Just like machines, your lawn and other physical things you see around you, websites, mobile apps and web apps also need to be maintained. Why? Since their numbers increase annually, you would need to maintain and/or update them to make sure that all of these are still running smoothly online despite the increasing competition.
And just like in the development process, the maintaining stage for each one varies drastically.
Websites
When it comes to websites, maintenance is a must. Without it, your website might not be able to work properly and worse, it won’t be able to generate enough revenue for your business. Aside from that, the contents present in the site will be out-of-date.
Did you know that not only does the content become out-of-date? Even the design and functions could too! And today, nobody wants to use and read content on older sites with outdated features and information.
This makes website maintenance the key to keep driving traffic into your site while not having to worry about your website being outdated.
How much does it cost to maintain a website? Apparently, the average amount ranges from $400 – $60,000 per year. And this amount could still vary in accordance to the total cost of the following functions:
- Hosting
- Domain name
- Design
- Layout
- Programming
The heaviest reason why you have to maintain your website is due to the ranking in various search engines. You see, Search Engines prefer displaying fresh and updated websites in their index. So, if you don’t want your site to be at the bottom of the Search engines, make sure to maintain and update your website frequently.
To do this, you could either talk to your previous web developer or look for other individuals to do the job for you.
The type of website you had can also depict what your website maintenance value would be. Here are some examples:
Open Source Management System
These platforms are what’s commonly known as WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. All these require high maintenance and could cost a lot more as compared to the other platforms. The maintenance covers up the following:
- Realtime Security
- Backups
- Plugin and Theme Updates
The cost f or maintaining such websites may go from $50 per month to $300 or more.
Proprietary Content Management System
Websites under this are much more limited as compared to Open Source Management Systems. Some examples are Wix, Weebly, and SquareSpace. The start-up prices for these sites begin from $11 to $18 per month.
Static HTML/CSS Website
Websites in this field are going to have the cheapest maintenance cost. However, developing websites under this costs a lot. And whenever a minor change has to be made in your website you’d have to dig into the backend or pay an expert to make the update.
Unlike the other types that require maintenance of various fields, static websites only need hosting maintenance. The hosting may sum up to $36 – $250 or more per year.
Mobile App and Web App Maintenance
Almost every person has a smartphone. And in every device are applications that are updated frequently. Complexity does not end in app development. It continues in every improvement, fixes and update done on the application.
The changes being done or updates being applied on every application is the reflection of the user’s feedback. Implementing some of the user’s comments, highly increases the satisfaction and generates better feedback on your app.
Maintaining applications, either mobile or web, costs about 15% to 20% of the development cost. So, when the development summed up to $100,000, the maintenance would cost you $20,000 per year.
Maintaining your application and website is just as important as its development. Think of it just like a plant. In the beginning, you offer it with delicate care and as it grows, you still continue taking care of it and give the factors needed for its survival. Same as with applications and websites. Even if the development is successful when you’ve forgotten to maintain it frequently, everything created in the beginning would crash down and cause more problems.
Remember, website and application development doesn’t start and end with a single snap. Frequent maintenance, update and monitoring are vital for every company that has indulged in the online world. And as the digital transformation continues, it’s highly recommended to take proper care of your website and/or mobile and web applications.
