The Problem With Manual Website Updates
If you’ve ever made a change to your website and immediately seen something break, you know the feeling. That knot in your stomach. The frantic clicking to check if the contact form still works. The prayer that you can remember exactly what you changed.
For Western Sydney business owners, this fear of breaking things often means websites don’t get updated at all. Content goes stale. Security patches don’t get applied. Small improvements never happen because the risk of something going wrong feels too high.
That’s where automated testing and deployment comes in. Instead of hoping changes work, you know they work - because automated systems check everything before changes go live.
What Automated Testing and Deployment Actually Means
Let’s break down the jargon:
Automated Testing: Instead of manually clicking through your website to check if things work, software does it for you. Every button, every form, every page - tested automatically in seconds.
Automated Deployment: Instead of manually uploading files and hoping they end up in the right place, software handles the entire process. Click a button (or push code) and changes go live automatically.
Continuous Integration (CI): Every time someone makes a change, automated tests run immediately. Problems get caught before they reach your live website.
Continuous Deployment (CD): After tests pass, changes automatically go live without manual intervention.
Together, CI/CD gives you confidence that website changes won’t break things, while making the deployment process faster and more reliable.
Why This Matters for Australian Small Businesses
You might think this is only for big tech companies. But the benefits apply to any business website:
No More Deployment Anxiety
That Friday afternoon fear of making changes? Gone. When automated tests confirm everything works, you deploy with confidence.
Faster Updates
Manual deployment might take an hour of careful work. Automated deployment takes minutes - and you can do other things while it runs.
Fewer Mistakes
Humans make errors, especially when tired or distracted. Automated systems follow the same process perfectly every time.
Better Uptime
When something does go wrong, automated systems can detect it immediately and often roll back automatically. Less downtime means fewer lost customers.
More Frequent Improvements
When updates are easy and safe, you make more of them. Your website stays fresh, competitive, and up-to-date.
What Kinds of Tests Can Run Automatically?
Different types of tests catch different types of problems:
Visual Tests
These check if your website looks right. They take screenshots and compare them to known-good versions. If a CSS change accidentally makes text invisible or a logo disappear, visual tests catch it.
Functional Tests
These check if features work. Does the contact form submit successfully? Does the shopping cart add items correctly? Does the search function return results? Functional tests click buttons and verify outcomes.
Performance Tests
These check if your website is fast enough. If a change accidentally slows page load from 2 seconds to 10 seconds, performance tests alert you before going live.
Security Tests
These check for common vulnerabilities. Missing security headers, exposed sensitive files, outdated components with known vulnerabilities - security tests flag these issues.
Accessibility Tests
These check if your website works for everyone. Missing alt text on images, poor colour contrast, keyboard navigation issues - accessibility tests identify problems that could exclude potential customers.
A Practical Example
Let me walk you through how this works for a typical Western Sydney business website.
Scenario: A Parramatta restaurant wants to update their menu prices.
Without Automation:
- Download files from server
- Open HTML file, find prices, make changes
- Double-check changes look right locally
- Upload files back to server
- Check live site to confirm changes worked
- Discover the footer disappeared on mobile
- Panic, try to figure out what happened
- Spend two hours fixing the issue
With Automation:
- Make price changes in a staging environment
- Push changes (triggers automatic process)
- Automated tests check: Do all pages load? Is the menu readable? Does mobile view work? Is the contact form functional? Did performance stay acceptable?
- Tests pass, changes go live automatically
- Total time: 10 minutes
The difference is confidence. You know changes work before customers see them.
Getting Started: The Simple Approach
You don’t need a complex setup to benefit from automation. Here’s a simple starting point:
Step 1: Set Up a Staging Environment
A staging environment is a copy of your website where you can test changes safely. It should:
- Look and work exactly like your live site
- Not be visible to public (password protected or restricted access)
- Have its own database with test data
Most hosting providers offer staging environments. If yours doesn’t, it’s worth considering one that does.
Step 2: Add Basic Automated Tests
Start simple. These basic tests catch most common problems:
Uptime Monitoring: Services like UptimeRobot (free) or Pingdom check if your site is actually online and alert you if it goes down.
Link Checking: Tools like Screaming Frog or online services scan your site for broken links.
Page Load Testing: Google PageSpeed Insights can be automated to check performance after each deployment.
Step 3: Use a Deployment Tool
Instead of manually uploading files, use a deployment tool:
For WordPress: Plugins like WP Pusher or managed WordPress hosts like Kinsta include deployment features.
For Custom Sites: Services like Netlify, Vercel, or GitHub Actions automate deployment from code repositories.
