For many business owners who have WordPress websites, the maintenance of their site is very much an afterthought. They’ll only think about maintenance when they experience an issue, rather than carry out tasks on a regular basis. This makes them reactive rather than proactive. If your website processes personal information or transactional data, maintaining it is crucial. Reacting to data loss can be a costly strategy, both in terms of money and reputation.
Regular maintenance ensures your website runs smoothly, stays secure, and provides the best user experience. Below are some key maintenance tasks you should be performing regularly to keep your WordPress website in top shape.
1. WordPress Updates
WordPress, its plugins, and themes receive regular updates. These updates can include new features, performance improvements, and vital security patches. Neglecting these updates can leave your site vulnerable to attacks. Aim to update your WordPress core files, plugins, and themes at least once a week. Before running any updates, always ensure you have a recent backup of your site.
2. Backups
Your website is a valuable asset, and having a robust backup strategy is essential. Relying solely on your hosting provider for backups is risky. Use backup plugins like UpdraftPlus to automate the backup process and store backups externally. Check weekly to ensure backups are being taken, and test restoring from a backup monthly to verify its integrity. At Winch Websites, if your site is hosted with us you have the comfort of knowing that your site is backed up every hour, and separately every day.
3. Testing Functionality
Regularly test your website’s functionality to ensure everything is working as expected. Weekly checks should include testing contact forms, checking email deliverability, and, for e-commerce sites, making test purchases to confirm that orders are processed correctly. This is especially important before peak times like sales or promotions.
4. Uptime Monitoring
Uptime refers to the time your website is accessible and operational. Frequent downtime can indicate poor hosting quality and negatively impact your business. Use tools like Uptime Robot to monitor your site’s uptime. Set it to check your site at least every 15 minutes, ideally every 5 minutes, and receive notifications if your site goes down.
5. Security Scans
No website is immune to attacks, but regular security scans can mitigate risks. Tools like Wordfence and Sucuri can help identify vulnerabilities and potential threats. Conduct weekly security scans and address any issues promptly. If a significant threat is detected, seeking professional help is advisable. Host your website with Winch Websites and your site is protected by significantly enhanced security in a WordPress-specific environment – and if you’re on a Website Care plan, we can step things up even further for high-priority/high-sensitivity websites.
6. Speed Optimization
A slow website can frustrate users and affect your search engine rankings. While speed optimization might not need to be as frequent as other tasks, performing a weekly speed test is beneficial. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix can help you identify areas for improvement. Pay attention to Core Web Vitals metrics, which are crucial for user experience and SEO. Our hosting has a particular focus on speed, with Website Care plans implementing measures to make a noticeable difference. World-class speed optimisation is available for sites that demand it.
7. Database Optimisation
Over time, your WordPress database can become cluttered with unnecessary data, slowing down your site. Regularly optimising your database can improve performance. Plugins like WP-Optimize can help clean up your database by removing spam comments, post revisions, and other unnecessary data. Our Website Care plan clients enjoy automated database optimisation on a weekly basis.
8. Broken Link Checks
Broken links can harm your site's user experience and SEO. Use tools like Broken Link Checker to identify and fix broken links on your site. Aim to perform this check monthly to ensure all links are functioning correctly.
9. Content Updates
Keep your content fresh and relevant by regularly updating your posts and pages. This can help improve your SEO rankings and keep visitors engaged. Schedule a review of your content every few months to ensure it remains accurate and up-to-date.
Wrap-up
Maintaining a WordPress website involves a variety of tasks that need to be performed regularly. While these tasks are crucial for the health and performance of your site, they can be time-consuming and complex. That’s where Winch Websites comes in. With our Care Plans, we handle all these maintenance tasks and more, ensuring your website remains secure, fast, and reliable.
If you’re interested in a hassle-free way to keep your website in peak condition, consider signing up for our Care Plan services. Let us take care of the technical details, so you can focus on running your business.
Remember, regular maintenance is not just about preventing problems but also about ensuring your website continues to support your business effectively. Contact me today to learn more about how I can help you maintain a healthy WordPress website.