On 24th July 2015, we received a frantic email at 6.46 a.m. IST (18.16 p.m. PST)
By the time we read this email, which was around 9.30 a.m. IST, the client had lost more than 3 hours trying to fix this issue 🔔🤕
Sounds familiar? This is the reality for many WordPress site owners when it comes to monthly WordPress maintenance.
Whether you’re running a blog, a WooCommerce store, or an e-learning course on LearnDash, WordPress maintenance can feel overwhelming—and expensive.
But what if I told you that with a few strategic changes, you could reduce your maintenance costs and effort by up to 79%? Let’s dive deeper!
How did We Help Our Client: Reactive vs. Proactive Approach to Monthly WordPress Maintenance
Reactive WordPress maintenance is costing you! In this section, we’ll discuss the emergency WordPress maintenance protocol we followed for our client.
Our immediate next steps were to get on a call with him and calm him down!
- We then quickly noted a few details and got to work. This is the basic protocol you’ll have to follow if you’re ever stuck in a similar situation.
- We immediately connected to the site via an FTP client and deactivated all the plugins.
- Next, we accessed the admin panel
- We then put the site in maintenance mode, to avoid any grouses from website visitors.
Like this client who reached out to us in a panic after a plugin update broke their site, many business owners take a reactive approach to WordPress maintenance. They wait until something goes wrong, then scramble to fix it, often at great cost in both time and money.
The problem with this approach is that it’s inherently unpredictable.
WordPress updates can clash with your plugins, cause the dreaded “White Screen of Death,” or introduce security vulnerabilities. And let’s not forget about database bloat – that can slow your site to a crawl if left unchecked.
WordPress Maintenance Mode: The Unsung Hero of Monthly WordPress Maintenance
Let’s briefly understand the importance of WordPress maintenance mode in this section
It was our (and our client’s) number #1 savior!
One often-overlooked aspect of WordPress maintenance is the importance of maintenance mode. This feature allows you to temporarily take your site offline while you perform updates, fix issues, or make other changes.
WordPress Maintenance mode serves two critical functions:
- Protect Your Visitors: When your site is in maintenance mode, visitors see a customized message instead of a broken or inaccessible website. This preserves their trust and keeps your brand image intact.
- Allow for Uninterrupted Work: With your site in maintenance mode, you can work on updates and fixes without worrying about disrupting your users. This makes the entire process more efficient and less stressful.
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We then activated and deactivated each of the updated plugins to narrow down on the one causing the issue. Once the plugin was found, we rolled it back to a stable version and took the site off maintenance mode.
Oh, and there’s one more thing we did. We kicked off our ‘Monthly WordPress Maintenance Services so that Michael and our friends from around the globe will have help – whenever they need it.
Proactive Monthly WordPress Maintenance Saves You 79% Effort
WordPress Website Maintenance isn’t as easy as it seems. In this section, we’ll explain what went wrong on our client’s website.
The apparent issue that caused the client’s website to crash was of course – the buggy plugin.
However several other underlying issues could have prevented this panic attack, not to mention the client’s time and effort. For example, there was no test site or any recent backup!
Keeping plugins, themes or the core updated is extremely critical for maintaining your WordPress website. And is highly recommended to improve the overall functioning & website security.
However, performing these simple WordPress maintenance tasks might not always be simple.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Monthly WordPress Maintenance Updates
#1 Updates Could Clash with One Another
Do you know the most common issue faced when updating WordPress plugins?
A possible conflict with another plugin.
You see, not all conflicts might crash your website. The issue might not even be as apparent.
For example, there could be a JavaScript conflict that might affect a UI element, like a button, on some pages of your website. Believe me, this happens.
There could be other issues as well, such as compatibility with older PHP versions. This might result in a plugin or theme update clashing with the PHP version of WordPress you’re using.
#2 Update Could Trigger the ‘White Screen of Death’
The ‘White Screen of Death‘ is a situation where the WordPress website is completely inaccessible.
It’s frustrating because you can’t even access the back end. This issue could arise due to some changes you’ve made to the website, a plugin or theme update, a memory problem, or a file transfer issue.
Ideally, a test or staging site is an apt tool to tackle this problem.
“A staging site is a replica of the main site, which can be used for testing purposes, like a plugin or theme update.”
(Michael suffered from this exact problem. Had he tried updating the plugins on a staging site, this issue could have been entirely prevented)
#3 Security Issues Could Appear Out of Nowhere
Here’s something staging sites can’t get a hold of – security issues.
As mentioned, theme or plugin updates are meant to make the system more secure. But the fact is, some themes or plugins don’t know how to behave. They give way to malicious activities, which can lead to serious security issues.
Sure, a security plugin can help. If you can decode the esoteric messages they send you.
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#4 WordPress Database Could Bloat Up
Have you ever thought about what happens when you delete a plugin or theme? The files are deleted, but what happens to the content saved in the database?
Most of the plugins and themes (yes, most), do not bother with removing the content saved in the database when they are uninstalled.
Over time, unused content, unlinked media files, and spam comments can bloat up your database and slow down your website. And that points to another critical maintenance ritual – cleaning up your database.
Updates are Unpredictable
With all these issues, the bottom line is that – Updates are unpredictable! And they can take up a lot of your time. You need a better way to deal with the maintenance of your WordPress website.
If you need further assistance implementing these strategies, consider partnering with WordPress maintenance services to handle the technical details while you focus on growing your business.
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Hiring a Professional for Monthly WordPress Maintenance
In this section, we’ll help you understand why outsourcing monthly WordPress maintenance could be worth your investment.
Benefits of Monthly WordPress Maintenance Support
There might be a lot of consultants and blogs that might tell you that all of these activities can be handled by installing several plugins. But that’s not entirely true.
I won’t deny the fact that plugins make the job simpler. They certainly do. But they just assist you.
You still need to put in the effort, monitor notifications, validate updates, supervise website changes, and note errors.
You also need to take the appropriate measures in case of any discrepancies or security breaches.
Plugins won’t help you there, people will. People who know what they’re doing.
Monthly WordPress maintenance service providers exist for a reason – they monitor and foresee problems that many might miss.
- They guarantee seamless updates, by testing plugin and theme conflicts before making any changes on the live site
- Maintenance services go beyond updates and set up firewalls and notifications to monitor security breaches
- You’re ensured of regular backups so that your data is never lost
- Your database and files are optimized to speed up your website
- Regular malware scans are conducted to identify security breaches and avoid imminent attacks
- Your server is optimized to improve your site’s performance
- Broken links are tracked as well to help avoid any errors
- They’re available to get in touch during an emergency
How do You Find the “Perfect” Monthly WordPress Maintenance Plan To Reduce Your Effort by 79%?
You need to explore your options. Talk to various maintenance service providers. Gauge their proactiveness.
Take a look at their WordPress maintenance Services/Plans & find answers to these questions:
- Does it include the ‘essential’ services?
- What additional maintenance services do they provide?
- What would their protocol be in case of any security breaches?
- Are there any hidden costs?
- Do they know the domain (WordPress) well?
- Do they provide WordPress customization services for changes on your website?
- Are they ready to go above and beyond simple maintenance tasks and consult you with changes needed for your website?
This should be a company you need to trust!
Conclusion: Monthly WordPress Maintenance isn’t just a “nice to have”!
It’s a crucial aspect of keeping your site running smoothly, especially for businesses relying on their WordPress or WooCommerce website for leads, sales, or distraction-free e-learning on LearnDash.
If you aren’t sure yet. It’s okay! We can help you out over a free consultation call. If not, you can always opt for our 30-day free trial at your convenience to explore our monthly WordPress maintenance services – No strings attached!
