Website Maintenance Checklist: Monthly Tasks for Business Owners
Short answer: every month, update WordPress, plugins and theme, confirm backups work, check security, test forms and checkout, check speed, review content and look at Search Console. It takes an hour or two. Or hand it to a care plan: ours is KES 60,000 (USD 600) a year, billed annually.
A website is like a vehicle: it runs well if serviced regularly and breaks at the worst time if ignored. Here’s what to check. See our WordPress maintenance service.
| Frequency | Tasks |
|---|---|
| Monthly | Updates, backups, security, forms, speed, Search Console |
| Quarterly | Content review, broken links, user accounts, plugin audit |
| Yearly | Domain and hosting renewals, SSL, legal pages, design review |
Monthly tasks
- Update WordPress, plugins and theme, after a backup, then check the site.
- Confirm backups exist and can be restored. Backups with us are a paid add-on, so check what your host provides.
- Run a security scan and check for unknown admin users.
- Test every form, WhatsApp button and checkout, including an M-Pesa payment on shops.
- Check speed on a phone. See why a WordPress site is slow.
- Look at Google Search Console for errors, coverage problems and security warnings.
- Check uptime alerts and fix anything that went down.
Quarterly tasks
- Review key pages for outdated prices, staff or services.
- Fix broken links.
- Remove users who’ve left the business.
- Audit plugins and remove what you don’t use.
- Check your Google Business Profile matches the website.
Yearly tasks
- Renew the domain and hosting in good time. Our hosting starts from KES 10,000 a year with SSL included.
- Review privacy and terms pages.
- Review design and content against your goals. Consider whether a refresh is needed: see the website redesign checklist.
Signs something is wrong
- The site is suddenly slow.
- Strange redirects or pages in Google.
- Forms stop sending.
- Google or browser warnings.
If you see these, read what to do if your WordPress site was hacked.
Do it yourself or use a care plan?
If you’re comfortable and disciplined, you can follow this list. Most busy owners prefer to hand it over. Read what a WordPress care plan should include.
We’ve looked after websites since 2012, with 1,200+ projects and a 5.0 rating on Google.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a website be maintained?
Core tasks monthly, with extra checks quarterly and yearly.
What does website maintenance include?
Updates, backups, security, testing forms and payments, speed checks, content reviews and renewals.
How much does website maintenance cost?
Our care plan is KES 60,000 (USD 600) a year, billed annually.
Are backups included in the care plan?
Backups are a paid add-on. We’ll recommend the right backup option for your site.
What happens if I don’t maintain my website?
It becomes slower, less secure and more likely to break or be hacked.
Rather hand maintenance over?
Book a call and we’ll look after your website on a care plan, so you can focus on the business. During working hours (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm EAT) we reply within minutes on phone or WhatsApp at +254 705 828 000.
Prefer it in writing? Request a quote.
Written by Vincent Ochieng, founder of Butterfly Prime Solutions (since 2012). Last updated: 11 November 2026.
