Keep your site up to date.
Website maintenance recommendations are coming your way. But first, let’s remember the work it took you to get there and why you need to maintain your website in the first place.
I know, getting a website created and set up is a big deal…from figuring out your niche and your offerings, getting your message just right, doing a fancy photoshoot, establishing your new visual identity to display all over your website. It’s a lot of work, but it’s really an exciting time! And it’s even more exciting when it’s time to open the doors and let the world know you are here!
I don’t want to be a spoilsport, but I do want to keep it real. I don’t have babies, but I imagine it being sort of similar (except the website reveal is most likely a lot less painful)! You plan, prep and get set up for the special day. Baby arrives and there’s lots of joy and excitement, but then…the real work starts. It’s sort of the same with creating your business and launching your website. It’s super exciting, but then…the real work starts. (Not a good metaphor? Hit reply and let me know).
Now it’s time to “nurture” that business so that it grows and prospers.
Think of it this way…
You get oil changes every 5,000 miles,
You clean your teeth every 6 month or so,
You visit the doctor annually to make sure you are healthy,
Your smartphone has a bunch of apps that need to be updated so they run smoothly.
Similarly, this maintenance is needed for your website. It needs to be up to date to run smoothly. It needs be as secure as possible. And, it needs to be backed up just in case something does happen.
If your site is on WordPress, here is a “little less fun” list I would recommend you take a look at, or have a professional take a look at for you:
- Back up your site
- Research Theme vs WP versions for compatibility so it’s safe to update
- Backup WordPress, theme, custom CSS rules and other possible items
- Update your copyright if it’s passed another year
- Update plugins (in correct order)
- Clean out any unused plugins
- Check that forms and links work
Lastly, make sure your site handled all the updates without losing any information or displaying in a funky way.
It’s pertinent to stay on top of this, because you have put in a lot of work to get here, and I know you don’t want to have to deal with your site being down. It’s not only time consuming but could be very costly. If you don’t stay on top of updates you are opening the doors to unwanted guests, like hackers and malware. And before you say it, I know your site doesn’t have anything valuable on it (like credit card information) and it’s just a small informational site, but the sad truth is…it doesn’t matter anymore. For some odd reason that I don’t know or understand, people like to go in and break things anyway.
To end this post on a good note, make sure to stay on top of your oil change, teeth cleaning, smartphone updates and website check-ups, and I promise you that life will run a little bit smoother (at least in those areas)!
