Website maintenance and support, on our list
Renewals, updates, backups and the small changes that pile up. On our list, not yours.
Usually same day, always within 2 business days.
Short answer
Website maintenance keeps a site safe, working and current: updates, backups, renewals and small edits. Every Web Smart HQ build includes support, small updates, and domain and hosting with SSL for the first year. After year one, hosting and your domain continue at a monthly rate we agree with you before renewal. No surprises: we remind you before anything renews. Ongoing care comes in 3 tiers: Sorted, Sorted + Google and Sorted + Growth. Ask us for prices. No lock-in.
What’s included in year one
If we built your site, this is already covered for the first year. Nothing extra to sign up for.
- Domain registration, in your name
- Hosting, with SSL (the padlock in your browser)
- Support when something isn’t working
- Small updates: new hours, prices, photos or wording
- Your contact form, with spam protection
- Your Google Maps and Google Business Profile setup
Things you won’t do again
On our list- Renew the domain before it lapses
- Check the SSL padlock is still valid
- Install updates and security patches
- Take and test backups
- Chase Google’s verification postcard
- Work out if that “domain renewal” invoice is real
- Update holiday hours on Google and the site
- Reply to new Google reviews
- Test the contact form still sends
- Fix the page that broke on mobile
- Remember what the hosting login was
- Explain any of this to anyone
- Still yours: answering your customers, and saying yes to changes.
Care after year one: three tiers
Each tier is described by what you still have to do, because that’s what matters on a busy week. Exact allowances are agreed before you start.
| Item | Sorted | Sorted + Google | Sorted + Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | Keep my site running | Keep me looking active on Google | Help more people find me |
| Domain, hosting and SSL renewals | Looked after | Looked after | Looked after |
| Updates and backups | Looked after | Looked after | Looked after |
| Small edits to your site | Included | Included | Included |
| Confusing emails about your website or domain | Forward them to us | Forward them to us | Forward them to us |
| Google profile: hours, holiday hours, photos, posts | No | Looked after | Looked after |
| Replies to Google reviews | No | Drafted for you | Drafted for you |
| Ongoing local SEO work | No | No | Looked after |
| A short “done” note | Yes | Yes, with Google numbers | Yes, with what changed and what’s next |
| What you still do | Email us when something changes | Say yes to some review replies | Say yes to the plan |
| Price | Ask us | Ask us | Ask us |
No lock-in on any tier. Leave whenever you like: your domain, content, Google profile and analytics stay in your name.
- 01Chat
You15 min
- A quick chat: what you do, where, for whom
Us1.5 h
- Ask the right questions
- Take notes so you never repeat yourself
- Plan your pages
- 02Quote
You5 min
- Read it, say yes (or don’t)
Us30 min
- Fixed price
- List what’s in and what’s not
- 03Bits & pieces
You20 min
- Send your logo and a few phone photos
- Tap to give us Google profile access
Us2 h
- Register or connect your domain in your name
- Set up hosting, SSL and email routing
- Gather your details from your Google profile
- 04Draft
You15 min
- Look at it. Reply “yep” or send changes
Us8 h
- Design and build every page
- Mobile, speed and SEO setup
- Write titles, descriptions and schema
- 05Launch
You1 min
- Say “go”
Us2 h
- Go live, test every form
- Connect Google Maps and your profile
- Send you every login, in your name
Times are typical for a Business Plus build. Yours might be a bit more or less; ours is the bit that grows.
Done: your new prices are live
Sample email · Web Smart HQ (sample note)
Updated your Services page with the new prices you sent.
Checked it on a phone. All looks right.
Your domain renews in March. It’s on our list.
Nothing for you to do.
What NZ care plans cost elsewhere
For context, here’s what NZ providers publish for monthly care. Our tiers are quoted to fit, so get in touch and we’ll tell you which one suits.
| Level of care | Published price (ex GST) |
|---|---|
| Entry plans | $39 to $59 a month |
| Mid-range plans | $79 to $179 a month |
| Top-end plans | From $249 a month |
Source: published NZ website care plan prices, Oct 2026. Market figures, not our prices. NZD, ex GST.
- 01
Tell us
An email is enough. No exit fee, no lock-in.
- 02
Logins handed over
Every login and password, in a single handover.
- 03
Your domain stays yours
It’s registered in your name from day one.
- 04
Your Google profile stays yours
You’re the owner. We were only ever a manager.
Your web person has disappeared?
It happens more than you’d think. The freelancer moves on, the agency closes, and nobody knows the logins. We can usually help.
First we work out where your domain is registered and who holds it. Then where the site is hosted. Then we get access back into your name, step by step. Once you’re in control again, we can look after it, or rebuild it if it’s past saving. See website redesign and our guide who owns my website and domain?
Website maintenance FAQ
Straight answers. Can’t see yours? Ask us.
How much does website maintenance cost in NZ?
Published NZ care plans range from about $39 to $249 a month (ex GST, Oct 2026). Our care comes in three tiers: Sorted, Sorted + Google and Sorted + Growth. Ask us for prices, because they depend on your site and what you want looked after. If we built your site, year one support and small updates are already included. No lock-in on any tier.
What does website maintenance actually include?
It’s the upkeep that stops a site going stale or breaking. Software updates and backups. Domain, hosting and SSL renewals before they lapse. Small edits when your hours, prices or photos change. A check that your contact form still sends. And keeping your Google profile in step with your site. It’s ongoing, not a one-off job.
What happens after the first free year of hosting and domain?
After year one, hosting and your domain continue at a monthly rate we agree with you before renewal. No surprises: we remind you before anything renews. You can keep just hosting and domain, add one of our care tiers, or move the site elsewhere. Your domain is in your name either way.
How much does it cost to host a website in NZ?
In Auckland, hosting and domain together typically cost about $300 a year with a freelancer. A small agency charges around $600, and a large agency about $1,000 (ex GST, Oct 2026). DIY builders charge $25 to $150 a month, with hosting built in. Cheaper host-only plans exist, but they leave updates, backups and fixes to you.
How much do small changes cost, and how fast are they done?
In the first year after we build your site, small updates are included. After that, they’re part of each care tier. Bigger changes are quoted first, and nothing starts without a yes. We reply within 2 business days, and you get a short “done” note when the change is live.
Can I move my site to another host later?
Yes. There’s no lock-in. Your domain, content, Google profile and analytics are in your name. We host the site, and you can move it any time. If you decide to move, tell us and we’ll hand over every login and help with the switch. No exit fee and no hostage domain. Our promise covers this in plain English.
My old web person has disappeared. Can you take over my website?
Usually, yes. We start by finding out who holds your domain and where the site is hosted. Then we get access back into your name. You may need to confirm you own the business, or approve a transfer email from your domain registrar. Once you’re back in control, we look after it, or rebuild it if it’s past saving.
Hand it over
Tell us about your site and what you want looked after. We’ll suggest a tier and give you a clear price.
Work order · after you hit send
- YouA few lines about your business
- UsA reply within 2 business days
- UsA fixed quote
- YouYes, or no thanks
that’s the whole list