Use this checklist to select a good maintenance plan

A good maintenance plan covers security but should also take into consideration routine content updates and changes to website pages. 

WordPress Core Updates

  • The majority of WordPress vulnerabilities’ happen because of old or outdated WordPress instances. 

  • Opt for a maintenance plan that includes regular core updates as well as QA tests on the site post update. 

  • WordPress core updates can break other site components and it is imperative that someone is available to test and repair issues stemming from core updates. 

Theme and Plugin Updates 

  • Plugins make it possible to add features and functionality to your website without custom coding. For example, forms. 

  • Your website theme is a group of files that dictate the appearance of your website. 

  • More than half of WordPress website security issues stem from plugins so your WordPress maintenance plan needs to include theme and plugin updates and management.

  • Make sure your plan should also delete inactive plugins. Not only do these pose potential risks, they take up space and can affect website speed and performance. 

Security, Uptime Monitoring, and Hack Clean-up

  • As technology becomes increasingly sophisticated, hackers can destroy websites in the blink of an eye. Occasional check ups on your website isn’t enough, a solid plan should include uptime monitoring. 

  • Even the best plans can fall victim to a virus or malware attack so ensure that your maintenance support accounts for hack clean ups, including malware removal, and website repair. 

Regular Back-ups

  • Regular website back-ups are an important part of maintaining a website so that you don’t lose all of your data and have to revert to an old version of your website in the event of an issue. 

  • Back-up cadence should be determined by how frequently you update your website. 

    • If you’re updating content daily, then a daily back-up plan is best practice. 

Access to Support Resources 

  • Make sure you have access to a real person who can answer questions and help you troubleshoot issues. 

  • Ensure there is a streamlined way to reach out for support for normal upkeep and emergency issues. 

Content Management 

  • In addition to security concerns, be sure to make a plan for content updates. Websites are never truly finished so it is imperative to plan for someone who can add new pages, update photos, and refresh content. 

  • If you have an internal resource with the technical skills to take care of these updates, then great. If not, be sure to allocate a budget to have someone handle this on your behalf. 

Performance Optimizations 

  • While not related to website security and not a must-have for a basic maintenance package, bonus points for including performance optimizations as part of your ongoing website care. 

    • This can include site speed updates and image optimizations and help improve the overall performance of your site for both users and search engines.