How to Maintain Your Website Without a Developer

Running a website used to mean you either needed coding skills or a developer on standby. But not anymore. Today, you can confidently manage and maintain your website without touching a line of code — even if you’re not tech-savvy.

Whether you’re a small business owner, a solo founder, or someone managing a team, this guide will show you how to keep your website fresh, secure, and effective — without relying on a full-time developer.

Choose the Right Platform: Start With the Right Tool

If you want to maintain your website yourself, the tool you choose makes all the difference. The best platforms are flexible, easy to update, and widely supported.

Here are some popular options:

1. WordPress (Recommended for Most Business Owners)

Pros:
- Extremely flexible, with thousands of themes and plugins.
- Easy to find help, tutorials, and community support.
- Great for blogs, business sites, portfolios, even eCommerce.
Cons:
- Needs regular updates (plugins, themes, WordPress core).
- Vulnerable to security issues if not maintained properly.
- Can become slow without optimization.

Best For: Content-heavy websites, service providers, coaches, consultants, bloggers.

2. Wix / Squarespace

Pros:
- Drag-and-drop interface is very user-friendly.
- Hosting, security, and updates are managed for you.
- All-in-one solution, ideal for beginners.
Cons:
- Less flexible for future customization.
- Can get expensive with add-ons.
- Limited SEO control compared to WordPress.

Best For: Portfolio sites, small business websites, or those needing minimal customization.

3. Webflow

Pros:
- Visually powerful with advanced design control.
- Built-in CMS (great for structured content).
- Cleaner code and better performance than many drag-and-drop builders.
Cons:
- Slight learning curve for beginners.
- Limited support for third-party plugins compared to WordPress.

Best For: Tech-savvy business owners, designers, or startups focused on high visual fidelity.

Plan Your Website Updates

Just like your business, your website needs to evolve over time. But most business owners don’t plan for it — and the site becomes outdated quickly.

Here’s how to keep it fresh without getting overwhelmed:Monthly Checklist

Review all pages: Are services, prices, or team bios up to date?
Update blog/news content if relevant.
Check contact forms and email links — do they still work?
Backup your website (automated if possible).

Quarterly Checklist

Update plugins, themes, and platform (WordPress users).
Run a speed test (use PageSpeed Insights).
Audit broken links using free tools like BrokenLinkCheck.
Refresh homepage banners or calls-to-action.

Annual Checklist

Redesign if your brand or goals have evolved significantly.
Review your site analytics: What’s working? What’s not?
Revisit your homepage messaging and About page.
Archive or remove outdated services/products.

Content Creation Tips & Tricks (For Non-Writers)

Even if you’re not a content expert, you can still create meaningful, helpful updates for your audience. Here’s how:

What Should You Write or Post?

Blog posts answering FAQs from your customers
Behind-the-scenes posts about your process or team
Case studies of successful projects
Industry insights or lessons learned
Tutorials or how-to guides based on your expertise

Tips to Keep It Simple:

Write how you talk. Don’t aim for perfection — aim for clarity.
Break content into short paragraphs and use bullet points.
Use free tools like Grammarly for basic proofreading.
Add at least one image to each post (you can use free images from Unsplash).

Tools That Make Maintenance Easy

You don’t need to do it all manually. Here are tools you can use to make life easier:

Task	Tool
Website backups	UpdraftPlus (for WordPress)
SEO optimization	Rank Math or Yoast SEO
Website speed test	GTmetrix, PageSpeed Insights
Grammar/spelling	Grammarly
Broken link checker	BrokenLinkCheck.com
Image compression	TinyPNG.com
Content calendar	Notion, Trello, or Google Sheet

What to Ask Your Developer Before Parting Ways

If you’ve hired a developer or agency to build your site, make sure you get control before moving forward on your own.

Here’s a final handover checklist you should demand:

Admin access to your website platform
Login details for domain and hosting provider
A brief video or document showing how to update your content
Access to image and video files used on the website
Clear list of plugins/add-ons used (for WordPress/Wix)
Contact for emergencies (optional support plan or hourly help)

Final Thoughts: You Can Do This (With the Right Setup)

Maintaining a website doesn’t require coding or full-time tech support — just a smart setup and a simple routine.

If you choose a platform that fits your needs, follow a light maintenance schedule, and keep your content relevant, you’ll have a site that not only looks great but continues to work for your business without extra cost.

Want help setting up a site you can manage yourself?
I offer consultation and setup services designed specifically for non-technical business owners — from choosing the right tool to handing over a foolproof manual you can follow without stress.

[Book a Free Discovery Call] — let’s make your website self-sufficient.