WordPress is not just a great content creation tool but a powerful, holistic system. This system integrates multiple components like hosting, the WP software, plugins, themes, content, etc. which together combine into an incredible interface that you see as your website. And like any other system in the world, WordPress Content Management System (CMS) also needs regular maintenance to be able to perform optimally. Depending on the kind of website that you have built, your maintenance period can vary between three months (for busy sites like ecommerce) and six months (for low traffic sites).
To help you get the best out of your WordPress site, and keep it up and running at all times, follow this detailed guide for your site maintenance.
Change your passwords
The first step to maintenance is to fortify your site with stronger and more secure passwords.
Get a periodic backup
Your site has all the vital data and information on your business, clients, etc. and losing any of it can cost money, efforts, and a lot of precious time. Use a plugin or run a manual backup to create duplicate files for exigent situations.
Update all WP files
For your WP site to run efficiently, it is important to have the latest version installed. Check for updates of the WP core, plugins, theme, etc. and upgrade them regularly.
Check for spam
Check all comments and delete any spam messages. You can use a plugin to prevent and auto-delete spam comments from your web pages.
Test all WP Forms
Check if all forms are working properly and you are receiving regular emails from these forms.
Optimize your database
WP runs and thrives on its database. Keep your database optimized by cleaning up data buildup and defragmenting tables, to improve overall site performance.
Optimize images
Images, videos, and other media are an integral part of your website but can overload your site, thus making it slow. Resize images to fit your website’s capacity. Also, remove unused images from your media library to boost your site speed.
Fix Errors
Look for 404 Error and remove missing pages. Also look for any broken links (misspelled URL, non-existent URL, etc.) and 500 internal server error and fix them to reduce bounce rate and increase page views.
Review security
Many times, you might not realize that your site is at risk unless it slows down or underperforms. Review your site’s access and error logs and check for any suspicious or unusual activity. You can also install plugins that run daily scans and detect threats.
On a parting note…
Your business website lives on WordPress and WordPress lives well on a well-supporting hosting platform. So, maintaining your site needs to be complemented with a robust hosting solution. Although it is possible to run maintenance checks all by yourself, it is always better to seek the support of a professional. Seek the best WordPress hosting provider available and you can endorse them with the responsibility of site maintenance without much ado.
