Updating your WordPress Website regularly matters. Why? Well, let’s look at it this way. Your phone has regular updates, your computer has updates, just about any piece of tech usually has updates at some point in time. In many cases, the updates are pushed out and done by the software company or manufacture. Unlike most software, though, WordPress is an open-source community. That means there are hundreds of people around the globe working to constantly improve it and fix old problems. Updated versions are released frequently. And When WordPress Core updates, theme and plugin companies release new versions to match compatibility with the new version of WordPress.
WordPress releases updates for three main reasons.
- To improve features. New features make WordPress easier to use or more useful. Don’t wait and update two or three versions at a time. It can be detrimental to your site, and then you must learn about many new features at once.
- For your safety. New security features prevent hackers from breaking into your website and inserting malicious code. This code can harm your site and cause it to lose the position in search engine results. Search engines may even unlist your site.
- To fix bugs. New updates can fix functionality bugs in your site..
Nothing highlights number 1 like the WordPress 5.0 update that introduced Gutenberg, arguably one of the biggest feature changes on WordPress history. If you have been living under a rock and don’t know what Gutenberg is, it is the replacement of the classic editor of WordPress. You know, the one that I have likened to a chopped and screwed Word Doc? Yeah, that editor. Gutenberg has used “blocks” similar to page builders.
The safety of your website as a small business owner, organization or even an artist is something that for many is hard to comprehend. They believe they are too small and insignificant to hackers to attack their site. This is FAR from the case. Over 80% of the websites that are hacked is because they were not being updated. It’s been reported that 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. 60% of these small companies go out of business within six months. So staying on top of your website is essential for your small business, but that does not answer, why attack small businesses?
Smaller websites such as small and medium-sized businesses tend to have weaker website security than their corporate counterparts. These site owners think their site is not important enough to be attacked. Hackers are scanning millions of websites on the internet using their automated tools. They search for sites running vulnerable plugins or themes or out-of-date WordPress core. Hence along with WordPress update, keeping the add-on up-to-date is important.
When WordPress 5.0 came out, it was almost immediately noted several bugs in the system. Due to this, just a few days later 5.0.1 was released. These bugs dealt with both security and functionality. So if something isn’t working properly, you may just need an update.
Hughbanks Design has a WordPress Care Plans designed to take care of your website for you so you can worry less, spend less time on your website and get back to running your business with peace of mind your website is cared for.
Why a WordPress Care plan is good for your business?
On top of making sure your website gets updated, there are times where updates can go wrong. Updating a plugin or theme today is a one-click journey. But any experienced person with WordPress will tell you that you need to be careful before hitting update. Between WordPress version changes, the software can become incompatible with a theme or plugin that may not have the necessary updates and ends up breaking the site. There are also times updates get stuck. In this case, it may be necessary to update manually through FTP. In another case, file size allowance had to be increased in order to for plugin updates to work properly and not break the site.
Whether you use a WordPress Care plan or stay on top of your website yourself, it is imperative your website stays updated for the health of your business. The last thing you want is for a potential client to look up your website, only to have it blacklisted by Google and not be seen, or your site just not there.