18 actions that will keep your WordPress website in tip-top shape
Let’s be real. Owning and operating a WordPress website is sometimes overwhelming. The number of maintenance tasks can feel daunting. So I created this list to help you keep you sane and your website running smoothly.
Some of these actions are easy to do. But others require a greater investment of time. Start with what makes sense for you and take action today for a better WordPress website.
Please note: I will be updating this post to include links to step by step tutorials for some of these tasks. If you have an urgent need and can’t figure out something, send me a message or check out my WordPress Support service.
Review your About page and update as necessary
The About page of your website is a window into who you are and what you do. Yet you change and grow as the days, weeks, and months go by. Make it a habit to review the content of your About page at least once a month. When you notice any content that is out of date or doesn’t match who you currently are then update it.
Study your website analytics for trends and opportunities
If you have any interest in connecting with more of the right people, you’ll use analytics. The main provider is Google and their data is freely available to you to learn from. Each week, spend some time reviewing your Google Analytics account. There is a ton of information, so focus in on few data points and see what you can do.
Create and follow a system to backup your website
A solid backup plan is essential for WordPress websites. Install a backup plugin and perform backups on a regular basis. Most experts recommend at least 3 backups in different locations, but if you are coming from none, 1 is a good start. You can also pay for premium backup services that automatically take care of backups. It’s also important to know how to restore a backup if something goes wrong. Do the research and make sure you have a solid backup plan!
Moderate your comments
Like most websites, comments are a native feature that can lead to great conversations. But also not so great ones. As the owner of your WordPress website, make sure to stay in control and moderate all comments. There is a lot of moderation that plugins can manage for you. But you still need to be aware and moderate as necessary.
Review your contact information and test all contact forms
Contact details and forms play a critical role in connecting you with site visitors. If that information becomes outdated or forms don’t work properly, then you need to fix it. This task is more time-consuming if you have unique forms across multiple pages. But it’s worth it to check them all. And for contact information, it’s likely you have that in headers, footers, and a few other places. So be sure to at each place to review them.
Delete unnecessary drafts
Within your collection of posts and pages, take a look and delete any unnecessary drafts. It doesn’t take long and removes the visual clutter and distraction they add to.
Check for broken links and fix them
Broken links are bad for your website and the Internet. Since it’s a network, a link should always connect you to what it says it will. You can use plugins, hire a service, or simply check for broken links yourself. Related to this is employing redirects and using a custom 404 error page.
Scan for malware and remove it
Malware is a nuisance on your computer and on your WordPress website. Use a plugin or service to scan and remove malware and related security threats. This is only one part in a comprehensive strategy for a secure website. Don’t neglect it!
Delete unnecessary media files
Just like unnecessary drafts, media files with no apparent use should be deleted. Go through the media section of the WordPress dashboard and clean house. You’ll feel better and your website will run more smoothly.
Change your password
A quality password is effective, but a password that changes from time to time is even stronger. Along with using a good password manager, change your password every 3 to 6 months. Some people will disagree with this. That’s OK. I recommend starting with a strong password that meets certain criteria. Things like upper case, lower case, numbers, symbols, and 8–12 characters. The stronger your password is up front, the less reason you have to change it later on.
Update your plugins and remove those that you don’t need
Well supported and quality coded plugins enrich the functionality of your WordPress website. But when they are not updated, poorly supported, or go unused, it’s best to update or remove as necessary. Mismanaged plugins can cause security and performance issues. And once you get in the habit of updates, it’s a lot easier and takes less time. To prevent issues, perform a backup before updating plugins that you aren’t sure about.
Monitor the security of your website
The security of your website needs to be a priority. And the first step its to monitor it. I recommend using a plugin or service to keep watch on how secure your website is to various threats. But monitoring is only one part of a secure website. Additional tools like SSL with HTTPS redirect, malware removal, and good ol’ common sense are important too.
Optimize the speed of your website
Speed matters. The page load time for your website’s pages directly affect the user experience. With short attention spans, a slow loading page causes frustration. And visitors are likely to leave your website. You can monitor and discover ways to optimize the speed using plugins. Other options are in-browser extensions or paying for a service to do it. It’s also wise to check with your hosting service to see what can be done.
Update your themes and remove those that you don’t need
WordPress themes offer a wide variety of options for the look and feel of your website. Just like plugins, themes should be updated regularly. And if you are like many others, you’ll try out several themes or perhaps change them around. But keep in mind the unnecessary themes you have on your WordPress site. Remove them to keep things tidy and efficient.
Visit your website and monitor its uptime
An essential check for all websites is their uptime. This refers to the operational status where a website is up and running. The opposite is downtime. One step is easy, just load up your website in a browser to make sure it works. But for a more detailed look, search for a free uptime test and check your website. You’ll be able to determine if your website is available in your location and across the world.
Review your users and remove those that are unnecessary
With the User feature in WordPress, administrators can decide who has access and who doesn’t. Anytime you add users, make sure to remove them at the time they no longer need access. It could be a friend, web designer, developer, or other helper. You can always add them later, but it’s best to limit access when it’s unnecessary.
Perform a visual inspection and resolve any possible issues
Checking your website daily is ideal to identify and resolve any errors that are visual. It’s easy enough to load up your website and look around various pages. Make sure to do this on mobile devices in addition to laptops and desktops.
Update the core WordPress software
If you take only one action on this list, update your core WordPress software. Because it’s the foundation for your website, it needs to be a priority for security and performance reasons. And it’s possible to set up your website to automatically update to the latest version of WordPress. Don’t forget this task! :)
As you have read, there are many opportunities to improve your WordPress website. Some are more important than others. But if you do all 18 of those in this list, your website will be far better and in tip-top shape. And with that, you’ll engage more of your audience to accomplish the purpose of your website.
Thanks for reading! If you use WordPress, I recommend you check out some of my related posts…
