The Real Cost of Skipping WordPress Maintenance Packages

When was the last time you thought about your WordPress website’s health?
If you’re like most Louisiana business owners, probably only when something broke, went offline, or—worst of all—got hacked.

Here’s the truth: skipping WordPress maintenance packages isn’t saving you money. It’s quietly draining your budget, costing you leads, and putting your business’s reputation at risk.

And in a competitive market like New Orleans, Metairie, and Baton Rouge, where your website is often the first impression for potential customers, downtime or poor performance can mean losing them to a competitor in seconds.

Let’s dive into why ongoing website maintenance isn’t just smart—it’s essential.

What’s Included in WordPress Maintenance Packages?

A high-quality maintenance package is like an insurance policy for your online presence. With Design The Planet’s website maintenance packages, you get:

  • Plugin & theme updates to keep your site stable and secure.
  • Security checks, malware scans, and daily backups for peace of mind.
  • Performance tuning to keep your site lightning-fast for Louisiana customers.
  • Priority WordPress support from a dedicated local team (no ticketing black hole).
  • WooCommerce support for e-commerce businesses—from local boutiques to restaurant online ordering systems.
  • Plans for multiple WordPress sites—perfect for franchises or multi-location companies.

We don’t just patch holes—we proactively keep your website secure, fast, and aligned with your marketing goals.

The Hidden Dangers of Skipping Maintenance

Ignoring routine updates and checks is like never changing the oil in your car—it will run for a while, but when it breaks down, it’s expensive and disruptive.

1. Security Vulnerabilities

The #1 way hackers get in? Outdated plugins and themes. We’ve seen businesses in the hospitality and legal industries lose thousands from hacks that could have been prevented with regular updates.

2. Performance Problems

A slow or broken site sends users running. In tourism-heavy cities like New Orleans, customers expect fast-loading websites when booking tours, making reservations, or placing online orders.

3. Lost SEO Rankings

Google favors secure, fast, well-maintained websites. Neglecting updates can send your hard-earned rankings straight to a competitor’s site.

4. Plugin Conflicts & Outages

Skipping updates often leads to plugin conflicts. Without a reliable WordPress maintenance plan, these problems tend to show up right before big events or campaigns.

5. E-Commerce Meltdowns

For WooCommerce websites, broken carts or failed payments mean instant lost sales. In retail, restaurant, or service industries, that lost sale could mean losing that customer forever.

What Recovery Really Costs

We’ve seen it happen too many times:

  • Emergency fixes: $150–$300/hr
  • Hack cleanup: $1,000+
  • Lost sales: $500+ per day for small businesses
  • SEO recovery: Months of lost visibility

Compare that to a Design The Planet maintenance plan starting at $75–$300/month with a wide range of protections—and the math speaks for itself.

Real-Life Louisiana Example

A local small business skipped out on maintenance for a year. The result? (true story)

  • Website was hacked and the owner never knew
  • A national company had their lawyer contact the website owner with a cease and desist or be sued agenda because of what was on their site.
  • Lost 80% of their organic traffic in one month
  • The prospects for the normal service the business provides reached the site and encountered a totally different company and brand.
  • Lost 10-20k in business because they did not know the site was hacked for several months. They were advertising the site and never knew it was now selling bootleg merchandise instead of their products and services.
  • Spent over $3,500 on emergency repairs. Much of the site had to be rebuilt.

Once they signed on with Design The Planet, we secured the site, restored their rankings, and ensured round-the-clock protection so it would never happen again.

Why Work with a Local New Orleans Agency Like Design The Planet?

When you work with a local web development company instead of a generic provider:

  • We know Louisiana industries—from tourism and hospitality to construction and legal services.
  • You get face-to-face accountability and a team that’s a phone call away.
  • We integrate your maintenance with SEO, digital marketing, and growth strategies—not just tech fixes.

We’ve been building and protecting Louisiana business websites for 25+ years, so we know exactly how to keep your site competitive and secure.

Don’t Skip What Matters

WordPress maintenance packages aren’t a luxury—they’re your front-line defense against downtime, hacks, and lost revenue.

Design The Planet can keep your site running like a well-oiled machine so you can focus on growing your business instead of fixing it.

Ready for True Peace of Mind?

Let’s keep your site fast, secure, and built for growth.
Call Design The Planet or request your free website maintenance assessment today.

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