Website presence is necessary in the modern world, as it helps in creating a company's image, marketing its services and goods, as well as reaching out to consumers in different parts of the globe. But that's where the fun stops – or at least the work of creating a site – keeping the site looking its best is just as crucial. This is especially the case if your site is WordPress based, as WordPress is currently the largest and most used website platform that is responsible for over 35% of all websites on the internet. 

WP websites also require regular updates, and if you don't pay attention to the health of your WP site, it can easily become a security risk, slow and full of outdated content, and expensive to fix later. That is why when you are performing a WordPress maintenance, you should avoid such problems and maintain your site in its optimal condition. Here are the key reasons why regular WordPress site maintenance is essential:Here are the key reasons why regular WordPress site maintenance is essential:

Improved Security 

Since WordPress is an open source application developed in PHP/MySQL, hackers can attack the site based on the software if it is up to date. Wordpress installations that are no longer maintained and using early versions of Wordpress core and old or deprecated plugins are vulnerable to break-ins, malware injections and other system compromises.

Thus, by using the updated version of WordPress and all used plugins and themes, you reduce the threats of hackers' and bots' attacks, which try to catch vulnerabilities and get into your site. Having a feature like automatic background updates, you are guaranteed of using the most secure software on your site. Such preventive measures are valuable in avoiding situations like data loss, website slumps, and expensive diseases.

Plugins Updates

By far, most WordPress sites use at least several plugins to include features such as contact forms, galleries, SEO, business, and schedules among others. These plugins are often updated by the developers to include new versions, to correct bugs, vulnerabilities or to enhance performance. When not following any systematized maintenance strategy, these plugins stay outdated and keep executing their processes, and the sites become vulnerable to attack by exploits or face malfunctioning.

The status of all extensions stays optimal and protected while checking and enabling updates for each plugin in the process. If plugins are not updated from their old versions, it is like leaving your system software vulnerabilities which expose the computer to all forms of attacks.

Themes Updates  

WordPress themes also get updates for the most part from designers to make improvements, correct mistakes, and to include more choices. An outdated theme means that there could be CSS/layout issues, JavaScript issues, PHP issues or compatibility issues when you upgrade wordpress core without updating the theme code. 

As they say, themes are the engine that drive what the visitors of a website are able to see and experience, therefore the need to maintain the theme of the site to support its presentation and functionality. Failing to update your theme by more than a few versions can lead to display problems or ‘system crash' errors.

Backups

It is impossible to discuss WordPress site maintenance strategies and not mention that backup routines should be a regular thing, covering all files related to the site and the MySQL database on which it is based. If your site has been experiencing frequent data corruption, hacking incidents, or sudden crashes without prior backup, you are left with no other option than to endure severe disruptions or complete data loss.

Setting up the daily/weekly website and database backup automatically to the cloud storage or other external resources will also ensure you to have the complete backup in case of disaster. A backup system can be set in a few minutes, whereas website restoration without backup can take anyone between hours to days or even more.

Site Speed Monitoring  

Slow site speed, increased number of server requests, non-optimized code and media assets can quickly turn WordPress sites into crawling locavores. High speed of loading is impersonating visitors who in turn leave sites that are testing their patience levels. The parameters of speed testing tools are usually used to periodically monitor the site pages for optimization to maintain fast speeds.

As the site evolves through the addition of new content, features, and services, it is wise to become familiar with the signs that page speed is slowing down so that remedial action can be taken at as early a stage as possible. WordPress caching plugins also facilitate ensuring that sites are running on clean and speedy mechanisms.

Content Maintenance

Although this may not be an inherently technological issue, it is important to remember that the core of a WordPress site's health is frequently refreshed and correct content on the site's pages and in the blog. Old and out of date pages not only give the wrong impression to any visitor that the site is not being maintained anymore, but also tells them that you don't care enough to update it. By posting repeatedly, enhancing the product/service pages as they change, and deleting less relevant content, sites remain exciting to use.

Maintenance on content can best be compared to oiling a vehicle; it is done periodically to ensure that there is no stagnation in way it is being used or offered to people. 

Functional Testing

If all software remains updated and new content is added smoothly, issues can creep into WordPress sites over time. Designs wear out; links fail, images are lost, categories misalign, menus may not be as effective and workflows are disrupted over the same time. • The continuous functional test plan ensures that site elements are in proper working condition.

Much like QA testing, set aside 1 month or every 3 months to load test and ‘click around' testing forms, dropdowns, widgets, modules, tabs, pagination, search and any other dynamic features that drive site functionality. Sometimes, when one gets a small problem, he does not fix it thinking it will not be a big issue again when a bigger issue comes up.   

Bottom Line

To build and begin a refined WordPress site, it requires some form of idea formulation and work. While the initial construction phase is only expected the most, development and sustaining that site to enforce security, velocity, and reliability to determine this platform's worth in enabling the business aims and strategies. To quote a popular slogan, “in software development, the launch is not the end of the process but the starting point. ”

For an investment of a small amount of time and energy on regular wordpress site maintenance – updating the software checking the performance, enabling the backup option, adding new content – you can have a warantee that the site is functioning properly as a tool for long-term Internet presence and profit through the network of online sales. If you still run WordPress, consult with WP developers for your options to get maintenance packages or ways on how to smartly self-maintain it. Either way, make WP site maintenance a standard operational practice that is followed and implemented regularly.