If you’re a small business owner, there’s a good chance that your business website is powered by WordPress. Now that you’ve made the investment for a great website, you may think you can sit back and let it work. But, like all technology, it will need to be updated and even upgraded from time to time to ensure that it continues to perform at its best. In this article we’re going to take a look at what is a WordPress upgrade and why you will need to do them.
What is a WordPress upgrade and how will I know when to perform one?
WordPress automatically checks for updates on the WordPress core as well as for any installed plugins and themes. WordPress then sends a message to the site administrator and adds a notification to the website admin board to let the administrator know that an upgrade is available. The WordPress upgrade is then performed by a site administrator.
Note: if you have any plugins that are not WordPress, you will need to update those manually outside of your WordPress updates.
Why you should perform a WordPress upgrade
Your website is designed with a theme and over time new versions are released to fix problems from older versions, keep it secure from malicious code or content and maintain its speed. New versions also come with additional features that could benefit your site’s functionality.
When a new version is released, it is best to perform a WordPress upgrade as soon as possible.
How to perform a WordPress upgrade
WordPress provides helpful information on the WordPress upgrade process that begins with a backup of your database and all WordPress files. This is to protect your site on the small chance that something goes wrong in the upgrade process.
Many administrators choose to use the one-step update method. In this situation, the administrator would launch the update by clicking the link in the new version banner, the email they were sent or by going to the Dashboard > Updates screen. There is also an option to follow the manual update process by visiting the official WordPress.org website. This is done by uploading the WordPress files on the web hosting server using an FTP client.
WordPress support
If we have convinced you that it’s important to keep your WordPress site updated but you’re feeling unsure about having the time or understanding to take care of it yourself, we recommend looking into a WordPress support service that will handle the upgrades for you.
Some WordPress experts offer maintenance plans and support for a set monthly fee, while others charge an hourly rate. We recommend monthly plans because it means that your website will be maintained to prevent a disaster but if a disaster comes, they will be there to support you. Any WordPress support plan worth investing in will include WordPress updates and upgrades. Other essential WordPress support services are:
- Software bug fixes
- Hacker protection
- Backup and restoration
- WordPress training
- Timely support
Before signing the contract, review the list of services included in the fee to ensure that your needs will be met.
Contact a WordPress support specialist
Softwired provides digital marketing solutions for our partner agencies, including ongoing WordPress technical support. Here at our agency we take WordPress support seriously; we offer monthly support plans instead of hourly support to proactively prevent the decay of your website. Our services include WordPress updates and upgrades as needed. In addition to WordPress support, we’ve got you covered for web design, SEO, local online presence and optimization, digital marketing, digital sales, and digital advertising. To get WordPress PRO Support, click the button below:
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