It wasn’t ever so long ago websites could be built and left untouched for an entire year and hardly anyone noticed. Web 2.0 came on the scene and everything began to change.
Literally.
Static websites died and the web became fluid. It changes everyday. Updates are commonplace for desktop apps and WordPress alike. Everyone is blogging, everyone is sharing, everything is on the move.
However, there are plenty of businesses and those in the market for a website that still think the web works like it did ten years ago.
Can’t you just pay for a website and be done with?
Nope.
Are clients happy to make small changes to their web copy? Sure thing! After all, they use Facebook everyday, so they usually are tech savvy enough to do it.
However, there is a misconception that is still carried over from the web of old, that websites can be built and left untouched–without any maintenance.
WordPress Needs Maintenance
As someone who is familiar with WordPress, I’m sure you’re fully aware of the problems that can result in not keeping a WordPress install up to date. Many of the updates to the WordPress core, as well as plugins, have to do with security.
There’s not a lot of things that can be more threatening and dangerous for a shared web server than some ancient, un-updated WordPress installs.
Now, I’m not saying that your WordPress installs need to be on the cutting edge, per se. After all, you can see there are plenty of WordPress users still running on 3.0 and the Internet still seems to be functioning:
I do, however, believe that the web development community could do themselves a huge favor and do their best to educate their clients in the importance of keeping their shinny new website up to date.
Naturally, there will be those clients that believe it’s just another way to swallow their money, but it isn’t.
Clients need to understand the whole picture, and if we don’t teach them the facts of the web, who will?
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