With so many websites built on the WordPress platform, it’s important to ensure that post-launch you know how to keep your website up to date. WordPress along with all the plugins will constantly need to be checked the latest version is installed. This ensures your site is protected from any attacks and vulnerabilities that hackers find.
Just like your car needs to be regularly serviced and MOT’d so does a website. Most importantly, you need to ensure that your site stays safe from hackers gaining access to your site. You also need to ensure that all your plugins are up to date so they run as efficiently as possible.
Here at Abstraction, we develop most CMS websites using WordPress so we’ve put together a few tips to help keep your website ship shape.
WordPress is constantly being updated, as of writing this article, it’s up to version 5.3.2. WordPress will sometimes release newer versions with added security patches that prevent cyber-attacks so if your website isn’t kept up to date with the latest version then you are in turn vulnerable to any potential security threats. If you wish to guarantee that your website and all of its elements are kept up to date, we offer a variety of monthly maintenance plans.
Contact forms, calendars, booking systems, payment calculators and checkout processes all use plugins. Just like the WordPress platform itself, plugin developers will also release updates for similar security reasons. It’s just as important to keep these updated to ensure your website is safe and secure. It’s also important to keep an eye on whether a plugin is still being updated by its developer as the support may have stopped. If this is the case, best practise would be to remove the plugin and find a new solution. This is something we can also help with.
You must have a marketing plan when it comes to updating your news feed or blog. Have you ever been on a website and seen the last post from them was two years ago? It starts casting doubt in your mind, doesn’t it? Is this company too busy to update their website? Perhaps they are too busy to deal with their customers? Are they even still in business?
Ensuring regular content is published on your site will do two things:
1) Keep customers updated with your news, offers and products. Customers can see you take care of keeping your site up to date with fresh content and your open for business
2) Updating your site with regular, fresh content is a great way to improve your search rankings. Google loves to see fresh, relevant content and will rank your site accordingly.
You certainly don’t have to post a new article every day. You need to establish what is realistic for you, even just once a month is going to have a positive impact on your online presence.
Keep on top of your website's images, ensure that product images are kept up to date and if you have a turnaround of staff, ensure that their images are changed to suit. It’s also a really good idea to make sure all your new images you upload are optimised, ensure they are in the correct format and no bigger than they need to be. Make sure a staff photo isn’t 2000px wide in PNG format, that’s going to really slow your site down.
In the same way that you maintain the images of your website, ensuring that your content is relevant and correct is just as important. Make sure that any limited time offers are removed when they end and delete any services you may not offer anymore. It’s just as important to keep any new services up to date and if you have a portfolio, ensuring it’s up to date with your latest work will encourage potential customers to come flocking.
A website needs constant care and attention if it’s going to reflect your company accurately and also keep it secure from cyber-attacks. Giving your website some attention a couple of times a month will ensure that things are running as they should. If you would like to discuss with us how we can maintain your website for you and guarantee your site is secure 24/7, why not get in touch to discuss our flexible web development maintenance plans?
Article Written by Matt Partridge
Web Developer & Digital Marketing Specialist
matt@madebyabstraction.com
