I’ve run multiple websites by myself for the last few years, and it’s no walk in the park.
How many websites can one person manage?
One person can reasonably manage 3-4 small to medium-sized websites. This allows for adequate time for keyword research, quality content creation, user engagement, and regular website updates. However, for larger sites or individuals with a full-time job, this number reduces to 1-3 or 1-2 websites.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how many websites one person can handle.
How Many Websites Can One Person Manage? The Detailed Answer
When determining the number of websites one person can effectively manage, the consensus falls around 3-4 websites.
This is not an arbitrary number but is based on various factors related to the nature of website management.
Let’s delve into these factors and understand why 3-4 websites are the optimal number for one individual.
Time Management
A critical aspect of managing multiple websites is time.
Each website requires regular content creation, keyword research, SEO optimization, monitoring, and updates.
Balancing these tasks across 3-4 websites allows for the necessary attention to detail on each site without overwhelming the individual.
Moreover, unexpected issues often arise that require immediate attention, such as a sudden drop in site traffic, technical issues, or a surge in user comments.
With 3-4 websites, it’s feasible to handle these unplanned tasks in a timely manner.
Beyond this number, it becomes challenging to manage time effectively across all websites.
Content Quality
The success of a website largely depends on the quality of its content.
High-quality content is not produced in a rush. It requires research, creativity, and editing.
When managing 3-4 websites, there is sufficient time to create unique and engaging content for each site.
However, as the number of sites increases, maintaining the same level of quality becomes arduous.
There’s a risk of producing generic content or using shortcuts, which can negatively impact the website’s reputation and search engine ranking.
Focus and Expertise
Each website typically caters to a specific niche or audience, requiring a specific set of knowledge and skills.
When managing 3-4 websites, it’s easier to maintain a focused approach and deep dive into each niche.
You have the mental bandwidth to stay updated with the latest trends, news, and insights for each website.
However, managing more than four websites could dilute focus and impact the depth of expertise applied to each site.
User Engagement
Engaging with the website’s users through comments, emails, or social media is an integral part of website management.
It helps build a community around the site and improves user satisfaction and loyalty.
When managing 3-4 websites, it’s feasible to regularly interact with users on each platform.
But if you’re responsible for more websites, user engagement can suffer as responding to every comment or message across multiple sites can become unmanageable.
Technical Maintenance and Updates
Websites need regular technical maintenance and updates for security, functionality, and user experience.
For 3-4 websites, carrying out these tasks remains manageable.
However, as the number of sites increases, so does the likelihood of overlooking crucial updates or failing to resolve technical issues promptly, negatively impacting the websites’ performance and user experience.
I put together this video about how many websites one person can manage:
How Many Large Websites Can One Person Manage?
Managing large websites such as e-commerce platforms, online magazines, or expansive corporate websites is a significantly demanding task.
These types of sites often involve a high volume of pages, frequent content creation, extensive SEO work, and regular updating and troubleshooting.
The Workload of Large Websites
Large websites often have hundreds, if not thousands of pages, each requiring individual attention for SEO, content creation, and regular updates.
In terms of content, these sites often need to produce a high volume of quality posts regularly to maintain their audience and search engine rankings.
Large e-commerce sites require continuous product updates, customer interaction, transaction handling, and security measures.
Similarly, online magazines or news portals require constant updates with fresh, engaging content that their readership expects.
The Complexity of SEO for Large Websites
For large websites, SEO strategy becomes more complex.
Managing SEO for hundreds or thousands of pages requires careful planning, constant monitoring, and regular adjustments based on analytics.
Furthermore, large sites often target a broad range of keywords, requiring a more comprehensive and intricate keyword strategy.
Given these demands, one person, even with a good grasp of website management, could realistically manage 1-3 large websites.
This number, however, is dependent on the person’s time availability and resources.
If one has more resources at their disposal, such as a team of content creators or a budget to outsource some tasks, they may be able to handle more.
How Many Websites Can One Person Manage If They Have a Full-Time Job?
Managing a website requires significant time and effort, and it’s not something that can be done effectively in one’s spare time alone.
