There are several site maintenance WordPress tasks that need to be performed on a regular basis. For example, frequent backups and software updates can make your website more secure. Plus, it’s a good idea to fix broken links and remove spam comments to improve user-friendliness.
The good news is that there are various ways to handle these tasks. You could use plugins, opt for managed hosting services, or hire an agency. Your choice will likely be determined by your needs and budget.
In this post, we’ll explore six important site maintenance WordPress tasks. Then, we’ll present the options you have for carrying them out. Let’s dive in!
Six site maintenance WordPress tasks to perform regularly
The following maintenance tasks will help ensure that your WordPress site runs smoothly.
1. Make full website backups
One of the most important site maintenance WordPress tasks is creating regular backups. A backup is essentially a complete copy of your website, including all files, database tables, theme settings, and more.
Regular backups ensure that you always have an up-to-date version of your WordPress site. This can aid quick recovery if your site gets hacked. It also provides peace of mind if you accidentally make a mistake or encounter common WordPress errors.
It’s important to back up all data. For example, if you run an ecommerce store, you’ll want to make copies of all customer and order data, as well as product inventory and site settings.
Most website owners use plugins like Jetpack to make backups. You can also back up WordPress manually using phpMyAdmin or FTP. This process involves manually downloading tables and files.
Ideally, you’ll want to store your backup in a remote location. This way, if your site’s server is hacked or malfunctions, your backup is safe.
2. Update software
Another key task is to perform regular software updates. This goes for all software on your site, including the WordPress Core, plugins, and themes.
Typically, you’ll be notified in the dashboard when updates are available, but you can also check by going to Dashboard > Updates:
Here, you can confirm that you’re running the latest version of WordPress. You can also see which themes and plugins have updates available.
Updates often come with new features and functionality. Plus, the code has usually been refined to improve your website performance.
Updates are also important for security because they tend to come with vulnerability patches and bug fixes. Therefore, you’ll want to run them as soon as they’re available.
3. Check and remove spam comments
Although you might like to enable WordPress comments so readers can ask questions and leave feedback, bad bots and hackers may execute malicious activities through this section on your site. Typically, they’ll post links to spammy websites. These links can also contain harmful viruses.
Spam comments are often poorly written and irrelevant, so they can also make your site look unprofessional. Therefore, you’ll want to regularly review your comments and remove any suspicious content.
Within the dashboard, simply head to the Comments tab. Here, you can delete multiple comments in bulk.
There are some settings in the dashboard that can make it harder for spammers to post comments. For example, if you go to Settings > Discussion, you can configure the options so that users need to be registered and logged in to leave comments. You can also enable manual comment approval.
4. Remove unused themes and plugins
Every piece of software that you install makes your site slightly more vulnerable to security threats. For example, plugins and themes can contain bad code that’s easy for hackers to exploit.
As we’ve discussed, a crucial site maintenance WordPress task is to keep software up-to-date. If you don’t, malicious actors can gain access to your site through vulnerabilities in an outdated plugin or theme.
However, plugins and themes make your site heavier and require server resources to load. Therefore, you want to be particular about which tools you use (and make sure you actually need them).
It’s a good idea to regularly run plugin and theme audits and identify any software you no longer need. For example, you don’t need two plugins that perform the same function (like two SEO plugins). Plus, some plugins only serve a one-time function such as database cloning or migration plugins, so you can remove them once you’ve completed the task.
5. Review user accounts
Another important site maintenance task is reviewing user accounts. Like software, every user account puts your website at greater risk of cyber attacks, especially if they choose popular passwords like “123456”.
You can start by ensuring that every user has been assigned the correct role, and therefore doesn’t have more permissions than they should. For instance, if you assign new users to a “Subscriber” role, they can only read content and update their profiles. They can’t make bigger changes like installing plugins or editing content.
This way, even if a hacker does obtain the credentials of a user, they won’t be able to steal sensitive data or post spammy/malicious links in blog posts or pages, as their access to your site is limited.
It’s also recommended that you only have one administrator, as this user has full control over your website. Having multiple admins increases the chances of a hacking attempt, which, if successful, would give the hacker complete access to your content.
Additionally, some hackers create fake user accounts. Therefore, it’s a good idea to review users regularly and look out for inactive ones. Perhaps you’ve had someone set up an account but they’ve never bought a product or left a comment. Or maybe they don’t log in with any level of consistency.
6. Find and fix broken links
The final site maintenance WordPress task on our list is possibly the most tedious one.
Broken links may return error pages or present a blank screen to users, which is bad for the user experience (UX).
Not only that, but broken links can make your website seem unreliable and unsafe. Plus, it can increase your bounce rate, which in turn sends signals to search engines that your content isn’t valuable.
Typically, the most effective way to detect broken links in WordPress is to conduct a thorough manual review by visiting every single page and clicking on the link. That said, you can also install plugins to handle this task for you.
How to handle site maintenance WordPress tasks
Now, let’s take a look at the options you have for handling WordPress maintenance.
Choose a managed web hosting provider
When you decide to set up a website, you’ll need a web host to store important website files and make your content publicly accessible. There are various hosting options to choose from, including managed hosting.
With managed WordPress hosting, many site maintenance tasks are handled by your web host. The only downside is that you’ll usually face a slightly higher monthly fee compared to alternatives like shared hosting.
The upside is that you don’t need to learn how to maintain a website. Many managed plans come with security features like DDoS protection and web application firewalls. Plus, you can often access daily backups, automatic updates, and caching technology.
Install a WordPress maintenance plugin
Another way to take care of site maintenance WordPress tasks is to use a dedicated plugin. Ideally, you’ll find a tool that does multiple things, so you won’t have to install several plugins for different tasks (and consequently slow down your site).
For example, Jetpack performs backups, malware scans, and speed optimization. You might also install a tool like Broken Link Checker to scan your site for bad URLs.
Hire a freelancer to handle site maintenance WordPress tasks
If you have a bigger budget, you might also like to hire a freelancer to maintain your WordPress site. You can find professionals on sites like Fiverr and Upwork who provide services like broken link detection or WooCommerce backups.
But there are drawbacks to using freelancers. For instance, you’re limited to just one person’s expertise and availability, which can delay project completion. Plus, not all freelancers are reliable, and they might charge extra for ongoing support.
Use a dedicated WordPress agency
Perhaps the most effective way to handle WordPress maintenance tasks is to hire a dedicated WordPress agency. Many people believe this is a more expensive option, but there are many agencies that offer affordable services.
You’ll usually have a long-term partnership with agencies, which means you can access ongoing maintenance and support.
If you’re looking for an experienced agency, Freshy is an excellent option:
Freshy is a full-service WordPress development and design agency that covers services like SEO optimization, security, compliance, re-designs, plugin development, and more. It’s also a great choice for creating custom sites.
We can take care of maintenance tasks like backups, audits, optimizations, updates, malware cleanup, and more. Plus, you’ll get access to a dedicated project manager who can ensure that your unique needs are met.
Conclusion
If you want to keep your website fast and secure, there are a handful of crucial tasks that must be done regularly. For example, you’ll want to make frequent backups, update your software, and review user accounts.
Depending on your level of skill and budget, there are various options for handling WordPress maintenance. If you’re happy to pay a higher monthly fee, you might choose a managed web host. You could also use a plugin, but this can slow your site down.
The best option is to hire a dedicated WordPress agency like Freshy. We provide a range of services like SEO, speed optimization, WordPress maintenance, support, and more. Get a quote today!
Featured image credit: Pexels.
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