WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems used by businesses and individuals to build websites, however, without proper maintenance, a WordPress site can become vulnerable to security breaches, downtime, and poor performance.
In this article, we’ll explore the importance of WordPress maintenance and how it can keep your website running smoothly and securely.
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Does WordPress need maintenance?
Yes, WordPress needs maintenance. Like any other software or platform, WordPress requires regular maintenance to ensure that it runs smoothly and remains secure.
This includes updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins, backing up your website, monitoring security, and more.
Neglecting maintenance can lead to performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and even website downtime.
Regular maintenance can help keep your website secure, improve its performance, and ensure that it continues to meet your business needs.
Consider hiring a professional to handle your WordPress maintenance or using a managed WordPress hosting service to ensure that your website remains up-to-date and secure.
Related: 7 Tips For Keeping Your WordPress Site Secure from WordPress Cyber Attacks
How long can WordPress maintenance take?
The length of WordPress maintenance can vary depending on the specific needs of your website.
Maintenance tasks can include updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins, backing up your website, monitoring security, and more.
The time it takes to complete these tasks will depend on the size of your website, the complexity of your setup, and the specific maintenance tasks that need to be performed.
It is recommended that you schedule regular maintenance on a monthly or quarterly basis to ensure that your website remains up-to-date and secure.
The specific length of time for each maintenance session will depend on the specific tasks being performed.
What is included in WordPress maintenance?
WordPress maintenance typically includes a range of tasks designed to keep your website running smoothly and securely.
These tasks can include updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins, backing up your website, monitoring security, optimising website performance, and more.
WordPress maintenance can also involve identifying and fixing issues that may be affecting your website’s performance or security.
The specific tasks included in WordPress maintenance will depend on the needs of your website and the maintenance plan that you have in place.
It is important to schedule regular maintenance to ensure that your website remains up-to-date and secure.
Will updating WordPress myself, mess up my site?
Updating WordPress yourself can potentially cause issues with your website if not done correctly.
While updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins is an important part of website maintenance, it is recommended that you take caution and ensure you have a backup of your website before updating.
Failure to update correctly can lead to issues such as broken functionality or even a completely broken website.
It is recommended to have an experienced developer or a professional service handle updates to ensure that they are done correctly and your website remains functional and secure.
Related: How to choose secure WordPress plugins?
Use our plan to keep your WordPress website well maintained:
Creating a maintenance plan for your WordPress website is an essential part of keeping it running smoothly, securely, and efficiently.
10 items to include in your WordPress maintenance plan
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Regular updates
Schedule regular updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins to ensure that your website is running on the latest version of these components.
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Backups
Regularly back up your website’s files and database to ensure that you have a copy of your website in case of any issues or data loss.
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Security monitoring
Set up regular security scans to monitor your website for malware, viruses, and other security threats.
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Performance optimisation
Optimise your website’s performance by regularly compressing images, cleaning up your database, and optimising your website’s code.
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Uptime monitoring
Set up uptime monitoring to ensure that your website is always accessible and to receive immediate alerts if it goes down.
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Broken link checks
Regularly check your website for broken links and fix them to ensure that your visitors have a positive experience on your website.
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Form testing
Regularly test contact forms and other forms on your website to ensure that they are functioning properly and that you are receiving all necessary form submissions.
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Website traffic analysis
Monitor your website’s traffic and user behaviour to identify areas for improvement and to ensure that your website is meeting your business goals.
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User access management
Manage user access and permissions to ensure that only authorised individuals can make changes to your website.
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Regular cleanup
Regularly clean up your website’s files, database, and unused plugins and themes to ensure that your website is running efficiently and securely.
By including these 10 items in your WordPress maintenance plan, you can help ensure that your website is running smoothly, securely, and efficiently at all times.
Maintaining your WordPress website is an ongoing process that requires regular attention and effort.
By keeping your site up-to-date, optimising its performance, and enhancing its security, you can ensure that your website remains stable and functional, and that your visitors have a positive user experience.
So, don’t neglect your WordPress site, invest in its maintenance, and enjoy the benefits of a secure and high-performing website.
We offer WordPress website maintenance and support at affordable monthly packages.
