Uptime.com Blog

The Top 10 Most Common Website Monitoring Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Websites are the digital storefronts for your business. If your website goes down, you risk losing out on customers, sales, and opportunities in general (not to mention what it can do for your reputation). That’s why using a website monitoring tool is crucial. Done properly, it gives you a vigilant eye on your site’s health, alerting you to problems before they snowball into major delays.

But… website monitoring is deceptively tricky to get right. Let’s dive into the most common mistakes, and how you can steer clear of them.

Mistake #1: Not Having a Clear Monitoring Goal

It’s important to understand: What are you trying to achieve with your monitoring? Are you trying to identify downtime? Are you tracking performance hiccups? Are you trying to better understand your users’ experience?

Before you pick a tool, define your objectives. You’ll get more out of the tool and have more access to quick answers.

Mistake #2: Only Monitoring the Homepage

Sure, your homepage is important. But, just because your homepage works doesn’t mean your whole website is healthy and functioning properly.

Critical features like login, checkout, or that super-important API might be down, and you’d never know if you’re only focusing on that front page.

Mistake #3: Neglecting Real User Monitoring (RUM)

Synthetic tests that simulate user behavior are great. But, they don’t tell the whole story.

You need to use RUM to track how actual users experience your site. This reveals issues specific to their devices, locations, and other real-world factors.

Mistake #4: Too Few (or Too Many) Checks

You’ll need to find what I like to call the “Goldilocks” zone. Too few checks, and you’ll miss critical issues. Too many, and you risk alert fatigue, where real problems get buried under harmless noise.

Mistake #5: Forgetting About Third-Party Services

Your website likely relies on external services for things like payment processing or content delivery. If they go down, your site might suffer too.

Monitor those essential third parties along with your own infrastructure.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Error Monitoring

A site can be “up” but still riddled with errors that taint the user experience. Monitor for JavaScript errors, broken links, and other hidden issues that frustrate visitors with real user monitoring.

Mistake #7: Alert Overload

Getting an alert for every tiny blip? You’ll quickly train yourself to ignore them.

Set up smart alerts with clear thresholds, and route them to the right people to avoid burnout. Remember the boy who cried wolf… yeah… it’s like that. Too many alerts lead to complacency when the best outcome here is informed urgency.

Mistake #8: Not Testing Your Alerts

Do your alerts actually work? Find out before a real crisis hits and affects your growing business. Regularly test your notification channels (email, SMS, etc.) to ensure they’ll be there when you need them most.

Mistake #9: Thinking Monitoring Is a “Set It and Forget It” Task

Websites change, user behaviors evolve, and new threats emerge. Are you still catching the right things? That’s why you need to regularly review your monitoring setup.

DevOps and Site Reliability Engineers know that continuous integration and continuous deployment aren’t just a pipeline, but a mindset. Adjust your checks and alerts as needed based on the evolving needs of your organization.

Mistake #10: Doing It All Manually

Manually checking your site’s uptime is like trying to bail out a sinking ship with a spoon. Automate monitoring with a robust tool like Uptime.com.

You’ll get accurate data, customizable alerts, and, most importantly, your sanity back – all while keeping your customers happy and your business thriving.

The Right Monitoring Leads to Success

Don’t tackle website monitoring alone. Uptime.com is more than just software; it’s a partnership designed to empower you with:

• Unmatched Reliability: Our platform is built for rock-solid stability, so you can stop worrying about your monitoring solution itself going down.
• Actionable Insights: Go beyond basic up/down checks. Understand why problems occur, optimize performance, and deliver the experience your users deserve.
• Support That Has Your Back: Our team of experts is always ready to help, ensuring you get the most out of your monitoring investment.

Ready to See the Difference?

Experience the ease and power of Uptime.com, with no risk and no credit card required. Sign up for a free trial now!

Need more info? Contact our team to discuss your unique needs and see how Uptime.com can transform your website operations. Get in touch! Your website is your most valuable digital asset. Protect it, optimize it, and harness its full potential with Uptime.com by your side.

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