What Does a Webmaster Do, and Does Your Small Business Need One?
Most business owners know they need a website. Fewer realize that a website isn’t a one-time project. Once it launches, someone has to keep it secure, current and working. That someone is a webmaster.
A webmaster keeps your website updated, secure, backed up and working after launch. If no one has updated your site in months, or small changes keep getting put off, your business likely needs one.
What a webmaster does
A webmaster is the person responsible for the health of your website after launch day. For most small businesses, the work falls into four areas:
| Area | What it covers | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Software and security | WordPress core, theme and plugin updates, malware checks, backups | Outdated plugins are one of the most common ways small business sites get hacked |
| Content updates | Hours, prices, services, staff, photos, testimonials, new pages | An out-of-date site makes customers wonder if you’re still open |
| Troubleshooting | Broken links, contact forms that stop sending, display problems, slow pages | A broken form can quietly cost you leads for weeks |
| SEO maintenance | Page titles and descriptions, Search Console issues, indexing, consistent business details | Keeps your site visible in Google as things change |
Software updates and security
Most business websites, including every site we build, run on WordPress. WordPress, its themes and its plugins release updates regularly, and many of those updates patch security holes. A webmaster applies those updates, checks that nothing breaks afterward, watches for malware and keeps regular backups so the site can be restored quickly if something goes wrong.
Staying current is the cheapest website security you can buy.
Content updates and troubleshooting
Your business changes, and your website should keep up. A webmaster handles new hours, prices and services, fresh photos and testimonials, and new pages for promotions or service areas. When something stops working, they find out why and fix it, from broken links to a contact form that quietly stopped sending email.
Signs your business needs a webmaster
You may not need someone working on your site every week. But if any of these sound familiar, it’s time to get help:
- Nobody knows when the site was last updated. If you can’t remember, it’s probably been too long.
- You’ve had a security scare, such as spam showing up in your pages or a warning from Google or your host.
- Small changes keep getting put off because updating the site feels like a project.
- Your website stopped bringing in calls or form submissions, and you’re not sure why.
- The person who built your site is no longer around to help.
Hiring a webmaster vs. doing it yourself
For a very simple site that rarely changes, doing it yourself can work. As your business grows, though, the trade-off changes. Every hour you spend troubleshooting a broken form or a plugin conflict is an hour you’re not spending on your customers.
An experienced webmaster can usually handle in minutes what might take a business owner an afternoon of searching for answers. They also know which updates are safe to apply right away, which need testing first, and how small technical mistakes can hurt your search rankings.
Hiring a full-time, in-house webmaster isn’t realistic for most small businesses. That’s where an outside webmaster comes in: you get the expertise when you need it, without the salary.
How our webmaster services work
At Smith Consulting & Design, LLC, our webmaster services are billed at $75 per hour for actual work performed. You pay for the time your site needs, not a flat fee regardless of what gets done.
For businesses that want a predictable monthly arrangement, our website care plans bundle hosting and a set number of webmaster hours each month, starting with Core Care at one hour per month.
You don’t have to have built your site with us. We regularly take over existing WordPress websites, starting with a full review of the site’s software, security, speed and overall condition before making any changes. And when you call, you talk to Brian Smith directly, not a call center or a ticket queue.
- A website needs ongoing care after launch: updates, backups, fixes and fresh content.
- Outdated plugins and broken contact forms are two of the most common, costly problems.
- An outside webmaster gives you expert help without a full-time salary.
- Our webmaster rate is $75 per hour, with monthly care plans available.
Not sure where your website stands?
If no one has actively maintained your website lately, start with a website health check. We’ll review your software, security, page speed and overall condition, then give you an honest picture of where things stand.