What Marketing Directors Need to Know About Website Maintenance

Why This Matters to Marketing

You didn't get into marketing to manage server updates. But if you're responsible for your institution's web presence, website maintenance is now part of your world—whether you like it or not.

I've worked with marketing directors at universities who inherited websites they didn't build, running on platforms they don't understand, maintained by vendors they've never met. When something breaks, they're the ones explaining to leadership why the admissions portal is down during application season.

I thought maintenance was IT's problem until our site got hacked. Then it was very much my problem—I was the one on the phone with the president.

Marketing Director, Regional University

This article won't turn you into a systems administrator. But it will give you enough understanding to ask the right questions, make informed decisions, and avoid the preventable disasters that derail careers and enrollment goals.

The Four Pillars of Website Maintenance

Website maintenance breaks down into four categories. You don't need to do all of this yourself, but you need to ensure someone is.

Security: What Can Go Wrong

University websites are high-value targets. You have student data, financial information, and a .edu domain that spammers love to exploit. A breach isn't just embarrassing—it can trigger federal reporting requirements and erode the trust you've built with prospective students.

The Non-Negotiables

• Software updates: WordPress core, plugins, and themes need updates within days of release—not months. Hackers actively scan for sites running outdated software.
• SSL certificate: That padlock in the browser. It encrypts data and is required for any forms. Should auto-renew, but verify it's happening.
• Backups: Daily automated backups, stored off-site, tested regularly. If you can't restore from backup, you don't have backups.
• Access control: Who has admin access? Is it documented? Do you revoke access when people leave? Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
• Monitoring: Someone should be watching for suspicious activity, failed login attempts, and file changes.

Questions to Ask Your IT Team or Vendor

1. How quickly are security updates applied?
2. How often are backups taken, and where are they stored?
3. When was the last backup restoration test?
4. Who has admin access to the website?
5. What monitoring is in place for security incidents?

Performance: Speed Matters More Than You Think

Every second of load time costs you visitors. Studies show 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take over 3 seconds to load. For a university during application season, slow performance directly translates to lost applicants.

What Affects Performance

• Hosting quality: Cheap hosting means shared resources and slow response times. University sites need quality hosting, especially during traffic spikes.
• Database health: Databases accumulate clutter over time—post revisions, spam comments, orphaned data. Regular cleanup keeps queries fast.
• Image optimization: A single unoptimized image can add seconds to load time. Every image should be compressed and properly sized.
• Caching: Proper caching serves pre-built pages instead of generating them fresh for every visitor. Dramatic performance improvement.
• Code efficiency: Poorly coded plugins and themes slow everything down. Regular audits identify the culprits.

Metrics to Monitor

Content Maintenance: Marketing's Domain

This is where marketing can't delegate. Outdated content is your responsibility, and it's more damaging than most people realize.

The Content Decay Problem

Content doesn't stay fresh on its own. Faculty leave. Programs change. Phone numbers get reassigned. Events pass. Links break. Without active maintenance, your site gradually becomes a liability.

Google notices. Outdated content ranks lower. Broken links hurt your SEO. Users notice too—nothing says "we don't care" like a 2023 calendar on your 2026 website.

A Quarterly Content Audit Checklist

• ☐ Check all contact information for accuracy
• ☐ Verify faculty and staff listings are current
• ☐ Review and remove past events
• ☐ Update program information and requirements
• ☐ Test all forms to ensure they submit correctly
• ☐ Run a broken link checker
• ☐ Review analytics for underperforming pages
• ☐ Check that emergency/safety information is current

Budgeting for Maintenance

Here's the uncomfortable truth: your website is never "done." It requires ongoing investment to remain secure, functional, and effective.

The 15-20% Rule

Budget 15-20% of your initial website investment annually for maintenance. A $100,000 website needs $15,000-20,000 per year. This covers:

This doesn't include major new features, redesigns, or significant content creation—those are separate capital projects.

Documentation: Your Insurance Policy

What happens if your web developer wins the lottery tomorrow? Or your IT contact retires? Document everything.

Essential Documentation

• Hosting credentials: Where is the site hosted? Login information? Who's the account holder?
• Domain registration: Where is the domain registered? When does it expire? Who can make changes?
• CMS access: Admin accounts, password recovery options, two-factor backup codes
• Vendor contacts: Who built the site? Support contacts? Contract terms?
• Integration credentials: APIs, third-party services, analytics accounts
• Emergency procedures: Who to call when the site is down? Escalation path?

Store this documentation securely but accessibly. A password manager or secure shared drive works. Don't put it all in one person's head.

Building Your Maintenance Calendar

Maintenance shouldn't be reactive. Build a calendar that ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Sample Maintenance Schedule

Weekly:

• Check uptime monitoring for issues
• Review security alerts
• Apply any critical security updates

Monthly:

• Apply non-critical software updates
• Review analytics for anomalies
• Test key conversion paths (application, contact forms)
• Check backup status

Quarterly:

• Content audit (see checklist above)
• Performance testing
• Security audit
• Review and update documentation

Annually:

• Full UX review
• Accessibility audit
• Vendor/contract review
• Budget planning for next year
• Disaster recovery test