Marcus RichardsA website is essential for running a business in the current landscape because you cannot survive and thrive without an online presence. Luckily, it is easy to design one with WordPress as the platform offers countless features. But you cannot just rest on your laurels after investing in an aesthetically appealing, functionally rich, mobile-responsive website.
You must maintain it to ensure it runs seamlessly and delivers excellent UX over the years. In fact, you must have a monthly maintenance checklist to keep it in good shape. But most business owners tend to overlook the maintenance tasks until they encounter a massive glitch that renders the site unresponsive. Here is a list of monthly essentials to keep your WordPress website up and running flawlessly.
Review analytics
The last thing you should do with your WordPress website is to take a set-and-forget approach. Problems may develop even in the best ones, so you must watch out for them. You can review analytics to pinpoint reasons for high bounce rates and low conversions. Analytics also gives a view of traffic trends and high-engagement pages so that you can focus on the best opportunities.
Invest in a backup
Most web hosts do not include automated backups in their standard hosting packages. Imagine how bad things can be if your business website gets wiped out. A monthly backup can save you from the crisis, so it should be a part of your maintenance schedule. Consider using a plugin to automate weekly or even daily backups because manually backing up your website can be a massive effort.
Update WordPress core and plugins
Outdated core and plugins for your WordPress website can land you in trouble at home time. You must update them monthly to address the vulnerabilities with the latest version. Consider getting WordPress website maintenance support from experts to cut down the work. With a seasoned partner handling the updates and other aspects of maintenance, you need not worry about missing out on them. You get a secure, updated website that keeps your data and business safe from hackers.
Look for broken links
Broken links make a bigger problem than you imagine. They can hurt your organic ranking and frustrate your visitors enough to drive them away for good. Looking for broken backlinks and repairing them should be a part of monthly maintenance tasks. You should not take them for granted because broken links can happen to any site for any reason. For example, you may move a page to another location but forget to check the links that connect to the old location. A link pointing to pages or websites which no longer exist is also a broken one.
Invest in a comprehensive audit
A comprehensive SEO audit monthly can help you identify SEO issues and address them sooner than later. Check factors like loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and content in the first place. Dig deeper by testing all forms, search functionality, and checkout process to ensure a smooth user experience. Also, update contact information such as addresses, phone numbers, and links to social media profiles whenever necessary.
You may have the best website for your business, but taking a casual approach to its maintenance can diminish the value it delivers. Follow this monthly checklist to keep your website in top shape.
