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Changing the Definition of Website Maintenance

It is very reasonable for any business owner to ask the question – what is website maintenance and why do I need it? When it comes to WordPress especially, there are tons of companies out there completely focused on just offering maintenance. They pitch their service as the only way to keep your site up-to-date, but really all they do are basic tasks that don’t actually do anything to benefit your business.

Hoot Host offers website maintenance on any website platform, not just WordPress! Click to learn more.

Website maintenance is about a lot more than just updating plugins, running page audits, and protecting your site from malware. But companies like SiteCare (or any of the companies with WP right in their name) only offer these basic tasks in their plans. We call them basic tasks because Hoot Host includes core updates, plugin updates, page audits and optimization, and malware protection in our lowest priced hosting plans! We don’t even consider these maintenance services. So what is actual website maintenance then? Hoot Host is clearly changing the definition.

Business owners don’t have time to handle the technical management and core updates of their website platform – even in a simple platform like WordPress. So website maintenance companies have made a lucrative business out of doing these basic tasks and acting like they are offering high value services.

Once you look into the actual services these companies include in their maintenance plans, you realize they are the absolute basics! As soon as you ask them for real maintenance like page edits and design updates, content editing and publishing, marketing coordination, landing pages, blog management, e-commerce business assistance, advanced website development, custom graphic design, compliance certification, or search engine optimization – you are being upsold a whole other service plan that costs dramatically more.

All of these maintenance companies highest level plans won’t give their customers more than 1-3 hours a month for actual website maintenance services. Even a bigger company like SiteCare is not any better. So not only is Hoot Host far more comprehensive in what we offer, but we give more time to our customers too!

A word about this topic from our founder, Christopher Carbaugh: “I started Hoot Host defining website maintenance as helping businesses with upkeeping the content, design, optimization, and marketing strategies of their websites. Creating a subscription of bundled services in an affordable plan. I had no idea other companies were doing basic WordPress tasks and calling that maintenance. We obviously do all that and so much more. So I’m very glad from day one Hoot Host has been about doing more for our customers and providing quantifiable results through true value-adding services.”

So what is website maintenance? It is services that actually contribute to the content, design, optimization, marketing, and management of your website. Creating a results-driven online presence that enhances your business.

Once a website is hosted with us, core updates, plugin updates, malware protection, technical fixes, and general support are included and done daily. With SiteCare or one of the WP companies, that is all you get. So Hoot Host is here to say, that isn’t website maintenance.

The website maintenance services we include in our plans is what businesses actually need and rely on for real results from their website.

• Page Edits and Design Updates
• Content Editing and Publishing
• Ongoing Search Engine Optimization
• ADA, WCAG, GDPR, CCPA Compliance
• E-commerce Business Assistance
• Advanced Website Development
• Custom Graphic Design
• Unlimited Stock Photo and Video
• Blog Management
• Landing Pages (powered by Hoot.Page)
• Marketing Coordination
• Hoot Marketing Services

Plus best-in-class hosting benefits:

• Business or E-Commerce Cloud Hosting
• Free Annual Domain Renewal
• SSL Certificate and Firewall Security
• Google Cloud + LiteSpeed
• Compute-Optimized Hosting
• Cloudflare Security and Performance
• Scalable Technical Resources
• Advanced DDoS and Malware Protection
• Daily Website Backups
• Managed Core and Plugin Updates
• Access and Training
• 24/7 Uptime Monitoring
• 30GB Email Accounts

Get Started with Hoot Host Website Maintenance and Management

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Hoot Host FAQs

Find answers on common questions about Hoot Host and our solutions.

Hoot Host is an all-in-one “Software With A Service” (SWAS) platform that provides professional website building, managed hosting, CRM + marketing tools, and ongoing support for small businesses.

Yes! Hoot Host has received hundreds of verified reviews on Alignable and Trustpilot, we are the #1 rated website platform on the Alignable marketplace, plus we have been featured in popular media and press outlets like Business Insider, Apple News, Associated Press, NBC, and many more. The Hoot Host community is over 2000 businesses who love to hoot about us!

We ensure your website is regularly updated, secure, and high-performing. We handle your updates, edits, and blog publishing which can easily be scheduled with us every month via the Member Dashboard Task Scheduler. Plus we integrate our CRM + marketing tools, and offer training to help you leverage our productivity and marketing software. We also assist with email marketing, CRM management, and a variety of related business support needs.

Hoot Host defines our business model as an SWAS – Software With A Service. Meaning our solutions go far beyond just the service of building and managing your website. We also empower your business with all of the software, tools, and ongoing support agencies do not include or only offer as expensive upsells. In addition to our done-for-you ongoing services, Hoot Host offers a robust suite of software, tools, and proprietary apps for business operations, productivity, marketing, email, and more. Making Hoot Host a truly all-in-one platform for all your website, marketing, infrastructure, and business needs. Plus we are able to offer our solutions at a fraction of traditional agency prices under our affordable monthly subscriptions.

See a side-by-side comparison of Hoot Host vs Traditional Agencies here.

Unlike DIY platforms where you’re on your own, Hoot Host provides “Done-For-You” services and included ongoing support + coaching. We build and manage your website for you, then work with you month-to-month on continued improvements. While also empowering you with all of our tools and software to improve your operations and marketing. So you can excel while focusing on your business, knowing your online presence is supported by a reliable ongoing partner in Hoot Host.

See a side-by-side comparison of Hoot Host vs DIY platforms here.

Hoot Host takes website maintenance and support to a much more comprehensive level than standard website maintenance companies. Nearly all website maintenance companies define “maintenance” as security reviews, plugin updates, page speed audits, and a basic update request or two per month. Hoot Host includes all of that plus: managed hosting, CRM and marketing software, blog publishing, marketing coordination, and more comprehensive month-to-month website improvements. Additionally, most maintenance companies only offer support for WordPress, while Hoot Host applies our comprehensive support plans to WordPress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, HighLevel, and HubSpot. Our expert team is third-party certified in a variety of platforms to support our customers regardless of the systems they use.

See a side-by-side comparison of Hoot Host vs Maintenance companies here.

HootCRM is our built-in CRM, business operations, and marketing suite that helps you manage contacts, communication, payments, sales pipeline, calendar scheduling, social media, email marketing, Google Business Profile, automations, and much more from our all-in-one dashboard.

See all HootCRM features and capabilities here.

Yes! For those who aren’t ready for our $50–$250+ monthly tiers, we offer SprySite ( sprysite.io ). For just $15/month, you get a simple website platform with built-in marketing and optimization tools.

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