Hosting websites on WordPress is arguably the best thing about it (opens in new window) because it doesn't change much. WordPress' popularity is largely due to its simplicity and ease of use for new users. Because WordPress is so popular, there are many returning users. This contributes significantly to the number of user documentation materials that are available.

WordPress is regularly inspected by hundreds of developers who make it. However, it's important to maintain your site security protocols. There are some tried-and-true practices you can follow when using WordPress. WordPress is subject to several updates per year. Website owners must be aware of these updates to ensure the performance and security of their website wordpress hjemmeside.

How can you make sure your WordPress and plug ins are always up-to-date? Let's see how we can do it.

Alwaysgreen, long-term thinking

We call this preventative approach to website security and performance "evergreen maintenance". Website owners should ensure that their websites are performing well at least once every six months. We as professionals regularly check websites to make sure nothing is missed that could affect its functionality. However, we encourage other website owners to set a time and frequency that works for them.

WordPress owners must perform regular security and health checks as part of good governance. This includes checking for website bugs and malicious attacks. This may leave you wondering: When was it the last time that I reviewed my website security and health at an advanced level? The answer is not in your head. It's most definitely now.

While automated reminders can be helpful in preventing missed checks, relying on only automation would be dangerous. Regular manual testing and updates are essential for checking the website's performance and protecting the user experience. Website owners need to agree on a plan for reviews and evaluations throughout the year.

Let's now look at the pillars and perform a performance check on your WordPress website.

Secure your passwords

The little lock icon at the URL bar of your browser didn't used to exist. Since the early days of the internet, when only payment pages and other sensitive pages had the lock icon at their URL's front, we have come a long ways. It's now common to see the lock icon at top of your screen. But why?

Website users can see the lock icon to indicate that they are using a secure connection. It is the difference between Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTPP) and Hypertext Trans Protocol Secure (HTTPS). These acronyms are used to refer to the protocol that allows web browsers to communicate with servers. As a best practice, many companies block HTTP and redirect users to their HTTPS site.

HTTPS was adopted as the standard for all websites because HTTP sites were often being exploited by non-secure protocols. Site hosts like WordPress have made it possible for even simpler websites to be used for personal purposes, such as a family blog. HTTPS has been a priority since 2014 and is now part of Google's page experiences assessment. You cannot rank on Google without HTTPS, regardless of whether you have sensitive payment information or a simple holiday website.

Google will choose the secure website over the non-secure site if they are similar. This is because it shows that the owner has taken the time to maintain their site. It is essential to ensure that your website is secure. If a website is well-maintained and follows best practices, the user will likely have a better experience and the site will rank higher in search engines than a non-secure counterpart.

Validate, test, and then repeat

Set a schedule for website maintenance and follow it. The fact that it is ongoing defines evergreen maintenance. This schedule may vary depending on the purpose of your website and how many plugins and application programming interfaces (APIs), you use to maintain it. You will need to make sure that all your plugins and APIs are working properly.

There are many things to consider when setting up a business. However, it is important to look after your website's backend and frontend to make sure it is secure and healthy. Your website and business will be protected against malicious attacks and disruptive vulnerabilities. You can increase your chances of Google ranking your website high by following best practices in security and performance.

A developer can help you if your website security is more complex, such as with e-commerce sites and meet-the-team pages. If website owners prefer to do it themselves, there are many tools they can use.

These are just a few of the tools that you can use to maintain your WordPress website (opens new tab).

SSL Server Test

The SSL server test (opens in new window) examines what vulnerabilities your website has that could be exploited. It also checks whether your common and alternate names match to ensure no one can copy your website.

Let's Encrypt

Certificates that declare your website pages are secured used to cost around $300 per year. But Let's Encrypt, a non-profit organization, has significantly reduced their costs. Let's Encrypt is now able to issue security certificates free of charge through mass-providers like Shopify, Mozilla and Wix as part of their mission to secure internet. Even better: Let'sEncrypt security certificates automatically renew after three months.

Security Headers

Security headers can be a useful tool to have in your arsenal. These directives make it more difficult for hackers to create false site links from a search result page (also known as clickjacking), which trick users into visiting another site. This tool allows you to check what client-side vulnerabilities may be affecting your site. This prevents hackers from accessing login information and passwords of users who may have entered them via a fake website.

PageSpeed Insights

A fast page load speed is important for user experience (UX), and also helps to improve your Google page rank. Page load times should not exceed one second if your website security and maintenance is up to date. It is easy to test the speed of your website pages. This will allow you to determine if your site meets Google's standards for UX.

Speed Test for Pingdom Website

We recommend that you don't use just one tool. Validate one source with another. Different companies may have different tools. They will sometimes look for things that the other does not. Multiple validation and testing methods are combined to ensure complete coverage. This is the best practice that we recommend. You can also use PageSpeed Insights for comparison.

WordPress Maintenance

Site owners can think of WordPress maintenance as a way to make sure their website's security and health is maintained. You can check your website using the tools recommended once a month, or twice a calendar year. As part of best website practices, you should set a schedule. Stick to it!