A website is not something you build once and forget. Like a car or a shop fit-out, it needs regular looking after to keep working well. A WordPress care plan is simply a monthly service where someone does that looking after for you.
But what does that actually include? Plans vary a lot between providers, so here is what a good care plan should cover, and what to ask before you sign up.
The core of any care plan
Updates
WordPress, your theme and your plugins all release updates regularly. A care plan should apply them at least monthly, with a backup taken first and the site checked afterwards. Clicking “update all” and hoping for the best is not the same thing.
Backups
Daily backups, stored off-site, so a copy of your website exists somewhere other than your hosting account. If your server has a problem, or your site is hacked, the backup is how you get back online. Ask how long backups are kept, and whether restoring one is included.
Security
This usually means a firewall, malware scanning, login protection and an SSL certificate. The aim is to stop the common automated attacks that target small business websites, and to spot quickly if something gets through.
Uptime monitoring
A service that checks your site regularly and alerts someone if it goes down. Without it, you might not find out your site is offline until a customer mentions it.
A monthly report
A short summary of what was done: updates applied, backups taken, scans run and any issues found. It keeps things transparent, and it is useful to have on record.
Extras you may see in higher plans
Bigger plans often add things that help a site perform, not just stay safe:
- Content changes, like updating prices, adding staff, or swapping photos, so you do not have to learn WordPress yourself.
- Speed and SEO health checks, to keep the site quick and catch things like broken pages or missing page titles.
- Broken link and form testing, so you know enquiries are actually reaching you.
- Priority support, so when something urgent comes up you are at the front of the queue.
What is usually not included
It is worth knowing where the line sits. Most care plans do not include building new pages or features, redesigns, writing content from scratch, or large fixes caused by things outside the plan. Those are usually quoted separately. A good provider will tell you the price before starting any extra work.
Questions to ask before you sign up
- How often are updates done, and is the site checked afterwards?
- Where are backups stored, and how long are they kept?
- If my site is hacked, is the clean-up included?
- Is there a lock-in contract?
- Who will I actually talk to when something goes wrong?
- Do I need to use your hosting?
Do you need a care plan?
You probably do if your website brings in enquiries or sales, if nobody in the business has time to keep it updated, or if you would struggle to fix it yourself if it broke. You might not need one if your site is very simple, rarely changes, and you or someone on your team is confident looking after WordPress.
The real question is what it would cost your business if the site went down or got hacked for a week. For most businesses, that is a lot more than a monthly plan.
Care plan or pay as you go?
Some businesses prefer to call someone only when something breaks. That can work for very simple sites, but it has a catch. When nobody is checking the site each month, small problems build up quietly. Plugins fall behind, backups stop running, a form stops sending, and you only find out when something bigger fails.
Fixing a site after months of neglect usually takes longer, and costs more, than keeping it in good shape along the way. A care plan also means the person helping you already knows your site, has the logins, and has recent backups to work from. In an emergency, that saves a lot of time.
The other benefit is simply peace of mind. You know someone is watching, and you can get on with running the business.
Our care plans
We offer two simple WordPress care plans for Sunshine Coast businesses. Care is $120 a month and covers updates, security, uptime monitoring, daily off-site backups and a monthly report. Care Plus is $220 a month and adds content changes, speed and SEO health checks, form testing and priority phone support. There is no lock-in, and we do not charge GST.
Not sure which suits you? Ask for a free site check and we will tell you what your website needs.
