Keep the software maintained
WordPress core, themes and plugins are separate parts of the site. Updates can include fixes, compatibility changes and security improvements. Leaving them indefinitely increases the amount of change you eventually need to manage.
Updates should be approached with a recovery plan and checks appropriate to the website. A brochure site and an online shop do not have the same consequences if something stops working.
Backups need to support recovery
A useful WordPress backup includes the database and the relevant website files. The database contains content and settings; files include uploads, themes, plugins and custom work.
Know where backups are kept, how recent they are and how a restore would happen. A backup you cannot locate or restore is not much help when the website is unavailable.
Check what customers actually use
Opening the homepage is only one check. Test important enquiry forms, navigation and account journeys. For a shop or course site, the buying and access processes deserve particular attention.
Monitoring can help draw attention to problems, but it does not replace these functional checks. Security also involves access permissions, sensible sign-in protection and care over the code added to a site. No maintenance plan makes a website completely risk-free.
Separate routine care from extra work
Routine updates, backups and monitoring are different from a redesign, a new integration or repairing an existing fault. Clear scope helps you understand what is covered and when separate support is needed.
Scar Media Group offers a WordPress maintenance service and individually quoted support for other platforms. Check the current service page for inclusions and pricing, and tell us about any known problems before assuming routine maintenance will resolve them.
Further reading
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