If you’re like me, summer is the worst time to accomplish anything. All you want to do is have fun – hang out by the pool, read a book, travel somewhere exotic. Summer is the time for fun! Freedom! Letting things slide! Right? That’s the mindset, certainly, but the hard truth is if you’re interested in keeping your website secure, you can’t hit the metaphorical snooze button on those updates.

For instance, both WordPress 6 and PHP 7.3 are being phased out. What that means is web developers will no longer support bug fixes or security issues. In other words, your website could be hacked. Should you worry about that? According to TechJury.net, 30,000 websites are hacked daily and 64% of companies have experienced at least one form of a cyberattack. In 2020, ransomware cases grew by 150%, and every 39 seconds, there’s a cyberattack. So, um, security matters.

You may not think a hacker would want to target your website because it’s small potatoes but you might have relevant backlinks, which are important for search engine optimization (SEO). Your website could be considered reputable and thus a perfect place for a hacker to show ads for porn, or send all your traffic to the hacker’s website. What else happens when your website is hacked? You could be locked out of it, or your site could be down for days with no chance of recovery. That means loss of revenue and loss of trust with your customers or clients. All of that is sure to kill the summer vibe you’re going for.

To prevent that sort of situation, update, update, update. (Along with following the security tips I previously mentioned.) Whatever content management system your website runs on – WordPress, Drupal, Wix, etc. – keep it up to date! About two-thirds of infected WordPress websites are out of date, according to codeinwp.com and that means they’re more vulnerable.

First and foremost, you can protect your website’s security by keeping it up-to-date. Keeping your website updated will indirectly increase traffic to your website and grow your business. There are many reasons why updating your website is important. Updating a website can not only increase website security and prevent hackers from accessing it, but also improve your internet marketing strategy and increase your website traffic. Businesses should update their websites regularly.

There are many ways to update a website. These are the three main systems in need of updating are:

• Security of your website platform
• Updating content to keep things fresh with the changing designs on the web
• Updating design and user-friendliness.

Not only do you have to think about the content management system itself, but also the plugins you use. Do you have something like Shareaholic or an about me widget? Better make sure you’re using the latest version. WPScan found that 52% of site vulnerabilities are caused by WordPress plugins and that 11% of WordPress vulnerabilities are caused by themes with huge holes. Don’t let that be you.

I know, monthly maintenance is a pain in the butt, but small fixes are easier than huge overhauls. It’s simpler and cheaper to do the small things now rather than waiting for disaster to strike. If you need help with that, as a Charlotte web designer, we make sure your website not only looks pretty but also that it’s secure. Contact us if you’d like a security checkup.

Gotta say here I feel your pain with constantly improving your website and conducting website maintenance. You can farm that out, you know. Outsourcing maintenance is worth it because those small tasks are covered and they may see potential problems and stop them. Web Symphonies can be that company for you – we’re a Charlotte web design company that also specializes in internet security.

I’m going to quote my brother here who says, “Don’t ignore updates or muddle through security issues. Your beautiful site deserves to be noticed and seen, so why not invest the time into it?”

I agree. If you get in touch with us, your favorite Charlotte web developer, we’ll help you properly maintain your website so that you can get back to engaging your customers, enjoying high search engine rankings, and seeing a better return on investment. Sounds like a great summer plan if I ever heard one