A website is not finished when it launches. It needs regular care: backups, updates, speed checks, SEO reviews and conversion tests. This checklist and standard operating procedure (SOP) gives you a repeatable routine. I wrote it for a B2B WooCommerce site with a visual builder, but the steps work for most WordPress, WooCommerce and business websites.
I. Weekly operations and maintenance
| Task | What to do | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Backup | Confirm daily backups run and are stored off-site. | Hosting backups, UpdraftPlus |
| Updates | Update theme, builder, WooCommerce, SEO and security plugins. Test on staging first. | WordPress dashboard |
| Security scan | Run a malware scan and check firewall rules. | Sucuri, Wordfence |
| Forms | Submit a test contact or quote form and confirm the email arrives. | Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms |
| Broken links | Find 404s and fix or redirect them. | Screaming Frog, Broken Link Checker |
| Speed | Test load time and compress heavy images and scripts. | PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix |
| Order and payment test | Place a test order, check the payment gateway and confirmation emails. | WooCommerce |
| Live chat | Make sure auto-replies and routing work. | Chat tool admin |
II. Monthly SEO and performance review
| Task | What to do | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Search Console | Check indexing, mobile usability and Core Web Vitals. | Google Search Console |
| Keyword rankings | Track your main keywords and pages. | Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, Semrush |
| Backlinks | Review new links and deal with harmful ones. | Search Console, Moz |
| Titles and descriptions | Review the top 20 pages for clarity and click-through rate. | Yoast SEO |
| Analytics | Review engagement and conversion rate. | Google Analytics 4 |
| Email results | Check open rate, clicks and segments. | Mailchimp, Brevo |
III. Quarterly design, UX and conversion review
| Task | What to do | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile UX | Test layout, navigation and forms on real phones. | BrowserStack, real devices |
| User journey | Map the path from home page to product to quote or purchase. | GA4 funnel |
| Calls to action | Check that “Get a quote” and “Buy now” are visible and clear. | On-page review |
| A/B tests | Test two versions of a key page. | Your builder’s A/B tool or another testing tool |
| Product pages | Improve descriptions with specs, video and installation guides. | WooCommerce |
| Cart recovery | Enable abandoned cart emails and test the flow. | WooCommerce, CartFlows |
| Plugin audit | Remove outdated or unused plugins to reduce bloat. | WordPress dashboard |
IV. Content and blog routine
- Plan: map four to eight topics a month around your customers’ questions.
- Write: use long-tail keywords, clear H1 and H2 structure, internal links, alt text and readable paragraphs.
- Update: refresh product specs, videos and PDFs regularly.
- Distribute: share each post on LinkedIn, Facebook and in your newsletter.
- Review: each quarter, check which posts bring traffic and leads.
V. Digital marketing activities
SEO
- Run a technical audit every two months.
- Check image compression, alt text and schema markup.
- Keep your Google Business Profile current if you serve a local area.
Paid ads
- Google Ads: build Search and Display campaigns for buying-intent keywords, with conversion tracking.
- Microsoft Ads: copy winning campaigns and adapt keywords. Useful for B2B audiences.
- Retargeting: use Meta and Google remarketing for visitors who left or abandoned carts.
- Send a monthly newsletter with product highlights and project stories.
- Set up triggered emails for abandoned carts, thank-yous and quote follow-ups.
VI. Coordination and documentation
- Hold a short review every two weeks to cover the roadmap, pending changes and SEO.
- Give outside developers your SOP and a changelog for any theme or plugin edits.
- Keep a log of site changes, campaign launches and bugs in a shared document.
- Use simple reports: monthly website health (security, speed, SEO, orders), campaign performance (CTR, CPA, ROAS), blog performance and a top-50 keyword tracker.
Recommended next steps
- Technical: set up GA4 and Search Console, enable full-page caching and lazy loading, reduce render-blocking scripts and consider a CDN such as Cloudflare.
- WooCommerce: add filters, request-for-quote forms where it fits, product schema and abandoned cart emails.
- UX and accessibility: keep layouts clean and mobile-first, check contrast and keyboard navigation, and use clear calls to action.
- Content: build pillar pages around your main customer groups and publish helpful posts regularly.
- Maintenance rhythm: weekly updates and backups, monthly SEO and speed checks, quarterly benchmarking and cross-browser tests.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I audit my website?
Do quick checks weekly, an SEO and performance review monthly and a deeper UX review every quarter.
Which tools do I really need?
At minimum: backups, a security plugin, Google Search Console, Google Analytics 4 and a speed testing tool. Everything else is optional.
Can you audit my site for me?
Yes. I offer SEO audits and website redesign. You can also book a free 20-minute call.
Keep learning
Read next: 5 surprising SEO truths and How to know when your website needs a redesign. Try my website cost calculator.