WEB MAINTENANCE DOESN’T SELL
There is a common myth that, once built, a website should continue working without further investment. It’s an understandable belief, stemming from a reluctance on the part of web companies to market the fact that websites need ongoing development. It makes perfect sense: the exciting big launch is a much better selling point than the multitude of reasons that your website will continue to demand attention from that point on.
BEFORE YOU START BLAMING THE WEB DEVELOPERS
So, why would your website ‘break’ when you took so much care in having it built properly? Why would things happen to your site that are unpredictable, and how can new bugs appear, seemingly out of nowhere? It comes down to the countless, inter-related aspects of the Internet that we require to work seamlessly together. The platform your site is built on, the web browser it is being viewed in, the coding standards that dictate how it is written, and the ever increasing awareness and expectations of your users. All of these things are in a constant state of evolution, bombing down a highway of change and hoping not to crash into each other too often.
TREAT YOUR WEBSITE RIGHT
This needn’t be a problem, however, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Think of your website as a garden that needs tending: things evolve and you adapt so that your garden thrives with the seasons. Plan for changes that can be foreseen and make sure you budget for changes that can’t. Get yourself a forward-thinking web developer and invest in a long-term partnership to ensure that your website remains a source of profit rather than angst. Thank you to http://www.flickr.com/photos/lasgalletas/ for the image.
