Website support: what it is, why you need it and what it includes

A website that was built and left alone slowly ages: systems get updated, vulnerabilities appear, forms break, the business changes.

With support, you don't find out about problems only after customers have already left. Here is what it is and how to choose a format.

What support includes

• Bug fixes: a form doesn't send enquiries, a failure on a phone, a layout that has "shifted".
• Updates: versions of the system, libraries, extensions. This covers both functionality and security.
• Backups: so the site can be restored if something breaks.
• Monitoring: to notice that the site is down before your customers do.
• Rework: new pages, blocks, features.
• Technical SEO: headings, language versions, sitemap, redirects.
• Consultations: a short answer to the question "how do I do this".

Signs you need support

• the site was built long ago and nobody has updated it;
• a form or payment "sometimes doesn't work";
• the developer who built the site is unavailable;
• you need small changes but nobody to make them;
• the site is slow and nobody knows why: see the speed-up checklist.

One-off help or ongoing support

If the site changes little, one-off help is enough. If it is part of your business with regular changes, an ongoing format is better.

What must be in your ownership

Support should not make you dependent. Make sure you have:

• access to the domain on your account;
• access to hosting;
• the site code in a repository you have access to;
• access to the admin panel and other services.

If a contractor asks you to "take it on trust", that is a warning sign.

What to look at when choosing

1. Which technologies they work with: so they know your stack. I work with Vue, Nuxt, React, WordPress websites and plain HTML.
2. How quickly they respond to urgent problems.
3. How they calculate the cost: by hours, by tasks or by package. What exactly the package includes.
4. What they do with someone else's code: can they figure it out, not only rewrite it.
5. Whether they make changes on a test copy, so the live site keeps running.

How much it costs

The price depends on the tasks: a small fix costs one amount, a new feature another. For ongoing support we discuss the scope: the number of hours or a list of tasks per month. Write what is wrong with the site, and I'll give you the cost and timeline.

Frequently asked questions

Can you support a site made by others?

Yes. First I work out what is there and how it works, and only then name the scope of work. Often it is enough to fix and add to it, not rewrite it.

What if the site is already slow or outdated?

Then speed-up or a redesign first, and support after. I look at the site and suggest what is more cost-effective.

Does a business card website need support?

Less than a store or a portal, but the minimum (updates, backups, checking forms) is needed by any site.

Website support and rework: terms and what is included.