A monthly website maintenance checklist that actually protects sales

A website that worked in January can feel slow or look broken in July. Plugins change, PHP versions age, and a single expired SSL certificate can send customers away.

What I check each month

• Backups that can actually be restored, not just files sitting on the same disk.
• Core, plugin, and theme updates — tested, not blindly clicked.
• Uptime and SSL so visitors do not see a browser warning.
• A speed pass on the homepage and one key inner page.
• A quick look at contact forms and checkout, because those break silently.

What I do not hide in a retainer

Redesigns, new features, and content writing are separate. If something is outside the monthly plan, I say so before I start.

If you already have a site and no one is watching it, a one-time audit is a good first step. We can turn that into a retainer only if it is worth doing.