What Exactly is a Fully Managed Website?

Woman sitting in brightly lit office smiling at camera.

Let's take a look at fully managed website services, including design, hosting, security, maintenance, content updates, SEO, and support. We'll compare these services to traditional setups for website development, highlighting benefits in efficiency, expertise, cost-effectiveness, scalability, performance, and security for small to medium-sized businesses.

Steve Suderman 200

Steve Suderman

What is a Fully Managed Website Service?

In today’s digital landscape, maintaining a strong online presence is crucial for business success. This article explores the benefits of fully managed website services and how they compare to traditional website setups. We will discuss key areas such as web design and development, hosting and domain management, security, maintenance, content updates, SEO, and technical support. By the end of this article, you will understand the advantages of managed web design vs. traditional website services and how a fully managed solution can enhance your business operations.

The Components of a Fully Managed Website

  • Web Design and Development: The first step in a fully managed website service is web design and development. This process should go beyond mere aesthetics. Your website should be user-friendly, accessible to those using keyboards or assistive technologies, and built with efficient, standards-compliant code. Custom designs ensure that each website is unique, on-brand, on-message, and meets the needs of visitors.
  • Hosting Management: There are many factors that contribute to quality hosting services. When you work with a fully managed website provider, they will be actively involved in ensuring that hosting is reliable and fast. If hosting issues do arise, you can rely on their expertise to quickly resolve any problems, minimizing downtime and ensuring your website remains accessible.
  • Security: Security measures might include include SSL certificates, malware scanning, and continuous monitoring to protect against cyber threats.
  • Maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential for preventing technical issues and ensuring the optimal performance of a website. Fully managed services include routine updates to the website’s core, plugins, and themes. This helps to prevent glitches and bugs that can disrupt the user experience and compromise the website’s functionality.
  • Content Updates: Keeping a website’s content fresh and relevant is crucial for engaging visitors and maintaining search engine rankings. Some fully managed services include updating content such as blogs, news, and product information. This ensures that the website remains current and provides valuable information to visitors without requiring any effort from the business owner.
  • SEO: Search engine optimization (SEO) is a critical aspect of online success. Your managed website provider may include ongoing SEO strategies to improve search engine rankings and increase organic traffic. This involves optimizing website content, keywords, and metadata to ensure that the website appears prominently in search results.

Advantages of a Fully Managed Website

  • Operational Efficiency: By offloading website management tasks to experts, businesses can concentrate on their primary activities without distraction. This leads to increased operational efficiency and productivity.
  • Cost Efficiency: Traditional website development often involves large upfront costs and unforeseen support fees, which can strain a company’s budget. In contrast, fully managed services eliminate these surprises, offering a consistent monthly or annual fee that covers all aspects of website management.
  • Scalability: As a business grows, its website needs may evolve. Fully managed services are scalable, allowing for increased complexity and functionality over time. This flexibility ensures that the website can grow alongside the business.
  • Peace of Mind: Knowing your website is in expert hands 24/7 lets you sleep better at night.

Who Needs a Fully Managed Website?

This setup is perfect for small to medium-sized businesses that need to stay agile and can’t afford to divert focus from their core operations. It’s also ideal for sectors with dynamic content needs — think e-commerce platforms, legal firms, medical practices, and more. If your business thrives on staying current and engaging with customers online, a fully managed website can be a powerhouse tool.

Conclusion

A fully managed website service offers a strategic advantage by providing comprehensive management and support. This allows businesses to maintain a robust online presence without the associated complexities and resource demands. Understanding the benefits and scope of these services can help businesses make informed decisions about their website management strategy.

If a fully-managed website solution sounds like it might be for you, feel free to reach out.

Steve Suderman 200

Steve Suderman

Twenty-year veteran film producer and owner of SiteSuccess. I love storytelling in both film and web development. Most of all I love working with talented teams.