Web site maintenance is the ongoing process of updating content, design and functionality of a web site. The options for web site maintenance are:

• DIY – Do it yourself. You can learn the relevant technologies and software programs that will enable you to update all aspects of your site.
• Content Management System – If your site has some sort of content management functionality you should be able to make most content additions and updates yourself. Design changes and functionality enhancements will probably require a call to your web developer.
• Contract with web developer – Part of your agreement with your web developer might include a monthly or quarterly fee that covers a basic amount of updating of some or all aspects of your site.
• Pay per event – pay your web developer hourly for updates on an as-needed basis. Major functionality upgrades or changes might require a new proposal and contract with a set project rate.

Content Management Options

It is possible to manage most content changes on your own, whether you have a static site or a database-driven site.

• Static site – a static site means that content changes will have to be entered into the HTML file, meaning you must be familiar with HTML or be able to use a program such as Macromedia Dreamweaver to update content and re-upload the file. Alternatively, Macromedia Contribute is a desktop application that allows you to manage web pages in with a much less technical interface than Dreamweaver and is a viable option for managing a small to medium-sized sites, not a good option for larger sites.
• Database-driven site – a database-driven site will have a user-friendly interface that makes adding and updating content easy. This is essential for a large site with many pages.