Links and 404 Errors
Broken links frustrate visitors and hurt SEO rankings. They can be caused by deleted pages, incorrect URLs, or changes in your site structure.
How to avoid it:
Use tools like Broken Link Checker or Google Search Console to scan for and fix broken links regularly. Also, set up a custom 404 page to guide lost visitors back to your main content.
Not Optimizing Site Speed
Slow-loading websites lead to high bounce rates and lost conversions. If your site isn’t optimized for speed, you're likely losing visitors before they even see your content.
How to avoid it:
Compress images before uploading
Minimize plugins and scripts
Use a caching plugin
Choose a high-performance hosting provider
Test your site using tools like GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights and follow their recommendations.
Skipping Mobile Optimization
Over half of all web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you risk alienating a large portion of your audience.
How to avoid it:
Use responsive design themes and test your site on various devices. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool can help you identify and fix issues.
Neglecting SEO & Content Updates
Old, outdated content can affect your site’s visibility and authority. Regularly updating and optimizing your content is essential for maintaining search rankings.
How to avoid it:
Review top-performing pages and blog posts every few months. Refresh statistics, update keywords, and ensure all links are still relevant and functional.
Final Thoughts
Website maintenance is an ongoing task, but avoiding these common mistakes can save you time, protect your investment, and improve your online performance. Schedule regular check-ins to keep your site secure, functional, and optimized for both users and search engines.
Even just a few hours each month can make a huge difference in your site's long-term success. Contact us to learn more.
