How to Maintain a Website After It’s Launched

Launching your website is an exciting milestone, but the work doesn’t stop there. While it’s tempting to dive straight into creating content and spreading the word, there’s something just as important that needs your attention: keeping your website in good shape.

Website maintenance is the behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything running smoothly. It includes tasks like updating your site’s content, checking for bugs or broken links, monitoring visitor activity, and protecting it against security threats.

In this guide, we’ll break down what website maintenance means, why it matters more than you might think, and what kinds of upkeep your site needs regularly. You’ll also get some practical advice on how to stay organised and ensure your site continues to perform at its best.

What is Website Maintenance?

Website maintenance refers to the ongoing process of keeping your website current, functional, and performing at its best. This involves a range of tasks, from checking that all links are working properly to updating content and fixing any errors or broken pages. It also includes essential background work like backing up your site regularly and keeping an eye on its overall performance to ensure a smooth experience for visitors.

Top 10 Things to Do After Launching a Website

1. Plugin and Theme Updates

Plugins and themes play a vital role in enhancing your website’s functionality and appearance. From SEO tools to visual builders, they add a variety of features that make your site more engaging and user-friendly. However, like any software, they need to be maintained and kept up-to-date. Developers release updates to ensure compatibility with the latest versions of content management systems, web browsers, and to fix security vulnerabilities. Ignoring updates can lead to functionality issues or even open your website up to security risks. Make it a habit to regularly check for and apply updates to your plugins and themes to keep everything running smoothly and securely.

2. Security Updates

Security should always be a top priority for any website owner. Web development teams frequently release security patches to fix known vulnerabilities in their software. These patches are essential to protecting your website against cyber threats, including hacking, malware, and data breaches. Installing them as soon as they become available significantly reduces the risk of your site being compromised. Delaying updates could leave your site exposed to attacks that exploit those unpatched weaknesses. To stay ahead, set up automatic security updates where possible and routinely check your website's core software, plugins, and themes for any new releases.

3. Set Up Web Analytics

One of the most valuable things you can do after launching your website is to set up web analytics. Website traffic data gives you critical insight into how visitors are finding and interacting with your site. Without this information, you’ll have no clear way of knowing what’s working, what needs improvement, or how to attract more users. Google Analytics is one of the most powerful and free tools available for tracking visitor behaviour, traffic sources, bounce rates, and more. Once installed, it will help you make informed decisions about content, design, marketing, and overall strategy, allowing you to grow your audience more effectively over time.

4. Monitor Your Search Engine Rankings

Ranking well on search engines is vital for increasing visibility and attracting organic traffic to your site. The better your site ranks for relevant keywords, the more likely it is to draw in potential visitors and customers. That’s why it’s essential to keep track of how your keywords are performing in search engines. You can do this manually by typing your target keywords into Google and noting your site’s position. However, be cautious not to click on your link—Google remembers your activity and might artificially boost your site’s position just for you, skewing the results. 

Alternatively, you can use tools like the Firefox add-on Rank Checker, which allows you to monitor multiple keywords efficiently. This tool is simple to use and offers helpful insights into your search engine performance without requiring a financial investment.

5. Backup and Disaster Recovery

Having a reliable backup system in place is one of the smartest things you can do after launching your website. Backups are essential for safeguarding your site’s data in case something goes wrong, whether it's due to human error, hacking, a failed update, or server issues. Without a recent backup, recovering your site could be time-consuming, costly, or even impossible. Regularly scheduled backups ensure that your content, design, and functionality can be restored quickly with minimal disruption. Alongside backups, it’s wise to have a disaster recovery plan in place. This includes knowing how to access your backups, who to contact in an emergency, and what steps to take to bring your website back online as soon as possible

6. User Management

If your website includes user accounts—whether for customers, contributors, or members—managing those users is an ongoing responsibility. This means setting up new accounts, deleting inactive or unauthorised ones, resetting passwords when needed, and assigning appropriate roles and permissions to control access to different areas of the site. Regular user management also helps maintain site security and performance by removing spam accounts, bots, or any suspicious activity that might harm your website’s credibility. It’s also a good idea to periodically audit your user list and make sure everyone still requires the access they’ve been granted.

7. Accessibility Testing

Ensuring that your website is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability or device, is not just a best practice—it’s essential. Accessibility testing helps you identify and fix barriers that could prevent users with disabilities from navigating your site. This includes checking for things like screen reader compatibility, proper colour contrast, readable fonts, keyboard navigation, and alternative text for images. It also means making sure your site performs well on various devices, including smartphones and tablets, and loads efficiently even on slower internet connections. An accessible website not only broadens your reach but also supports inclusivity and can improve your search engine rankings.

8. Uptime Monitoring

Your website must be available when visitors try to access it. Uptime monitoring tools help you keep track of your site’s availability around the clock. The goal is to maintain close to 100% uptime, which means your website is always accessible to users. If your site does go offline—even for a short time—you’ll want to know about it immediately so you can take action. With uptime monitoring, you receive alerts the moment downtime is detected, allowing you or your support team to address the issue quickly and minimise disruption. This proactive approach helps protect your reputation and ensures a better user experience.

9. Check Your Site’s Speed

Website speed has become a critical factor, not only for user experience but also for search engine optimisation. Google now considers page load times as part of its ranking algorithm, meaning a slow site can hurt your visibility. But beyond search engines, think about your visitors. People are less likely to stay on or return to a site that takes too long to load. Fast websites create a better first impression and reduce bounce rates. There are several tools available to analyse and improve your site’s speed. One popular option is YSlow, which scans your pages and offers detailed recommendations to help you optimise performance. Prioritising speed ensures both users and search engines are satisfied.

10. Support and Maintenance Plans

One of the most reliable ways to keep your website running smoothly over time is by investing in a professional support and maintenance plan. These plans typically bundle essential services such as regular updates, backups, security checks, performance monitoring, hosting support, SSL certification, and even email or technical assistance. While it’s possible to manage these tasks yourself, doing so requires technical knowledge and a significant time commitment. A single misstep could cause problems that cost more to fix than to prevent. That’s why many website owners prefer to hire a web developer or agency for ongoing maintenance. It’s also smart to include maintenance in your initial website budget so you’re not caught off guard by unexpected costs. While maintenance plans may add to your overall expenses, the peace of mind and consistent performance they provide are well worth the investment.