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WordPress Website Maintenance: How to Keep Your Site Up to Date

How often should you update your website? It’s tempting to put it off until another time, but that’s not the best idea. If you do WordPress website maintenance, including updating your site and its plugins, on a regular basis, it will be much easier to keep your site secure and running smoothly. Here’s how to do your WordPress website maintenance properly.
Website maintenance

The importance of WordPress website security

WordPress Website Maintenance and security is probably the most important aspect of your website and should not be taken lightly. WordPress has a great plugin that is free called Wordfence (this will be used in the comparison). Free plugins are ideal because they don’t cost money but offer the same great services as paid plugins. If you use WordPress on your website, consider using the free version of Wordfence for all your security requirements. Like any plugin, there is premium version of Wordfence which allows for more advanced security features, however these are entirely optional and are recommended for only advanced users or your website designer agency who know how to make use of them. Paid versions also carry no guarantee in no security breaches and if you choose a another security plugin that is too simple, it may not have the capability to give you what you need.

Make a website backup before updating

Before updating, you should make a backup of your site with an easy plugin like updraft thats for free to download on WordPress. With one click of a button, you’ll have everything backed up and you’re ready to go. Just remember to test your site after updating to make sure it’s working right. If something did go wrong with updates and your website stops loading or crashes, simply apply your working version of the backup. Always back up before updating!

The importance of updates

WordPress updates are vital for keeping your site up and running smoothly. Updates often include new features and bug fixes that enhance your site, meaning there’s no reason not to install them. Furthermore, if you don’t update, you’re more susceptible to hackers, who know how outdated versions of WordPress work. If you haven’t updated in a while, it might be time for an upgrade! Remember to make a backup of your website before doing major updates.

Automated website updating

One way to stay on top of website design maintenance is by using automated tools that can help you update your website or respond to site-related issues in real time. You can automate many tasks with WordPress plugins, though it’s important not to choose a plugin that’s too complicated for your level of technical expertise. Automated website updating is a key component of website maintenance, so don’t neglect it!

Manually updating the website

WordPress allows for easy updates, but it’s important to note that automatic updates aren’t 100% secure. Just like updating your apps on your phone, it’s safer to do manual updates by hand especially making big updates like your website builders, framework, PHP version etc. That way you can make sure each update is safe before proceeding to the next update. If you need more experienced WordPress experts you can also contact us to help you troubleshoot and do WordPress website maintenance manually for you and provide you with a report of work done.

Updated website plugins make everything better!

WordPress plugins, it’s important that you keep them updated. If you don’t, you might end up with a website that looks very different from what your design intended. We always reccomend to do monthly website maintenance this means your website will always be updated on a monthly basis.

The difference between updates, automatic updates, and scheduled website updates

Updates are when a website owner or website agency updates their websites framework and plugins. Automatic updates happen when plugins and themes on your website update themselves (which is actually scheduled). Scheduled updates are when you create a calendar event for WordPress to automatically update itself. (Like automatic updates, these also happen on your schedule.) As an website owner, you have three options for keeping your site up-to-date: set up automatic WordPress updates, update and schedule WordPress core updates and security updates, or manually update each time a new version of WordPress is available.

See: Web Fast Website Design Pricing

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