Having a strong website is essential for a successful eCommerce business. It enables a positive user experience which helps to increase customer retention over time. But we can’t forget about the upkeep of our websites. Just like our homes, they need updating and freshening from time to time to ensure everything is in perfect working order.
In this guide, we explore exactly what the purpose of a website retainer is and the benefits that it can have on your business.
What is a website retainer?
A website retainer is where you outsource your website maintenance to a specialist web developer in return for a monthly fee. Your retainer should cover a multitude of bases including general maintenance, technical support, updates, and bug fixes as well as continued improvements across your website. This ensures the smooth running of your website both front-end and back-end to make the user experience as effortless as possible.
When to consider a website retainer?
If you don’t have an in-house web developer to monitor and manage your sites, then a website retainer could prove hugely beneficial to you. Having a website retainer in place for your business will enable your specialist eCommerce agency to keep your website running at its best. It also takes any internal pressure off your team attempting to do this themselves, despite perhaps not having the depth of knowledge required to do so. Outsourcing your web maintenance to an experienced web developer allows them to apply relevant years of refined knowledge to continually maximise the success of your website on a monthly basis.
Monthly website health checks
By investing in a web retainer, you can benefit from monthly website health checks that can aid in the constant development and smooth running of your eCommerce site. Think of it like taking your car for its MOT, a website retainer is much the same – checking everything is in working order with the added bonus of having experienced specialists who can also look out tricks to improve and build upon your website further.
You might be wondering why you need these checks as often as every month? The answer is simple. Websites contain complex programming and coding which requires maintenance over time. Glitches can creep up on you when you least expect it, which is why it is essential to have an expert web developer on hand to fix these bugs as and when they arise.
When your website is the face of your business, it’s vital that these problems are resolved quickly and efficiently so that they don’t disrupt the user experience of any customers who are purchasing your products or services online.
