Technically fit: How to ensure that your website performs

Today, a website is much more than a digital business card — it is a central business driver. It generates leads, creates trust, and is often the first point of contact with your brand. But all of this only works if the site is technically stable, secure and performs well. This is exactly where the combination of technical SEO, website maintenance, security and regular updates into the game.

In this article, we'll give you a clear checklist at CMO level: the key points you need to keep in mind to ensure the digital health of your website — strategically prioritized and without getting lost in technical details.

Why technical website fitness is business-critical

• Performance = revenue: Loading times directly influence the conversion rate. Even a second delay can mean up to 7% fewer conversions.
  
• Visibility = range: Without technical SEO, even the prettiest website slips down the Google ranking.
  
• Security = Trust: Cyber attacks or unsafe sites permanently damage brand trust.
  
• Stability = scalability: An unstable website is a risk for marketing campaigns, launches, or peak traffic phases.
  

In short: Technical excellence is not an IT detail, but a business factor.

1. Technical SEO: Basis for visibility

Technical SEO ensures that search engines can crawl, index, and rank your site. Without this basis, content and design remain invisible.

Important levers:

• Crawlability & indexing: Clear structures, working sitemaps, no broken links.
  
• Core Web Vitals: Load time, interactivity, page stability.
  
• Mobile-First: According to our experience, over 60% of traffic comes from mobile devices.
  
• Clean technology: HTTPS, structured data, canonical URLs.
  

CMO priority: Ask the question regularly: “How good is our technical SEO? Do we have Core Web Vitals in the green zone? ”

2. Website maintenance: ensure stability

A website is a living system. Regular website maintenance ensures that it runs stably, quickly and reliably.

Maintenance includes:

• Monitoring: Permanent monitoring of availability and loading time.
  
• Error checks: Check broken links, 404 errors, redirects.
  
• Hosting & servers: Ensure performance and resiliency.
  
• Backups: Automated and regular to be able to act immediately in an emergency.
  

CMO priority: “Is our website proactively monitored and regularly maintained — or do we only react when something goes down? ”

3. Website security: protect trust

An insecure website is not just an IT risk, but a Trademark risk. Data leaks or hacked sites damage trust immediately and permanently.

Key points of website security:

• SSL certificate as standard.
  
• Firewalls & Protection Systems.
  
• Regular security scans.
  
• Clear access rights.
  
• Backup strategy against data loss.
  

CMO priority: Safety is brand management. Website security must not just be an IT task, but must become part of the corporate strategy.

4. Website updates: ensuring sustainability

Technology is developing rapidly. Regular updates keep your site compatible, secure, and scalable
‍Updates concern:

• CMS & plugins — biggest security flaw when outdated.
  
• Design & features — UX/UI optimizations according to current standards.
  
• technologies — API connections, browser compatibility, load time.
  
• content management — new formats, SEO requirements, accessibility.
  

CMO priority: Check: “Is our website being actively developed or just reactively patched? ”

5. The checklist for decision makers

1. Ensuring technical SEO
   ‍
   
   • Core Web Vitals in the green zone
     
   • Mobile usability tested
     
   • Crawlability & indexing at a glance
     
2. Schedule website maintenance
   
   
   • Monitoring implemented
     
   • Automated backups
     
   • Proactively fix errors
     
3. Prioritize website security
   
   
   • SSL active & up to date
     
   • Security scans regularly
     
   • Firewall & rights management
     
4. Perform website updates consistently
   
   
   • CMS, plugins & tools up to date
     
   • Modernize UX/UI
     
   • Optimize performance regularly
     

Note: A healthy website is visible, stable, secure and sustainable.