Your website is often the first interaction potential customers have with your business. It’s your virtual storefront, your brand ambassador, and your digital business card. So keeping your website running smoothly, securely, and virus-free is not just good practice; it’s an absolute necessity.
Every month, WordPress, the platform upon which many websites are built, releases updates to enhance the security and functionality of its themes, plugins, and core software. These updates are critical for several reasons:
- Security: Many updates specifically address security issues. Today, one of the primary ways hackers gain access to a site is through outdated software. 30,000 websites are hacked every day and as security patches become available, hackers look to exploit websites that lag behind on their updates.
- Compatibility: Websites often utilize numerous plugins to optimize functionality. On average, a WordPress site has about 20-30 plugins. If you miss a WordPress update, this could lead to compatibility issues between plugins and other updated content, potentially resulting in expensive development rework of your website.
- Performance: Updates often enhance the overall performance of your website. A website that loads quickly and runs smoothly is more likely to keep visitors engaged and happy. Every one-second delay in page load time can result in a 4.42% reduction in your conversion rate because today’s users expect near-instantaneous website performance. In fact 70% of users say that website load time impacts whether they will buy from a website or not.
- Reliability: It’s important you ensure your website is available to your customers 24/7. Website downtime can be costly for any business, leading to lost sales, a damaged reputation, and frustrated customers. In 2013, Amazon reported a loss of $66,240 per minute when their website was down for just 30 minutes. That’s a total loss of almost $2 million. Even for smaller businesses, the financial impact of downtime can be substantial.
So needless to say, a well-maintained website is your ticket to success! Regular maintenance plays a pivotal role in shaping how potential customers perceive and interact with your brand. Don’t leave the reputation and security of your digital storefront to chance. Establish a solid plan for how and who will update your website.
You’ve come to the right place! Fab Brands offers a Monthly WordPress Website Maintenance plan. Our team expertly updates and cares for your WordPress website, sending you a report each month of your website’s performance. Sign-up for our Monthly WordPress Website Maintenance plan today and experience the peace of mind that comes with a well-maintained and highly secure online presence.