For individuals who are already committed to a full-time job, the prospect of managing a website becomes even more challenging.
The Challenges of Balancing a Full-Time Job and Website Management
A typical full-time job demands a significant portion of one’s day, leaving limited time for other activities.
Adding website management to this mix means sacrificing personal time, which can lead to burnout and stress if not managed effectively.
Furthermore, managing a website isn’t just about putting in a certain number of hours each day.
It requires mental energy, creativity, and focus, all of which can be depleted after a full day’s work.
Finding a Balance
Considering the demands of both a full-time job and effective website management, it would be realistic for one person to manage 1, maybe 2 websites alongside their regular job.
This assumes that the person is able to devote a consistent amount of time each week to the website(s).
Also, they are comfortable with the extended work hours.
Even managing one or two websites in addition to a full-time job will require excellent time management skills, an efficient workflow, and the ability to focus on different tasks at different times.
In this scenario, it is crucial to prioritize quality over quantity.
Running a single website well will yield better results than struggling to manage several sites poorly.
Is It Hard to Manage a Website?
Managing a website is a multifaceted task that goes far beyond simply publishing content.
If someone wants to maintain a successful website, they need to devote substantial time to keyword research, content creation and editing, monitoring performance, and updating their site.
This workload can quickly snowball when handling more than a single website.
Trust me, I know.
Keyword Research
Keyword research is a pillar of effective SEO strategy, serving as a roadmap for content creation.
It’s about discovering and studying the phrases that individuals type into search engines, aiming to use this information for certain tasks like improving search engine rankings or promoting products or services.
When managing multiple websites, the effort required for keyword research amplifies.
Each website is unique in its purpose, target audience, and content, which necessitates individual and thorough keyword research.
If you’re looking after more than 3-4 websites, the workload becomes enormous, potentially affecting the quality and effectiveness of your SEO strategy.
Content Creation and Editing
Quality content is the heart of any successful website.
However, creating content isn’t as simple as jotting down a few hundred words on a given topic.
It requires in-depth research, a clear understanding of the target audience, an engaging writing style, and a keen eye for editing.
Managing 3-4 websites allows you to spend ample time on each site’s content, ensuring it’s relevant, engaging, and error-free.
When the number of sites increases, maintaining content quality across all of them can become a Herculean task, impacting the overall success of your websites.
Posting and Monitoring
Once the content is ready and published, the job doesn’t end there.
A significant part of website management involves closely monitoring site performance and user engagement.
This means keeping an eye on site analytics, engaging with comments, managing social media channels, and assessing SEO performance.
Should you be responsible for more than 3-4 websites, the likelihood of missing crucial user interactions or analytical insights increases due to the sheer volume of data and engagement points to be monitored.
Website Updating
To keep a website functional and user-friendly, regular updates are necessary.
Updates may involve security enhancements, UI/UX improvements, or changes in content.
These updates require time, technical skills, and a good understanding of each site’s needs.
The task of updating becomes increasingly complex with each additional website you manage.
Balancing these needs for 3-4 websites is feasible, but as the number grows, the chance of missing important updates and consequently hurting the user experience increases.
Should I Run More Than 1 Website? (My Honest Opinion)
Whether or not to run more than one website is a decision that depends on several factors.
Here’s a simple evaluation tool to help you decide:
| Factor | One Website | Multiple Websites |
| Time | Enough time to manage all aspects effectively | Time will be divided, possibly compromising quality |
| Expertise | Deep dive into a single niche or topic | Broad expertise across various topics |
| Monetization | Focus on a single income source | Diversified income streams |
| Risk | All eggs in one basket | Risk is spread across websites |
| Focus | Strong brand identity | More brands to build and manage |
Final Thoughts: How Many Websites Can One Person Manage?
The biggest thing I’ve learned about managing multiple websites is that there is a constant temptation to start new ones.
While I run four main sites, I’ve started 2-3 others that I really don’t have time to grow.
Start small, grow as fast as you can, and then only start a second (or third) site when the first one is big enough.
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