Being an all-encompassing Content Management System, WordPress is where your business website really thrives. And such a powerful platform needs proper and regular maintenance, a well-supporting hosting, and of course your time. To be able to run regular maintenance of your site, WordPress offers its users a host of tools and guides to help you keep your site up and running at all times. But as they say, it is always better to leave the expertise to the experts for which you can always seek services of a reliable WP Hosting provider. However, if you choose to do the legwork yourself, here’s a handy step-by-guide to run you through the maintenance process.
The 10-step WP maintenance
#1. Change the password
The first step to keeping your site working smoothly is to keep it secure. It is always better to change your site’s password periodically to make it less prone to hacks.
#2. Take a regular backup
It is needless to say how important your site data is. And to save every byte of it, make sure to run a regular backup (daily, weekly, or monthly) manually, or using a WP plugin. If you are on a managed WP hosting plan, your service provider can help you with automatic daily backups.
#3. Run an update
A dynamic platform like WP works best when you have the latest features. Always check for updates and install the latest version of your WP core, plugins, themes, etc. to keep your site upgraded at all times.
#4. Look for any spam messages
More often than not, the message and comment section on your site will attract spam messages, which unnecessarily load your site. Run a plugin to automatically delete such messages in the future and keep your website functioning efficiently.
# 5. Test your website forms
Run a check of all WP forms which capture data of your site visitors and see if you are receiving emails regularly from them.
# 6. Optimize WP database
To keep all your databases optimized, you must keep them free of data buildup and defragment the tables. This helps in your site performance.
#7. Optimize all images
Images take up a considerable part of your website. Keeping them optimized will boost your site’s performance. Resize and crop large images to fit the capacity of your site. Also, regularly remove unused images from the media library to avoid data overloading.
#8. Find and fix errors
Missing pages, broken links, or other page errors can reduce your page views and increase bounce rate. Remove non-existent URLs or correct any misspelt links.
#9. Run a site audit
This mostly refers to the site content and SEO. Use tools like Google Analytics for a detailed review of your site and site which content is working for your audience and if you need to upgrade your SEO and content strategy.
#10. Upgrade security
Your site is as good as its security level. Check your access and error logs for any suspicious activity. Another way to run a security check is to use a plugin for daily scanning and detecting threats.
Depending on your site traffic, business domain etc. you can decide your maintenance schedule. And even as basic as the above steps can help your WP website perform its best. Do let us know about your maintenance strategy in the comment section below.
