What does a managed website actually include?

A managed website has two parts: the initial work to make the site useful and the ongoing work to keep it available and current. The word managed is only helpful when the proposal says exactly which jobs are included, who does them and where the limits are.

Providers package this differently. Some include content editing and form checks; others charge for them separately. Compare the work and total cost across the first year, not just the setup fee or monthly price.

The build is more than a visual design

Ask whether the initial work includes planning the page structure, responsive design, content editing, an enquiry route, page titles and descriptions, testing and launch. Check how many revision rounds are included and who supplies the original words and images.

The owner still has work to do. You supply accurate business details, service information, photographs and any existing brand material. Original copywriting, photography and a new brand identity can be scoped separately. This distinction matters: a designer can organise and improve supplied content, but should not make up claims about your customers or results.

If five pages are enough, a simple structure might explain the business, services, work, the person behind it and how to enquire. If each service needs its own detailed explanation, the right structure may need more pages. Decide from the customer questions, then agree the scope before work begins.

Ongoing care has a defined boundary

A care plan might include hosting and HTTPS, monitoring, maintenance, recoverable backups, form checks and support. Ask how often each check happens, what is reported, who responds to an outage and whether restore work is included. If a plan includes content changes, get the time allowance and definition of a small change in writing.

Examples of small edits are changing opening hours, replacing a photograph, updating a price or adjusting a service description. A new page, redesign, substantial copywriting or new feature usually needs separate scope. Daily article writing needs a content and review arrangement; do not assume it fits a general maintenance allowance.

Consider two requests. “Replace the opening-hours line on the contact page” fits the kind of small edit the allowance is for. “Add a booking area with customer accounts” changes the site's behaviour, data and support needs, so it needs a separate scope even if someone describes it as a website update.

What may sit outside the price?

Check whether an online shop, booking system, customer accounts, specialist integrations or bespoke software are included. Domain registration, renewals, paid subscriptions and advertising may also sit outside the quote. Ask the provider to list those costs and any applicable VAT before you commit.

Ask what “SEO included” means. Page titles, descriptions, crawlable pages and indexing setup are useful foundations. They are different from ongoing research, content work and measurement, and none guarantees rankings or sales. Enquiry volume also depends on demand, traffic, the offer and follow-up.

One offer, worked through

For a concrete comparison, my current managed website plan is £495 setup plus £149 a month over an initial 12-month term: £2,283 in the first year before any applicable VAT. It covers up to five pages, two design revision rounds and up to one hour of small content changes to existing pages each month, with no rollover. Monthly billing starts at launch. Hosting, HTTPS, monitoring, routine maintenance, recoverable backups and monthly form checks are included. New pages, extensive copywriting and functionality are scoped separately. These are the figures on the live pricing page at the time of writing; check the page and proposal when making a decision.

Questions to ask any provider

Before comparing two managed website quotes, ask:

1. Which work happens before launch, and what must I supply?
2. Who owns the domain, design and source files?
3. Which updates, backups and form checks happen after launch?
4. How many content changes are included, and what counts as extra work?
5. What happens if I need a new page, integration or feature?
6. What is the full cost and commitment over the first year?

The answers make a proposal easier to judge than the monthly price alone. The current pricing and terms explain this site's offer in full; if your needs are different, describe the project so the scope can be discussed before a quote.