If there’s one thing I’ve learned in more than a decade of providing website management services for small businesses, it’s this: cheap is expensive.
Over the years, I’ve spoken to numerous business owners who thought they were saving money by avoiding professional website management services. Some hired a full-time employee. Others handed the responsibility off to a marketing manager. A few went with the classic “do-nothing” approach—crossing their fingers and hoping for the best (“we’ll just wing it and hope nothing breaks”).
Here’s what I saw in nearly every case: the cost of that decision caught up with them. Fast.
Sure—there are times when in-house website management makes sense. E-commerce businesses are a great example. And if your marketing team has the capacity and skills? Great. (We even train people for that.)
But time and again, I’ve seen how hiring the right company to handle it can actually save you thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars. Not in theory. In real life. Let’s unpack why investing in web management services doesn’t just make sense—it saves you money in the long run.
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Key Takeaways:
- The cost of hiring a full-time website manager can be daunting for a small business
- There’s a give and take when you task the marketing team with website management
- The sitting duck approach – having no plan is not a good plan. Website crisis services are available–but they will cost you
- Outsourcing website management services frees up time for revenue-generating work
- Website management services are a necessity–not a luxury
- Professional website management services can drive increased revenue
- When it makes sense to bring website management in-house
The Full-Time Website Manager Fallacy
Hiring a full-time website manager can feel like a power move. You get control, speed, and maybe even the illusion of security. But here’s what you’re really signing up for: salary, health insurance, payroll taxes, benefits, vacation time… and, possibly, a ping-pong table if you’re trying to impress them.
And for most companies? That’s overkill.
Whenever I see an employment ad for a full-time website manager, I wonder, why? The costs are steep and—honestly—unnecessary for the majority of small businesses. You’re essentially pouring money into a role that could be fulfilled more efficiently by a website management agency. One that already has the systems, knowledge, and infrastructure in place.
Offloading Website Management to the Marketing Team (a.k.a. Stealing from Sales)
Handing off web management services to your internal team seems like a budget-friendly fix—until you realize what’s being sacrificed. Every minute your marketing manager spends fixing a broken plugin or trying to figure out SEO settings is a minute they’re not running lead-generation campaigns or writing content that brings in sales.
I’ve seen this happen again and again: the marketing engine slows to a crawl because someone is stuck trying to solve a website crisis they weren’t hired to handle. Marketing suffers. Sales dip. And everyone wonders why traffic is down. And all to save a few bucks? It’s not worth it.
The “Sitting Duck” Approach
This one’s the most painful to watch. Some companies don’t have a plan at all. Their approach is: “Let’s see what happens and deal with it if it breaks.”
I call this the sitting duck option.
This is how you end up with:
- A hacked website
- A sudden outage
- Lost customer data
- Broken forms during your busiest sales season
Sure, it saves money upfront. But when your site crashes or gets hacked or vanishes from Google search results, you’re paying a premium to fix it fast. Urgent support will cost you—ask anyone who’s needed us to swoop in for a same-day emergency.
My agency offers emergency website repair services—and I’ll be honest, they’re not cheap. Because when your website is hacked or down, we drop everything to fix it.
But here’s the thing: you don’t have to end up in crisis mode.
Web management services (think backups, security monitoring, plugin and theme updates, compliance checks) cost far less than an emergency fix. Plus, it’s predictable. You can budget for it.
Save Money by Avoiding Big Problems
Website problems don’t fix themselves.
If your website goes down during a product launch or your donation form breaks during end-of-year giving season, how much revenue do you lose in a single day?
I’ll wait.
A website maintenance package might feel like a monthly cost you could cut. But it’s like skipping oil changes for your car. Eventually, you’ll pay more to fix a blown engine than you ever would’ve spent on preventative care.
Outsourcing Website Management = Buying Back Your Time
When you outsource your small business website management services to professionals, here’s what you get:
- Peace of mind
- Fewer fires to put out
- More time for revenue-producing work
- Proactive support that prevents problems before they happen
It’s like having a digital bodyguard who quietly handles the dirty work behind the scenes.
One of our clients put it best:
“Thanks, Emily Journey & Associates for taking a very important task off my plate!”
Shellee Fisher, Shellee Fisher Photography
Website Management Services are Not a Luxury
When you hire a professional website management agency, you’re not paying for someone to sit around waiting for you to send an edit request. You’re paying for prevention, protection, and performance.
