It’s extremely important to keep your website’s software updated, no matter what it was built with. Whether your site runs on WordPress or another platform, the core software should stay current. So should every add-on and plugin, and even the software running behind the scenes on your hosting server. Here’s what needs to be updated, and why it matters.
Your website is software
Just like the apps on your computer, tablet or phone, your website is a collection of software. Whether it was built with WordPress, Joomla or something else, it needs regular updates.
Think about your computer. It has an operating system, like Windows or macOS, plus programs for email, documents and browsing the web. Every so often, the developers release updates and recommend installing them right away for better security, better performance and new features. Your website lives on a computer in a data center, and both that computer and your website’s software need updates for the same reasons.
Web hosting explained
Your web hosting plan is basically space on a powerful computer called a server. Your host leases that space to you, which is why you pay monthly or yearly. Their main jobs are keeping your website available to visitors around the world and maintaining the server itself.
Let me be totally clear: a traditional web hosting plan does NOT update your website’s software. It simply gives you a place to host your site, and you either maintain it yourself or hire someone to do it for you. Some hosts let you update server software like PHP for your site, but you’re still the one who has to make the change and fix anything that breaks.
Think of web hosting like buying a plot of land. The land is yours to use, but it’s up to you to clear the weeds, build the house and hook up the utilities. (I explain this analogy in more detail in Making sense of domains, emails, websites and hosting.)
The reasons why
There are four main reasons to keep your website updated: security, bug fixes, performance and new features.
Security is critical
Security is the most important reason. Hackers and spammers are always looking for new weaknesses in popular software, and updates close those gaps. That’s true for your computer, tablet and phone, and yes, your website too. People with bad intentions never stop looking for a way in, whether through your website itself or the server it runs on.
Bug fixes
Software bugs are inevitable. Nobody writes perfect code, so bugs turn up that need quick fixes. A good developer fixes the problem and releases an update, and it’s important to install it soon. Bugs can be anything from a simple typo to a conflict with another plugin. Some are easy to spot, but others hide for a while, which is why it helps to have an expert keeping an eye on things.
Performance improvements
Updates can also help your website load faster. Developers are always finding ways to make their software run quicker and smoother, and those improvements arrive through updates.
Good hosting makes a big difference too. Visitors don’t like waiting, and speed is one of the things search engines like Google consider when ranking pages, so it’s worth keeping your site fast.
New features
You wouldn’t want to miss out on new features, would you? Even if you’re happy with what you have now, developers keep making things better, and you may want those features later. Since most websites benefit from a refresh every 1 to 3 years and a rebuild every 3 to 4 (more on that in How often should you redesign your website?), staying current makes those projects easier when the time comes.
What you need to do
You have options. Some people handle updates themselves because they have some experience, enjoy learning or have an employee who can do it. Others would rather skip the headaches of running updates and fixing problems.
Do it yourself
If you’re comfortable installing updates and handling issues as they come up, that’s a perfectly good option. The most important thing is to stay on top of it. Here’s a simple routine:
- Back up your site first. If an update causes a problem, a recent backup lets you undo it.
- Update WordPress, your theme and your plugins. Check for updates at least every couple of weeks.
- Ask your host which PHP version you’re on. Older versions stop getting security fixes, so make sure yours is still supported.
- Check your site afterward. Look over your key pages and send a test message through your forms.
- Delete plugins you no longer use. Fewer plugins means fewer things to update and fewer ways in for hackers.
Hire a professional
Or you can free yourself from website maintenance altogether and put your energy into running your business. Hiring a professional saves you time and frustration, and both of those cost you money one way or another.
At Five Point Web Solutions, we can be your web team. Our Website Management Plans include premium hosting plus everything needed to keep your website safe, secure, fast and (wait for it) updated. Your website should bring you customers, not frustration, so let us take that off your plate.
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