Taking care of your website should be manageable. Given the fantastic open-source software like WordPress available, the wide variety of plugins, and the massive amounts of data you can collect to gain context on how you’re doing—website management should be easy.
Many “Managed WordPress” hosting options (most of which are stellar) make it appear that everything necessary will be readily apparent for you. Additionally, there are plenty of handy website management checklists. So, does this mean your bases are covered?
With a full suite of services, tools, tips, and lists at your fingertips, how could anyone possibly fail? And yet, unless your day-in and day-out occupation is living and breathing website management, the task lists may seem unfamiliar and you may not get around to handling things properly. Worse yet flying solo you’re not able to see your own blind spots. A challenge we notice on many small business teams is there simply isn’t enough time for staff to get an accurate picture of the high-priority tasks, much less ensure everything is done.
With so many tools available, it’s easy to think you’ve got everything needed for website management.
Like Windows XP in the mid-2000s, the WordPress ecosystem suffers under the weight of its own ubiquity. There are so many free bits of code and software of unknown quality, making it incredibly challenging to find a trusted authority to have your back. At Valet, we’ve listened to our customers and found what’s most valuable for website management. Here’s our list of the 6 things you want to look for when hiring the right team.
1. Knowledge of the Software
Let’s start with the obvious: Check out bios, ask questions about the specific software, plugins, analytics tools, etc. Do you use infusionsoft? Is ecommerce, membership, or LMS functionality critical to your business? Dig into the details and see if they’re prepared to assist with your specific needs.
2. Company Culture
Does it match yours? Do you think you’d enjoy ongoing communication about tough issues on your site? These are the people you’ll be talking to when things are good, but also in those intense moments when something is broken. Do you feel they’ve got your back?
3. Availability
What are your requirements for response times? What are your expectations for their availability? Are they willing to schedule a phone call? How many people do they have who will be able to help? Who will your point of contact be?
4. Specific Needs You Want Addressed
Have a list ahead of time. What do you expect them to bring to the table? What are the key problems you need to have solved?
5. Experience with Similar Customers
Similar to having knowledgeable staff on the software, what experience do they have with your nitch? What kind of insights can they provide that will help you grow your business?
6. Creating Measurable Success
Any solid services company will tell you that they are only successful when you are —and that’s absolutely true. So how do they measure that success? How do they prove they are meeting, or hopefully exceeding, expectations? Ask about specifics of their reporting. What sorts of metrics can they provide for you?
Hiring a Team for Website Management: Know When to Get Help
Despite the wide array of incredible tools available to manage your website, it’s often the smart business decision to hire a knowledgeable team to effectively care for your web presence. This takes the burden of website management off the rest of your staff. It also ensures a skilled team is always there to watch your back.
After all, a team doing website management full-time invests tremendous amounts of energy into research and learning. Most businesses will never have the bandwidth to match this. Allowing them to leverage their knowledge on your site ensures you’re never caught off-guard by unpleasant surprises. It also gives you an outside perspective on how to best prioritize your resources and reach your goals for your site.
Ask Questions, Choose Wisely
When you hire a website management team, your job as a savvy business owner is to make sure the team you pick has the right skills—both technical and interpersonal, along with a solid track record and the ability to provide reliable reporting. Make sure you ask the right questions before you enter into a service contract. If you see any red flags, keep looking until you find a trustworthy team that can meet your specific needs.
Valet — A Website Management Team with High Standards of Excellence
Looking to hire a web team today? Partner with Valet. Our team is always here to provide ongoing support, launch a new website, migrate a site, or delve into your existing website with a fine tooth comb with our website Audit service. Partner with our professional company driven by leadership, integrity, excellence, humility and tenacity.