That means critical activities like:
- Regular theme and plugin updates
- Security monitoring and backups
- Speed optimization so users don’t bounce
- SEO guidance and UX improvements
- Eyes on your site so you’re not blindsided
These services reduce your risk and make your website work harder for your business.
Good Website Managers Help You Make Money
Web management services don’t just prevent losses—they drive growth.
A good website management service includes expertise in UX design, SEO, and conversion strategy. They’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve your site’s speed, security, and visibility. That means more clicks, better search rankings, and more form submissions.
It’s not magic. It’s expertise.
One of our clients said:
“My impressions and clicks keep rising beyond my expectations. I highly recommend using Emily Journey & Associates if you want top level results.”
Jon Walden, Phoenix Printer Repair
At my agency, we go beyond basic maintenance. Our website managers are always looking for ways to make your site better. So you can do better.
When In-House Website Management Makes Sense
Now, let’s talk about when it does make sense to manage your website in-house.
If you run an e-commerce business, you know: updates to product listings, payment integrations, and shipping platforms are daily tasks. That kind of website activity can’t be outsourced completely. You need someone on the inside who understands the flow of operations and can act fast. We have e-commerce clients who handle the “day-to-day” and use us for other services (SEO optimization, security updates, UX refinements, and more).
Or maybe you’ve got a team with the time, skills, and interest to maintain your website. In that case, do it. But do it well. Investing in up-front training leads to fewer headaches later—more efficient updates, stronger security, greater flexibility, and a site that looks polished and professional.
Professional Website Management Is a Growth Strategy
You will pay for your website one way or another. The question is whether you want to:
- Incur the full cost of adding an employee,
- Risk-taking your marketing team’s eye off the prize,
- Panic-spend during a crisis,
- Or pay gradually with a sustainable plan.
Professional website management services for small businesses can feel like an expense. But it’s actually protection. It’s growth. And more than anything, it’s smart business.
You don’t have to do it all yourself. Let a trusted website management agency keep your site healthy, fast, and secure—so you can focus on the work that matters.
Contact my friendly office to learn about our monthly plans and discuss your website needs. We can find the website management services that are right for you!
Office: (844) 972-6224 Contact Us
Website Management Services: Frequently Asked Questions
Are website management services really worth the cost for small businesses?
Yes — for most small businesses, they are. The cost of professional website management is usually far less than hiring a full-time employee, losing revenue during downtime, or paying for emergency fixes when something breaks. Preventive care is almost always cheaper than crisis repair.
Isn’t it cheaper to manage a website in-house?
Sometimes. But only if your team already has the time, skills, and systems in place. In many businesses, website management quietly pulls marketing and sales teams away from revenue-generating work. When that happens, the “savings” disappear fast.
What happens if I don’t have a website management plan at all?
Then you’re relying on luck. Without a plan, issues are handled reactively — usually at the worst possible time. Emergency website repairs cost more, take longer, and create unnecessary stress. A plan gives you predictability and protection.
Can website management services actually help increase revenue?
Yes. Good website management isn’t just about keeping things running. It includes performance improvements, SEO guidance, and user experience tweaks that help your site convert better and show up more often in search results.
What’s included in website management services?
At a minimum, website management services should cover the basics that keep your site stable and secure: regular software updates, backups you can actually restore, security monitoring, and performance checks.
Good website management goes further. It includes someone actively watching your site, testing forms, catching problems early, and making small improvements before they turn into big issues. The difference isn’t the checklist — it’s the level of attention and accountability behind it.
How much do website management services cost?
Website management services typically cost far less than hiring a full-time employee and far less than dealing with repeated emergencies. Pricing varies based on the size and complexity of your website, how often it changes, and the level of support you need.
The mistake most people make is comparing price without comparing what’s included. Two plans with the same monthly cost can deliver completely different levels of care. The only fair comparison is to look at scope, response time, and whether the work is proactive or reactive.
When does it make sense to manage a website internally instead of outsourcing?
Managing your website in-house can make sense if you have a team member with the time, technical skills, and authority to handle updates, security, and troubleshooting consistently — not just when something breaks.
This is common for e-commerce businesses or teams that make daily changes. Even then, many in-house teams still rely on outside experts for training, audits, or specialized support. The key isn’t who manages the site — it’s whether it’s being managed proactively and well.
