The importance of maintaining your WordPress website with updates and security
If you have a WordPress website, you might wonder how often you should update it and what security measures you should take. This blog post will explain why maintaining your WordPress website with updates and security is essential and how you can do it easily.
WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful platforms for creating websites. It offers a lot of features, flexibility and customisation options. However, it also requires regular maintenance to keep running smoothly and securely. Updating your WordPress website and installing security plugins can help you prevent many issues, such as:
Bugs and errors
WordPress releases new versions frequently to fix bugs, improve performance and add new features. If you don’t update your WordPress website, you might encounter errors or compatibility issues with your theme, plugins or other components.
Security breaches
WordPress is also a target for hackers and malicious attacks. If you don’t update your WordPress website, you might be vulnerable to exploits that can compromise your site’s functionality, data or reputation.
Poor user experience
Updating your WordPress website and installing security plugins can also improve your site’s speed, functionality and appearance. This can enhance your user experience and increase your site’s traffic, conversions and engagement.
To maintain your WordPress website with updates and security, you should follow these steps:
Backup your site:
Before updating your site, you should always backup your files and database. This way, you can restore your site if something goes wrong or you don’t like the changes. Errors happen more often than you think!
Update WordPress core
You should update your WordPress core whenever a new version is available. You can do this manually by downloading the latest version from WordPress.org or automatically enabling auto-updates in your dashboard settings. I prefer manual updates so I can control when they run. It’s up to you – if you forget to update your site regularly, then automatic updates might be a good option.
Update themes and plugins
You should also update your themes and plugins whenever a new version is available. You can do this manually by checking for updates in your dashboard or automatically by enabling auto-updates for each theme or plugin. Again, I prefer manual updates, and running them one at a time, so you don’t overload your server and end up in limbo mode (refer to this article if you do). You should also delete any unused or outdated themes or plugins to avoid clutter and security risks.
Install security plugins
You should also install some security plugins to protect your site from hackers, malware and spam. Some of the most popular and effective security plugins are Wordfence, Sucuri, iThemes Security and Jetpack. These plugins can help you scan your site for vulnerabilities, block malicious requests, enforce strong passwords, limit login attempts, backup your site and more.
By following these steps, you can maintain your WordPress website with updates and security and enjoy its benefits. Remember that updating your WordPress website and installing security plugins is not a one-time task but an ongoing process that requires regular attention and care.
Please contact me if you need help or guidance with maintaining your WordPress website with updates and security. I’m happy to assist you with advice and my professional WordPress maintenance packages.