CHOOSE DIY WHEN

You have time and experience

You understand WordPress, maintain reliable backups, monitor the website consistently, and are comfortable troubleshooting when something breaks.

CHOOSE PROFESSIONAL CARE WHEN

The website affects revenue

Your site generates leads, processes sales, supports bookings, collects customer information, or plays an essential role in daily operations.

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR

Consistency matters most

Whichever approach you choose, maintenance must be completed on a recurring schedule rather than only after something stops working.

Recurring maintenance tasks

□ Review WordPress core updates
□ Review plugin and theme updates
□ Read important release information
□ Confirm current backups
□ Review security and uptime alerts
□ Run or review malware scans
□ Test forms and website functions
□ Check user accounts and access
□ Remove unused software
□ Review performance and errors

Responsibilities when something goes wrong

□ Identify the most recent change
□ Review PHP and WordPress error logs
□ Determine whether caching is involved
□ Disable or roll back affected software
□ Restore a backup when appropriate
□ Contact plugin or hosting support
□ Test the website after recovery
□ Document the problem and solution
□ Prevent the same issue from recurring

DIY MAINTENANCE

You manage the process

✓ No recurring maintenance-service fee
✓ Full control over timing and tools
✓ Opportunity to learn WordPress
✓ You choose what receives attention

You are also responsible for:
✓ Remembering every recurring task
✓ Evaluating update and security risks
✓ Paying for required tools and licenses
✓ Troubleshooting conflicts and failures
✓ Restoring the website after problems
✓ Finding help during urgent situations

PROFESSIONAL WEBSITE CARE

The provider manages the process

✓ Recurring maintenance schedule
✓ Professional update decisions
✓ Backup and security oversight
✓ Monitoring and technical response
✓ Testing after important changes
✓ Documentation and reporting

You remain responsible for:
✓ Choosing a trustworthy provider
✓ Maintaining business-level access
✓ Reporting website or business changes
✓ Reviewing plan limits and exclusions
✓ Keeping billing and contact details current

ROUTINE WEEK

Review and monitor

Check updates, backup status, security alerts, uptime, forms, and any reported website problems.

MAINTENANCE SESSION

Update and test

Confirm a backup, review release notes, install manageable update groups, and test important website functions afterward.

WHEN SOMETHING BREAKS

Troubleshoot and recover

Investigation can take minutes, hours, or longer depending on the cause, available logs, backup quality, and complexity of the website.

DIY backup responsibilities

□ Choose a backup method
□ Set the correct frequency
□ Protect files and database
□ Store independent copies
□ Monitor failed backups
□ Manage retention and storage
□ Know how to restore the site
□ Test restoration periodically

Professional backup management

A Website Care plan should explain how often backups run, where they are stored, how long they are retained, and what restoration help is included.

Ask whether restoration is included after a failed update, whether malware cleanup is separate, and how frequently recovery procedures are tested.

Monthly reporting

Reports may document updates, backup status, uptime, security checks, performance, and completed support work.

Direct support

You should know how to request help, expected response times, and whether support comes from the person familiar with your site.

Clear plan boundaries

The provider should explain which maintenance, repairs, content changes, development work, and emergencies are included.

Business importance

□ The website generates leads
□ Customers schedule appointments online
□ The business processes ecommerce orders
□ Members or customers log in
□ The site supports staff or operations
□ Important data changes frequently
□ Downtime would affect revenue

Owner capacity

□ You do not have time for weekly reviews
□ Technical alerts are difficult to interpret
□ Updates are regularly postponed
□ Backup restoration has never been tested
□ Nobody monitors the website consistently
□ Emergency troubleshooting causes stress
□ Your time is better spent elsewhere

Ask what is included

□ WordPress, plugin, and theme updates
□ Backup frequency and retention
□ Restoration support
□ Security and malware monitoring
□ Uptime monitoring
□ Post-update testing
□ Performance checks
□ Monthly reporting
□ Support time and response expectations

Ask what is not included

□ Malware cleanup
□ Emergency after-hours response
□ Major development work
□ Redesigns or new features
□ Premium plugin licenses
□ Content writing or image creation
□ Third-party service failures
□ Hosting or domain fees
□ Unsupported or abandoned software