The Nitty-Gritty of
Originally Published July 2023
Maintaining your WordPress website is as important as maintaining your storefront or work vehicles. It’s not just about creating a fantastic site and then leaving it to fend for itself in the wild world of the internet. Nope! Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your site running smoothly and efficiently.
Let’s dive into why website maintenance is so crucial for WordPress websites. Remember, if you need a hand with this, don’t hesitate to give us a ring at (320) 403-2433 or fill out our contact form. We’re here to help!
Why Website Maintenance Matters
First off, let’s talk numbers. According to a study by WPBeginner, around 86% of hacked WordPress sites hadn’t been updated at the time of the attack. Yikes! That’s a pretty compelling reason to keep your site updated, right?
Maintenance isn’t just about security, though. It’s also about performance. A survey by Kissmetrics found that 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less. Regular updates and maintenance can help ensure your site meets these expectations.
Website Maintenance Best Practices
WordPress Core Version Updates
Regular updates of your WordPress core, themes, and plugins are crucial. Each update not only brings new features but also fixes any bugs and patches any security vulnerabilities. It’s like getting a flu shot – it protects your site from known threats.
These updates aren’t just about keeping your site running smoothly. They can also have a direct impact on your business. For instance, new features can enhance the user experience, leading to increased visitor engagement and potentially higher conversion rates.
Contact Form & Anti-Spam Updates
Keeping your anti-spam plugin updated is equally important. Spammers are always coming up with new tactics, and updates help ensure your site is protected against the latest threats. Regular monitoring of your site’s spam activity can also help you spot any unusual patterns or potential issues.
Regular updates and testing of your contact forms are vital. Forms are often the main way your visitors interact with your site, whether it’s subscribing to a newsletter or making a purchase. If a form isn’t working correctly, it can lead to lost leads or sales.
Similarly, keeping your anti-spam plugin updated and regularly testing your forms can have a significant impact on your lead generation efforts. If a potential customer encounters spam or a faulty form on your site, they may decide to take their business elsewhere.
Consistent Backups
Regular backups of your site are like an insurance policy. If anything goes wrong, whether it’s a hack, a bad update, or a simple user error, you can restore your site to a previous state. This can save you a lot of time, money, and stress. This can have a direct impact on your bottom line. If your site goes down and you don’t have a recent backup, you could lose days or even weeks of sales. Plus, the time and effort it takes to rebuild your site from scratch can be costly.
Regular Cache Clearing
Regular cache clearing can have a direct impact on your site’s performance, and by extension, your business. When a visitor comes to your site, certain elements are stored, or “cached,” so they load faster on subsequent visits. However, if these cached elements become outdated, they can slow down your site. A slow site can lead to high bounce rates, low conversion rates, and poor search engine rankings. Regular cache clearing ensures your visitors are always getting the freshest, fastest version of your site, potentially boosting your business.
Accessibility Testing
Regular checks to ensure your site is accessible to all users are not only the right thing to do and a legal requirement in many places, but it can also expand your potential customer base. This includes checking for proper alt text on images, readable fonts, and accessible forms. An accessible site is a user-friendly site, and a user-friendly site is good for business. Plus, if it is a legal requirement, non-compliance can lead to hefty fines and/or damage to your business’s reputation.
Security Scans
Regular scans for malware and other security threats are like a regular check-up for your site. They can help you spot potential issues before they become big problems. Using a firewall adds an extra layer of protection, like a lock on your front door. Regularly changing your login URL can help prevent brute-force attacks. This is where a hacker tries to gain access to your site by guessing your password. By changing your login URL, you’re effectively moving to a different address, making it harder for criminals to ‘case’ your website.
A hacked site can lead to lost sales, damage to your business’s reputation, and potential legal issues. By regularly scanning your site for threats and changing your login URL, you can help protect your business.
The Nitty-Gritty of WordPress Website Maintenance
Regular maintenance is not just about keeping your site running smoothly. It’s also about protecting and enhancing your business. It’s an essential part of keeping your WordPress site secure, efficient, and effective.
Don’t hesitate to give us a call at (320) 403-2433 or fill out our contact form. We’re here to help keep your site in tip-top shape! You can always learn more about Cohlab, our team, and the services we offer as well.
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