For Any Site: Even FTP-based hosting can use tools like DeployHQ to automate uploads.
Step 4: Establish a Process
With tools in place, establish a consistent process:
- Make changes in staging environment
- Run automated tests
- Review results
- If tests pass, deploy to production
- Verify production site works correctly
More Advanced Testing
Once basic automation is working, consider adding:
End-to-End Tests
These simulate real user journeys. For an e-commerce site:
- Visit homepage
- Search for a product
- Add to cart
- Go to checkout
- Complete purchase
Tools like Playwright, Cypress, or Puppeteer can automate these user flows.
Cross-Browser Testing
Your site might work perfectly in Chrome but break in Safari. Services like BrowserStack or LambdaTest run automated tests across dozens of browsers and devices.
Form Testing
For businesses that rely on enquiry forms, automated form tests ensure submissions work correctly. They fill out forms with test data and verify:
- Form submits successfully
- Email notifications arrive
- Data is stored correctly
- Thank you page appears
Content Testing
Automated tests can verify content rules:
- No pages with missing titles or descriptions
- All images have alt text
- No placeholder text left in
- Prices are within expected ranges
Choosing the Right Tools
Here’s what we recommend for different situations:
Simple WordPress Sites
- Hosting: SiteGround, Kinsta, or WP Engine (all include staging)
- Monitoring: UptimeRobot (free)
- Deployment: Built-in staging push
- Testing: WP Health Check plugin
Custom-Built Sites
- Hosting: Netlify or Vercel (deployment included)
- Code Repository: GitHub or GitLab
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions (free for most uses)
- Testing: Playwright or Cypress
E-commerce Sites
- Platform: Shopify (includes staging and deployment)
- Monitoring: Better Uptime
- Testing: Ghost Inspector for user flows
Budget-Conscious Approach
All of this is possible with free tools:
- GitHub (free for small projects)
- GitHub Actions (free tier available)
- Playwright (open source)
- UptimeRobot (free tier)
- Netlify (free tier)
Common Objections (And Responses)
“This seems like overkill for my small business website”
Even a simple brochure website benefits from automated deployment. When updating takes 2 minutes instead of 30, you’ll actually do it. Security updates won’t be delayed. Content will stay fresh.
“I don’t know how to code”
You don’t need to. Many tools offer visual interfaces. And services like Netlify make deployment as simple as connecting to your code repository.
“Our website never changes”
Security patches still need applying. Small content updates still happen. And when you do make changes, wouldn’t it be nice to know they’ll work?
“This sounds expensive”
Many tools have free tiers that cover small business needs. And the time saved on manual deployment often pays for any costs.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Automated testing and deployment isn’t magic. Here’s what to expect:
It Takes Time to Set Up: Plan for a few hours to configure tools initially. But this investment saves time on every future deployment.
Tests Need Maintenance: As your website changes, tests may need updating. Budget time for ongoing test maintenance.
It Won’t Catch Everything: Automated tests are good, not perfect. Human review still matters, especially for content and design changes.
You’ll Still Need Skills (Or Help): While tools are getting easier, technical knowledge helps. Consider working with a developer to set things up properly.
Action Plan for Getting Started
Here’s a practical path forward:
Week 1: Assess Current State
- Document your current deployment process
- Identify pain points and risks
- List what goes wrong most often
Week 2: Set Up Staging
- Create a staging environment
- Verify it works like your live site
- Start testing changes there first
Week 3: Add Basic Monitoring
- Set up uptime monitoring
- Configure alerts for downtime
- Review results after a week
Week 4: Improve Deployment
- Choose a deployment tool
- Configure it for your website
- Practice deploying through the new process
Month 2 Onwards: Expand Testing
- Add more automated tests based on what breaks most often
- Refine your process based on experience
- Consider advanced testing for critical features
Need Help Setting This Up?
At Cosmos Web Tech, we set up automated testing and deployment for Western Sydney businesses regularly. Whether you’re running WordPress, a custom-built site, or something else entirely, we can:
- Assess your current deployment process
- Recommend appropriate tools for your situation
- Set up staging environments and automated tests
- Train your team on the new process
- Provide ongoing support as needed
Stop dreading website updates. With proper automation, changes become quick, safe, and stress-free.
Get in touch for a free consultation. We’ll review your current setup and explain exactly how automation could help your specific situation.
Your website deserves better than manual deployments and crossed fingers.
Don’t let server issues slow down your online growth. Cloud Geeks offers managed IT and cloud solutions purpose-built for Australian businesses.
Cosmos Web Tech operates under the Ganda Tech Services umbrella, delivering end-to-end technology solutions for Australian businesses.