Why websites drift
A small business website is usually built once and then left alone. The person who made it moves on, the logins end up in an old email, and the software under the site keeps changing. Plugins release fixes, the CMS puts out new versions, and the server software ages. After a year or two, the site shows last season's hours, a contact form that quietly stopped sending, and a list of updates nobody wants to click because something might break.
A care plan gives that job to someone whose work it is. We keep the software current, take backups before every change, make the small edits you send, and look after the hosting account so you don't have to think about renewals and certificates.
What a plan covers
Updates and security patches
Core, theme and plugin updates, applied after a backup and checked on the live site.
Backups and restores
Daily copies of files and database, kept off the server, and a restore when something goes wrong.
Small edits
Hours, prices, photos, staff and the other little changes you'd rather not log in for.
Hosting handled
We set up and look after the hosting account, the SSL certificate and the server software.
What a month looks like
The drawing at the top of this page is a concept care log for a shop website. Each software part of the site has its own lane, and the line steps up each time that part gets an update or a security patch. The backup lane shows a copy every day, with a taller mark on each day something changed, because that copy is what we restore from if an update causes trouble. Edits and hosting checks have their own lanes. More examples are on the samples page.
What we won't promise
- A set uptime figure. Servers and networks fail sometimes. We watch for outages, tell you when one happens and work with the host to get the site back.
- That an update will never cause a problem. That is why a backup is taken first and the site is checked after.
- Rebuilds or new features inside the plan. Bigger work is quoted on its own, before anything starts.
Sites we take on
Most small business sites run on WordPress or another common CMS, and we also care for sites on hosted builders and small custom sites. On a builder, the platform handles its own software, so the plan leans more on edits, backups of your content and checks of forms and links. Before we take on a site someone else built, we look it over and tell you what needs fixing first.
What to send
- Your website address, and where the domain is registered
- Where the site is hosted now, or that you'd like us to arrange hosting
- What the site runs on, if you know: WordPress, another CMS, a site builder or custom code
- Who built it, and whether you still have the admin logins
- The changes you usually need, such as hours, staff, menu items, prices or new photos
- Anything broken or worrying right now, such as a warning in the browser or a form that stopped sending
Where we work
All of the work is remote. We focus on small businesses in Sacramento, Fort Worth and Seattle and book calls in your time zone.
Sacramento, CA
Care plans for Sacramento small business websites.
Fort Worth, TX
Care plans for Fort Worth small business websites.
Seattle, WA
Care plans for Seattle small business websites.
What finished care plans look like
Common questions
How much does a care plan cost?
It depends on what the site runs on, how many plugins and pages it has, how often you send edits and whether we handle hosting. Each site gets a written quote after a short look at it.
Do I need to move my site to you?
No. We can work on the hosting you have now. If it's slow, unreliable or hard to manage, we'll say so and offer to move it.
Who owns the site and the domain?
You do. The domain stays registered in your name, and you keep admin access to the site and the hosting account.
Are the logs and photos on this site from real clients?
No. The care logs are concept drawings made for this site, and the photos are labeled AI-generated samples.
Send the address of your website and tell us what bugs you about keeping it up. We reply with questions or a written quote for a plan.