Each year when we send out annual invoices to our WordPress website hosting customers we get the same questions. In most cases, customers are curious about the difference between website hosting and website maintenance. I understand why there is confusion and I hope to offer clarity on what website hosting includes and what is meant by website maintenance in this blog.  Most of the information to follow is applicable for all types of websites. However, we specialize in WordPress website design, development, hosting, and maintenance and I will cover WordPress websites mostly. The rules also apply to all geographical areas too. It’s not limited to Michigan or even the United States. We are located in Michigan however we design, develop, host and, maintain websites from all over the United States. Let’s get started with the frequently asked questions.

Hosting vs Website Maintenance

Simply put website hosting is the storage of your website data, all of your website files. Website maintenance services are tactics to help keep your website updated and functioning properly. There are various levels and types of website updates from back-end code updates to front-facing content updates. We’ll get into that more in-depth later.

To answer the question on website hosting and website management more clearly it will be helpful to explain what website hosting is. I intend to simplify explanations and resist using highly technical terms. I believe explaining this in layman’s terms will help those users who need to hear it most. If you want more technical information please reach out to a web technologist and take notes!

What is Website Hosting:

All live websites are accessible because they are connected to the internet. The www in URLs -www.yourwebsite.com- stands for the world wide web – mind blown yet? The worldwide web also referred to as the web, is the pages you see when you are online, pages are pieces of a website.

All websites and web pages must be stored on a server that is connected to the internet for people around the world or around your town to access it while online. The internet is a network of these servers (or computers) that are connected (networked). The web works on the internet which is made up of all these servers. You are able to access these sites by paying an internet provider or (ISP) then connects to this network of servers.

An analogy could be that your web page, for example, the About Us page, is a page in a book. Your website is the book. The www/web is the bookshelf you see your book is stored on and the internet is the library (or bookstore) people visit to search for your book. Your internet service provider (ISP) is the library card that allows you to access that book.

All that to say, website hosting is when your website files are stored on a server that is connected and part of the internet.

Why Does Web Hosting Cost Money?

Although your website files are not physical they take up digital space. Digital space is costly. Anyone who pays for cloud services or large computer hard drives knows the more files you store the higher the cost. Servers are actual physical hardware. The servers used for storing websites and connecting to the internet are costly to build, purchase, and maintain.

Some businesses have in-house servers. This is a smaller server for your internal company communications and file storage. These personal servers range from $1000-$3000 depending on your needs.  These are puppies compared to the big dog web servers used by most web hosting firms. Beyond the cost of the hardware, there is the expense of software, continuous maintenance, security, and all of the human brainiacs making sure everything is flowing smoothly to the internet.

At the beginning of website development, they were simpler (until we website designers got added in the mix…. but that’s another story the coders and engineers still have nightmares about.) Suffice it to say, making websites pretty, adding cool functionality, e-commerce, and content management capability, etc. adds – you guessed it – more space on servers.

Why is There a Large Range in Cost for Website Hosting?

A big differentiator with hosting is whether you are on a shared server or a dedicated server. Shared servers can have 100s to 1000s of websites on one server. This can cause bottlenecks because all of those websites are sharing the same CPU, RAM, etc.

As well, WordPress websites perform best on dedicated WordPress servers that include optimized features for WordPress.

Some Advantages of Dedicated WordPress Website Hosting:

• Increased security
• Predictable server usage
• Ease in updating – plug-ins and themes
• East of Set up
• Optimized speed from shared hosting

Does Website Hosting include Website Maintenance?

By now you understand the difference between website hosting and website maintenance. In most cases when you purchase website hosting you are just paying for hosting. Website maintenance is an add-on service you can choose.

This is a critical differentiation to understand. If you purchase website hosting only and nobody is updating or maintaining it, you are leaving your website at risk. Be sure to determine if you will handle the maintenance required to keep your website fresh and safe or if you need help. When you choose which hosting company to use ask about hosting and website maintenance. Be honest with yourself and your vendor about your comfort level and the likelihood of you or your staff making updates.

What to ask when pricing website maintenance and hosting:

• Will your website be hosted on a shared server or a dedicated WordPress server
• Are plugin updates included – how frequently and at what cost
• Are theme updates included – how frequently and at what cost
• What level of security is included
• Does maintenance include content updates
• Other additional services included (design, SEO, blog writing, etc.)
• Is email included, how many email addresses,
• Is email set-up support included

Ask for pricing and the tactics they will use and the frequency each will be done.

What is WordPress Website Maintenance?

All websites rely on shared code, languages such as php and sql, etc. These languages are constantly evolving and code gets outdated. If you are a website owner who doesn’t add new content such as text or photos, etc., and you never look at the back end of your site you can be prey to issues.

Sometimes there are major updates to this code. In 2021 PHP had a major update and many older websites became disabled or had sections that no longer functioned properly.

Often times it is a minor update. These smaller updates are in response to security vulnerabilities. So although small, they are important to pay attention to.

What we encounter most often are WordPress plug-in updates.

Plugins are pieces of software/code that work with your WordPress website and add functionality. A plug-in allows a user to perform a specific set of actions easily. For example, a donation plug-in builds in the capability for users to donate money by clicking a donate button. The plugin automates the action behind the scenes and allows the user to just click a button while performing multiple steps behind the scenes.

WordPress plugins require maintenance regularly. This can be a very simple task even for novices. we suggest logging into the back end of your website monthly to check the status. When you log on you will see an alert if there are any plugins that need updating. Go to the plug-in page and click update. Save yourself from features being disabled and protect your website from hackers and malware.

Updating one plug-in can sometimes affect another plug-in. When there are major updates to your WordPress theme it may be wise not to update instantly. That is because some plug-ins you use may not have updated to the new version and may no longer work.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you or your website developer is building your WordPress website. Automated features are included in your website development with the use of WordPress plug-ins. However, the more bells and whistles you add, the more often you need to check to be sure they are all current and functioning optimally.

The more complex the features on your website the more time-consuming keeping it updated and optimized will be.

What is included in Website Maintenance Packages?

Website development and website design firms offer a variety of options for website maintenance. Some website design firms only offer plans for keeping your front-facing website content updated.

Types of Website Content Maintenance:

• Updating your office hours and other page content
• Adding important time-sensitive announcements
• Adding a new product or service, etc.
• Blog writing and optimization
• Adding new photos or videos
• Adding client testimonials, etc.
• On page SEO

Website Design and Development Maintenance Plan

• Updating data / content (as above)
• Adding additional sections and pages
• Updating themes and plugins
• Troubleshooting issues
• Security updates, etc.

We offer a variety of website care packages to suit.  If you do not update your website or log in to your WordPress website backend monthly we recommend at minimum hiring us or another firm to monitor and update your website plug-ins. Plug-in update service is only available to our web hosting customers. Save hundreds or thousands of dollars in missed sales inexpensively by making sure your website is not compromised.

I hope I answered the questions about Website hosting and Website Maintenance clearly. Be sure to connect or call if you have any other questions. It has always been our mission to stomp out ugly websites and we also want to help keep websites secure from hackers and optimized for search engines. Keeping your website current and fresh is your best means of defense from hackers. It is also your best practice for keeping your site optimized for search engines.

We’re here to help

If you need help keeping your website current and safe, check out our Website Care packages. We can customize plans if there are additional features you would like to add or items you are already handling. If you still have questions about website hosting or what types of maintenance services your specific business will do best with, give us a call, we’re happy to help you.

Good luck, and stay connected!