February 27, 2017

There’s a reason WordPress can claim it “powers 27% of the internet”. Not only has there been 74.6 million websites built using WordPress but an additional 500 are added each DAY! How does a content management system become so successful and so widely used you ask? Well, it’s flexible, it has well over 1 million themes designed and ready for use and it’s user interface is intuitive and simple to understand.

It’s been my go-to content management system for as long as I can remember. I started my love affair with WordPress somewhere around version 2.0 (they’re now at version 4.7). The website you’re currently on is built from the ground up using a custom WordPress theme by me, the “WordPress Wizard”.

The question I’m most often asked when I setup a WordPress website for a client is “How easy is it to update and will I be able to manage those updates myself?” That’s where this particular article comes in. Yes, in many cases once a WordPress training session has been provided, most clients can manage their website on their own. There are however times when a WordPress maintenance plan managed by a professional makes sense. Let’s take a look.

WordPress and Plugin Updates

WordPress is a free open-source software which requires regular updates to its core files. The great thing about WordPress is that these updates are typically “one-click installs” that can be done by anyone. The problem is, if you’re not familiar with how to backup your files, content or database – you could potentially lose everything if an update goes awry. Any website downtime should be avoided at all costs.

WordPress updates need to be done in a timely fashion. If WordPress repairs a bug with an update and that update is not installed quickly, your website could be vulnerable and at risk of malware or virus attacks.

Time is Money

As a business owner your time is valuable and should be spent doing what you do best. The time it may take an average web user to maintain their WordPress website is far greater than the time it would take for a professional. Simple tasks such as: updating page content, editing navigation menus and adding new pages could take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours for a business owner to complete while those same updates may take a professional 15-30 minutes.

24/7 Support

No matter how much training is provided to a client who wants to manage their own WordPress website, technical difficulties arise. Imagine you’re updating your website the night before a big product launch and suddenly you forget how to add a new product discount to the page. What do you do? By paying a monthly fee to a professional WordPress developer you’ll be able to take advantage of 24/7 support.

Affordability

If you’re a small to mid-size business you may not have the budget to hire an individual in-house to manage your digital marketing. Hiring an employee internally to perform these tasks may require a salary of $25,000-$40,000/year and that doesn’t include the other fees associated with hiring an employee full or part time. Most WordPress maintenance plans cost anywhere from $49-$249/month based on the type of service provided which could mean a savings of over $20,000/year.