Why you need to understand how your business's website works

The changing landscape of website management

In 2025, the relationship between small businesses and their websites has reached a critical turning point. Whilst many clients still find themselves completely reliant on site developers or designers to make even the smallest changes—correcting typos, adding new content, or swapping out images—this dependency is becoming increasingly problematic and expensive.

Some designers and developers are keen to maintain control of the sites they build, either through genuine concern that clients might "break something" or, more cynically, as a source of recurring revenue. Many clients accept this arrangement, perhaps believing that website management is too technical or time-consuming to master themselves.

However, the digital landscape of 2025 demands a different approach. With WordPress powering over 43% of all websites, modern content management systems have become more user-friendly than ever. The tools exist for business owners to take control—the question is whether they're willing to learn.

Understanding the implications of what you're asking for

Even if you don't plan to make every change yourself, having a general understanding of your website's capabilities puts you in a much stronger negotiating position. When your developer quotes two hours for what you now know is a 15-minute task, you can have an informed conversation about the real scope of work.

The converse is true as well - often clients assume that tasks are simple or should be a 'five minute job' when the developer knows it's actually going to be much more complicated than that. Once you understand how your website works, you're better placed to accurately assess how long things are going to take and whether they're worth it for you.

With the average freelance web developer charging between £30-80 per hour, and agencies often charging £100+ per hour, understanding what constitutes a "quick fix" versus a complex customisation can save you hundreds of pounds per month.

This understanding also helps you assess the true value of proposed changes against their cost and time requirements, enabling better strategic decisions about your website's development priorities.

Making quick changes yourself saves time and money

Most developers charge a minimum of 30 minutes to one hour for any task, regardless of complexity. This means you might pay £25-100 for a developer to spend five minutes changing your opening hours or updating a product price.

Consider these common scenarios that small businesses face regularly:

Updating contact information: Takes 2 minutes yourself vs. £30-50 minimum charge
Adding a new blog post: Takes 15 minutes vs. £50-100 professional charge
Changing product prices: Takes 5 minutes vs. £25-75 developer fee
Updating opening hours: Takes 3 minutes vs. minimum billing hour
Adding new team member photos: Takes 10 minutes vs. £40-80 professional charge

Over a year, these small charges add up to hundreds or even thousands of pounds that could be better invested in growing your business rather than maintaining it.

Being more agile and flexible with your site

The ability to respond immediately to market changes, local events, or customer needs can make the difference between capturing an opportunity and watching it pass to a competitor.

Real-world scenarios where immediate website control proves invaluable:

Emergency stock updates: Remove sold-out products instantly rather than disappointing customers
Breaking news responses: Publish relevant content while the topic is still trending
Seasonal promotions: Launch time-sensitive offers without waiting for developer availability
Crisis management: Update important information during emergencies or disruptions
Competitor responses: Quickly adjust messaging or pricing in response to market changes

When your website information is outdated because you're waiting for your developer to return from holiday, you risk appearing unprofessional or out of touch.

Your website is a vital business asset

Imagine not having the keys to your own office, or being unable to access your business bank account without calling a third party. This scenario might sound absurd, yet it's exactly what many business owners accept with their websites.

The risks of complete dependency have become more apparent in recent years:

Agency closures: What happens when your web design agency goes out of business?
Freelancer unavailability: Key personnel might become ill, take on full-time employment, or simply become unresponsive
Relationship breakdowns: Disputes over payment or service can leave you locked out of your own digital presence
Technical emergencies: When your site goes down on a Friday evening, waiting until Monday for help isn't acceptable
Data ownership issues: Ensure you actually own your domain, hosting account, and website files

Your website often generates a significant portion of your business revenue. In 2025, with the average small business receiving 60% of their enquiries through their website, being locked out isn't just inconvenient—it's potentially catastrophic. We work with companies all the time who have lost access to their websites, generally not through anyone doing anything malicious but rather through carelessness. The challenges to solve this problem are significant, much better to avoid it in the first place.

Understanding basic security principles

As a business owner, you don't need to become a security expert, but you should understand:

The importance of updates: Keeping WordPress, themes, and plugins current
Strong authentication: Using multi-factor authentication and strong passwords
Regular backups: Ensuring you can restore your site if something goes wrong
Basic monitoring: Recognising signs that something might be wrong

Accessibility as a business advantage

Web accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's about expanding your market reach and improving your search engine optimisation. Studies show that accessible websites often see a 12% increase in organic traffic after implementing accessibility improvements.

Basic accessibility practices that also improve SEO include:

Using descriptive alt text for images
Creating clear heading structures
Ensuring good colour contrast
Writing descriptive link text
Providing captions for videos

Taking control of your website

Taking control doesn't mean you need to become a technical expert overnight. It means developing enough knowledge to make informed decisions and handle routine tasks independently.

Essential knowledge areas

Dashboard navigation: Understanding your WordPress admin area
Content management: Creating and editing pages and posts
Basic customisation: Changing themes, colours, and layouts safely
Plugin management: Installing and configuring essential functionality
User management: Adding team members with appropriate permissions
Backup and security: Understanding how to protect your site
Performance monitoring: Recognising when your site needs optimisation

When to seek professional help

Understanding your website doesn't mean doing everything yourself. Know when to call in professionals for:

Custom functionality development
Design overhauls
Technical integrations
Security incident response
Performance optimisation projects

The key is making these decisions from a position of knowledge rather than helpless dependence.

No one else cares about your site the way you do

Your website is one of your most important business assets. Like understanding your finances, legal obligations, or market conditions, grasping the basics of how your website works is fundamental to running a successful modern business.

This doesn't mean you need to become a web developer, but it does mean understanding enough to:

Make informed decisions about website investments
Handle routine updates and changes efficiently
Recognise opportunities and problems quickly
Communicate effectively with developers when you need them
Maintain control over this crucial business asset

Whether you're starting with a new WordPress site or looking to take control of an existing one, investing time in understanding your digital presence will pay dividends in efficiency, cost savings, and business agility.

Ready to take control of your WordPress website?

Take a look at our free Getting Started with WordPress webinar - this isn't just for people building from scratch. It's designed for business owners who want to understand and control their WordPress websites, regardless of current technical knowledge.

If you're currently dependent on developers for basic changes, or spending excessive time trying to figure out simple tasks, this webinar will give you more confidence to take control of your WordPress site whilst understanding when professional help is truly needed.