A website that seems to be running ok at the moment can instigate you to think “don’t touch which isn’t broken!”. If life only was that simple. Just like your car that, if not maintained, will keep running until that one time…your website will too. Failing to properly maintain a website can lead to a number of problems at some point. We all read it in the news every so often. The Security breaches of large companies or governement websites. Consequence can be severe. From sensitive customer data being stolen to financial data or your website being used to spread malware to others. One nightmare that every entrepeneur can do without. By-the-way if you want to check if your e-mail address was ever involved in such a hack, check out: https://haveibeenpwned.com/ . There are a mere 12.5 billion accounts in their database so chances that you;re in there are, let’s just say a bit higher then winning the lottery.

So, WordPress maintenance is an important aspect of keeping your website running smoothly and securely. This is particularly true for webshops, as a poorly maintained website can lead to lost sales and customer dissatisfaction. Let’s dive into what should at least be done to keep things running smoothly on your online front.

To maintain a WordPress website or webshop, there are a few key things that should be done on a regular basis. These include:

1. Updating WordPress, themes, and plugins to ensure that they are running the latest versions with security patches and bug fixes.
2. Backing up the website regularly to ensure that you can restore it in the event of a problem.
3. Keeping an eye on website performance and addressing any issues that may arise, such as slow loading times or errors.
4. Optimizing the website for search engines and ensuring that all pages are indexed properly.
5. Checking for broken links and other issues that may affect the user experience.
6. Implementing proper security measures such as firewall and security plugins to protect from hacking, malware and other vulnerabilities.

Security is one reason. But there are other factors that a poorly mainained website has impact on. A website that takes ages to load or that experiences errors may drive customers away, resulting in lost sales or lost visitors. This can be particularly damaging for an e-commerce website that relies on online sales.

Lastly, your website is ofcourse your online business card. A website that is regularly down or that experiences errors can damage the reputation of your business. If customers can’t access your website or find the information they need or that is outdated can turn your visitors to your competitors instead.

In summary, maintaining a WordPress website or webshop is essential for ensuring that it runs smoothly and securely, and that it effectively serves your customers. Neglecting to maintain your website can lead to security breaches, lost sales, and reputation damage, all of which can be costly and even difficult to recover from.