Your WordPress site has been running fine since launch. Why touch it? Because a website isn’t a printed brochure: it’s software, and software that isn’t updated ages quickly. Here’s what actually happens when maintenance is neglected, and what good maintenance includes.
What a WordPress site is made of
A WordPress site has three layers that each evolve on their own:
- WordPress itself, updated several times a year;
- the theme, which gives the site its look;
- plugins, which add forms, the store, SEO and so on.
Underneath, there’s also the server and its PHP version, which hosts upgrade regularly. When one layer moves forward and the others don’t, problems start.
5 risks of an unmaintained website
1. Getting hacked
The vast majority of WordPress security holes are found in outdated plugins or themes. When a flaw is discovered, a fix is released, but it only protects the sites that install it. The bots scanning the web for vulnerable sites never take a break.
2. A site that breaks overnight
An automatic update by your host, a plugin that’s no longer compatible, and your contact form stops working, sometimes without anyone noticing for weeks.
3. No usable backup
Many businesses discover they have no recent backup at the exact moment they need one. Without a backup, an outage or a hack can mean rebuilding the site.
4. A slower site with lower rankings
Google takes a site’s speed and security (HTTPS) into account. A slow site with errors or a security warning loses visitors and positions.
5. Exposed personal information
If your site collects names, emails or phone numbers, a hack can expose that information. Law 25 governs the protection of personal information, and a security incident can trigger reporting obligations. Prevention is better.
What good maintenance includes
- Updates to WordPress, the theme and plugins, tested before they’re applied;
- regular backups, stored somewhere other than the site’s server;
- uptime monitoring, so you know quickly if the site goes down;
- protection against common attacks;
- a report telling you what was done;
- ideally, a few hours of small edits to keep your content current.
Do it yourself or hand it off?
You can maintain the site yourself if you’re comfortable: back up before every update, update one plugin at a time and check your site after each change. Most of our clients would rather spend that time on their business.
Our maintenance plans start at $59 a month (updates, weekly backup, monitoring). The Pro plan, at $109 a month, adds daily backups, security and one hour of edits per month. All the details are on the Website maintenance page.
Not sure what shape your site is in? Write to us: we can run a quick check and tell you where things stand.