As a business owner, your website is one of the most important tools you have for reaching and engaging your customers. However, many people think that once their website is built they can simply sit back and watch it run by itself.
That’s not the case. Your website – like any tool – requires regular maintenance and upkeep to ensure that it functions at its best.
One of the most important aspects of maintaining your website is keeping it up to date.
This is particularly important if you are using a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress. The reason? This software is constantly being adapted and improved. So you need to stay on top of any changes. You can do this by updating your WordPress plugins.
What is the correct way to update your WordPress plugins?
Warning: simply logging into your WordPress dashboard, navigating to plugins and clicking update on all the outdated plugins could break your website!
The correct method is backing up your website to a staging server, updating each plugin one by one and checking the site for errors. If no errors are found from the plugin updates, you can proceed with updating the plugins on the live site.
But what happens when you don’t update your WordPress plugins?
If you neglect to update your WordPress plugins, you may be missing out on important security updates and features. Additionally, older versions of plugins may be incompatible with the latest version of WordPress, which can lead to errors and crashes on your website.
What is involved in general WordPress website upkeep?
A web design agency can be the insurance policy you need for your website. Without one, you are leaving your online presence and revenue at risk.
Imagine your e-commerce website going down for just a few days. The lost sales and customer trust alone can be devastating to your business. A web design agency can prevent this by regularly maintaining and updating your website to ensure smooth performance and minimal downtime.
Just like how you insure your physical assets, insuring your website with a web design agency can save you from potential financial loss. In addition to preventing website downtime, a web design agency can also provide ongoing security measures to protect your website from cyber threats, which can also result in lost revenue and damage to your brand’s reputation.
Tip: don’t wait for disaster to strike, invest in a web design agency to protect and maintain your website, just like you would with any other valuable asset.
What are the security threats you might face from not updating your plugins?
Hackers are always looking for new ways to exploit outdated software and if your plugins are out of date, they may be more susceptible to attack. By keeping your plugins up to date, you can reduce the risk of your website being hacked or compromised. A common technique that hackers use to exploit vulnerabilities in outdated WordPress plugins is called “SQL injection.” This involves injecting malicious code into the website’s database through a vulnerability in the plugin, which can be used to steal sensitive information, add malware, or take control of the website.
Want to work with the best web design agency in town?
As you can see, regular maintenance and upkeep are essential to the health and well-being of your website. If you’re based in Melbourne and looking for an agency that can provide you with high-quality web design, WordPress hosting and maintenance packages, look no further than Vibes Design.
Our team of experienced professionals can ensure your website always runs at its best, so you can focus on growing your business. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
