Whether your website has become too complex for your in-house team or you just don’t have enough time in your day for managing your website, hiring a small business website management agency is a smart choice to help you get back to your main role of leading your business forward.
When assessing small business website management services, there is a large range of providers offering different levels and quality of service. Consider these four main factors when selecting website management services for your business.
Website Management Services for Small Businesses
Look for a website management company that specializes in small business website maintenance. Make sure your business is their typical customer. If your business has a website that is either much bigger and more complex or much smaller than their usual client, you will likely find their level of service does not match your needs and budget when it counts. This approach is key to finding a company that fits your budget as well as has the technical know-how and experience your business needs to maintain a stable, secure, user-friendly website.
Ask for references and case studies that showcase their ongoing website management services. They should be able to speak to managing websites similar to yours in size and scope of functionality.
Business Website Management: Apps and Plugins
Does your website depend on a special app, plugin, or integration to facilitate capturing payments or serving your customers? Make sure to bring this up in your conversation with a potential small business website management agency and ask about their level of expertise for the apps or systems that are critical to your website.
In some cases, the right website management team might have experience with applications similar to what your website uses, but not the exact ones that your website uses. This doesn’t mean they won’t do a great job of maintaining your site. Be sure to assess their level of technical expertise and commitment to service. A website management team with a broad range of expertise and a strong commitment to their clients will be happy to adapt to the needs of your website. In turn, that showcases how capable they are at finding new solutions, which ultimately serve you better going forward.
Small Business Website Design and Management
Does the website management agency offer website design services as well? Even if you are not looking to have your website redesigned anytime in the near future, a maintenance services provider who is well-versed in website design and development for small businesses will deliver far better recommendations, guidance, and complete management services.
Ask for examples of their work designing other small business websites and whether or not they continued managing those sites with regular maintenance after they were launched or not.
Furthermore, how a website is designed and built goes a long way to determining how complex or efficient post launch management will be, and that has a direct impact on your bottom line. Look for a website management company that is equally well skilled in all aspects of a small business website’s lifecycle, from concept and design, development and launch, and to ongoing maintenance and comprehensive management services.
Website Management Agency Westchester, NY & Stamford, CT
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Solutions for Growth is your top rated and local small business website management agency in Westchester, NY and Stamford, CT.
Learn more about how our expert team can help you optimize your website, more efficiently manage maintenance and performance improvements, or craft a new website for you to better serve your prospective customers.
Website Management Services with a Competitive Edge
Does your website maintenance company help your business strengthen its competitive position in your marketplace?
Do they proactively bring you new ideas to enhance your website’s performance, user experience, or messaging?
Do they understand how your website is a cornerstone of your marketing strategy?
When you have a website manager equally equipped with expertise in your website platform as well as your digital marketing strategy, the results will be seen in your business’s bottom line.
When evaluating website maintenance agencies, ask how they plan to keep your website competitive and up to date with the needs and expectations of your target audience. Consider what advantages they can offer your business by supporting your marketing plan.
Since your website is the cornerstone of your digital marketing strategy, your website maintenance company should be able to support your marketing goals by how your website is managed. Keep your website maintenance provider up to speed on seasonal events or changes in your sales and marketing plan. They should coordinate with you on preparing for upcoming changes to your website. When new functionality is needed, they should research new plugins or website edits and propose them to you as options to enhance the user experience and meet your marketing plans.
Website Management Q&A
Why is ongoing website management so important for a small business?
Just like a physical store, your digital storefront needs regular maintenance and updates to attract customers, offer a superior experience, and stay competitive, your website does too. Neglecting ongoing website management can lead to several problems for a small business:
- Security Vulnerabilities: Outdated software is a prime target for hackers, putting your website and customer data at risk. A security breach can severely damage your reputation and lead to financial losses.
- Poor User Experience: Slow loading times, broken links, and outdated content frustrate visitors and drive them away, leading to higher bounce rates and lost potential customers.
- Lower Search Engine Rankings: Search engines like Google favor websites that are secure, fast, mobile-friendly, and regularly updated with fresh content. Without proper management, your site’s visibility in search results can suffer, making it harder for new customers to find you.
- Damaged Reputation: A poorly maintained or insecure website reflects negatively on your business, eroding trust and credibility with your audience.
- Lost Sales/Leads: If your website isn’t functioning properly or can’t be found, it directly impacts your ability to generate leads and sales online.
Can I handle website management myself to save costs?
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It is technically possible for a small business owner to manage their own website, but it is often not the most efficient or effective use of their time and resources. This is because of 4 main factors:
Time Commitment – Website management requires consistent, uninterrupted time for updates, monitoring, and troubleshooting. As a small business owner, your time is invaluable and better spent on core business activities like serving customers, marketing, and strategy.
Technical Expertise – Many aspects of website management, especially security, performance optimization, and more complex troubleshooting, require specific technical knowledge. Without it, you risk breaking your site or leaving it vulnerable to other threats.
Staying Current – The website maintenance and design environment is constantly evolving with new threats, technologies, and best practices. Keeping up with these changes is a full-time job in itself.
Risk of Errors – A small mistake during an update or configuration can lead to downtime, broken website features, or even unrecoverable data loss. Professional website management teams have systems and redundancies in place to minimize these risks.
For a true “do-it-yourself” approach to be viable, you need a strong, up-to-date technical aptitude, a significant time commitment, and a willingness to continuously learn. For most small business owners, the peace of mind and expertise provided by professional services outweigh the perceived cost savings of DIY.
How quickly will I see results from investing in website management?
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The “results” from website management services are often preventative and foundational, rather than immediate, dramatic changes you might associate with a new marketing campaign. Here’s what to expect:
- Immediate Benefits – You’ll immediately gain peace of mind knowing your site is being professionally monitored, secured, and backed up. Technical issues will be addressed more quickly, reducing costly downtime.
- Short-Term Improvements – You may notice improvements in website speed, security, and overall site stability within a few weeks to a couple of months, as initial optimizations and ongoing updates are applied. This can lead to a more reliable user experience that ultimately supports sales growth.
- Ongoing Long-Term Impact – The most significant results are seen over the long term. Consistent management contributes to sustained SEO performance, enhanced brand credibility, reduced risk of costly emergencies, and a continually optimized platform for your business’s growth.
- Avoid Problems – A huge “result” is the problems you don’t encounter – like a hacked website, lost data, or significant downtime – all of which can severely impact your business growth and take considerable time and money to fix.
Think of website management as an essential utility for your digital presence. It’s not about immediate spikes in sales, but about ensuring your website remains a robust, secure, and always-on cornerstone for your small business marketing strategy.
Make Website Management Part of Your Marketing Plan
With the Solutions for Growth website management team, you can have peace of mind that your website is in expert hands. From full service website management for small businesses, to new website design, copywriting, conversion rate and user experience audits, and more, Solutions for Growth is your one stop partner for all of your traditional and digital marketing needs.