1. The 90‑Day Fade‑Out Problem
Most sites launch with a fireworks display of excitement…then settle into cricket‑chirp mode. Plugins fall out of date, Google tweaks an algorithm, and that hero image you loved suddenly drags your Largest Contentful Paint into the red. A standalone freelancer often disappears right after the final invoice.
At Dreamcast Media I structure projects around long‑term retainer care—because Albertan businesses deserve more than a pretty façade.
2. Partnership = Shared KPIs
A partner is measured on the same metrics you are:
Traffic that talks back. We flag conversions (calls, forms, bookings) in GA4 and watch the trends.
Performance that pays off. Monthly speed checks keep you under Google’s Core Web Vitals thresholds.
Security that sleeps at night. Automatic off‑site backups plus real‑time malware scanning.
These are baked into every Website Maintenance plan, starting at $75/month.
3. The Money Math
A DIY approach can feel cheaper—until something breaks on a Friday night. Emergency fixes routinely run $150 ‑ $300/hour. Compare that with a 2‑hour monthly retainer where proactive updates stop emergencies before they start.
4. Relationship Benefits You Can’t Batch
Context. After 6 ‑ 8 weeks building your site I know your brand voice, images, and target personas better than any new hire would.
Speed. Need a landing page for next week’s trade show? A partner produces in hours, not days.
Consistency. Your fonts (Montserrat / Poppins / Roboto) and teal accent (#66FCF1) stay locked‑in.
5. Signs You Need More Than a Designer
| Symptom | Quick Fix | Long‑Term Cure |
|---|---|---|
| “Our site is so slow on phones.” | Install a caching plugin. | Ongoing performance audits + image optimization. |
| “No one fills out the contact form.” | Rewrite the CTA text. | Conversion tracking, heat‑maps, A/B tests. |
| “Updating content scares me.” | Hire ad‑hoc help. | Retainer covers tutorials, backups, rollback safety net. |
6. Ready to Switch?
If you already have a site, we can redesign, update and migrate it without losing SEO juice. Then we lock in a maintenance plan so you never go dark again.
Bottom line: Pick a digital partner who ties their success to yours—someone who’ll still answer your emails in 2027.