Running a successful website involves more than posting content and checking visitor stats. Websites require routine maintenance to keep them running at peak performance and prevent them from developing serious issues. Most of this maintenance consists of updating your software, monitoring your site in real-time and performing daily backups. It can be time-consuming, which is why many website owners eventually outsource these needs to a website management company.
Let’s cover the importance of web maintenance and the crucial tasks you don’t want to overlook.
What is Website Maintenance and Why Does it Matter?
Website maintenance involves keeping an eye on your website and taking action when things arise. It also involves putting processes in place to prevent bad things from happening to your site, such as a virus, malware or security breach.
Without regular maintenance, your website is at risk for stability issues, viruses and bugs and security threats. You then pass these risks down to your visitors. For instance, if your website is infected with malware, your visitors can get infected, too. If your site is too neglected, it could be shut down.
Most Important Maintenance Tasks
Whether you choose to maintain your site on your own or outsource these needs to a website management company, make sure these essential tasks are being done:
WordPress core updates
Keeping WordPress up to date is one of the best things you can do for your site. Updates can be big or small, sometimes fixing minor bugs or implementing new features. You can wait a day or two to update WordPress if you’re waiting for the developer to fix minor bugs, but don’t wait any longer than this. Otherwise, you won’t have the latest security features.
Plugin and theme updates
Not only does WordPress need to be updated, but so do your plugins and themes. Like WordPress updates, these updates can be big or small, with minor fixes or new features. Keeping your plugins and theme updated prevents security issues and ensures your site looks and performs great.
Website backups
WordPress backups allow you to revert to a previous state of your site in case something goes wrong. Daily backups are recommended – this is something that Magna Technology offers. We also suggest backup solutions that backup your site before installing updates and the ability to restore backups from any point.
Check uptime and performance
Your web maintenance should also include checking uptime and web performance. If your site goes down, even for seconds, you’re still preventing people from getting on your site. You can miss out on sales and the opportunity to grow your business. Keep an eye on how often your site goes down, and get notified when this happens.
For affordable, comprehensive website management services, contact Magna Technology. We can host, manage and maintain your site. We make sure your website is backed up daily, your software is up-to-date and your site is monitored 24/7 for downtime.
