Keeping your website running smoothly is a lot like keeping up with car maintenance; skip it too long, and small problems can quickly turn into costly repairs. If your website is built on WordPress, one of the most important habits you can develop is regularly backing up your site, updating your theme, and keeping your plugins current. At Happiworks, we recommend doing this at least twice a month to make sure your site stays secure, fast, and reliable.
WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms in the world, which makes it a frequent target for hackers. Outdated plugins and themes are the number one reason websites get hacked. Beyond security, old code can cause performance issues, break your site layout, or make it incompatible with the latest version of WordPress. In short:
Security: Updates fix vulnerabilities.
Performance: Fresh code keeps your site fast.
Compatibility: Prevents broken features and layout issues.
Professionalism: A reliable website builds trust with your visitors.
When maintenance is ignored, you may face site downtime, lost data, broken design features, or even a complete website crash.
Before making any changes, always create a backup. This ensures that if something goes wrong, you can quickly restore your site. How to Back Up:
Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, or Jetpack VaultPress.
Save backups to a secure cloud service (Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3).
Store a local copy on your computer for extra security.
At Happiworks, we back up client sites before every update, so nothing is lost if an update causes a problem.
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Your theme controls how your site looks and functions. Developers release updates to fix bugs, improve performance, and patch security issues. How to Update Your Theme:
Go to your WordPress dashboard.
Navigate to Appearance > Themes.
If an update is available, click Update Now.
Tip: Its very important to always back up first. Theme updates can sometimes overwrite custom code, so consider using a child theme if you’ve made design edits.
Plugins add functionality to your site (forms, SEO tools, e-commerce features, etc.). Outdated plugins are the most common cause of WordPress hacks and errors. How to Update Plugins:
Go to Dashboard > Plugins > Installed Plugins.
Look for update notifications.
Click Update Now for each one.
If possible, update one plugin at a time and test your site after each update to catch potential conflicts early.
WordPress, themes, and plugins release updates frequently—sometimes multiple times per month. By checking and updating at least every two weeks, you:
Reduce your risk of downtime.
Make sure you don’t miss critical security patches.
Keep your site fast and user-friendly.
Neglecting website maintenance can quickly create bigger problems. Like security breaches from hackers or malware, broken functionality like forms or checkout carts, slower performance that hurts SEO rankings, and expensive repairs that cost far more than routine upkeep. That’s why our team at Happiworks steps in to make maintenance stress-free: we back up your site on a regular schedule, safely handle all theme and plugin updates, troubleshoot and fix issues before they escalate, and offer monthly maintenance plans so you never have to worry about it.
If constant plugin updates and backups sound overwhelming, you’re not alone. Many businesses are moving from WordPress to Webflow, a modern platform that doesn’t require the same level of technical maintenance. At Happiworks, we can walk you through the entire process of migrating your site to Webflow, making sure your design, content, and functionality transition smoothly. Whether you’d like us to handle WordPress upkeep for you or explore the long-term benefits of Webflow, we’re here to help you find the best fit for your business. Contact us today!
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