To ensure that you are able to use your WordPress site to its full capacity, some maintenance has to be done from time to time. It is best to carry out these WordPress maintenance procedures once every two to three months. You can do these things to keep your WordPress site running smoothly.
Upgrade to the latest version
Like the apps on your phone and softwares on your laptop have upgrades, your WordPress site also has upgrades. These upgrades feature many new and improved features which help you to keep your WordPress site functioning properly. This must be done every three months or latest within six-month gaps. To find the latest updates and upgrades, you should check the homepage of WordPress and download the latest version of the site. Also check if there are any new events, information or resources posted that might be helpful to you.
Check and change dead links
A common complaint that many visitors of WordPress sites make is that the site features numerous dead links. For the uninitiated, dead links are those links which may be embedded in an article but lead to a 404-error page once they are clicked on. This may happen because you have posted the wrong link while uploading your article. While doing your WordPress maintenance you must visit your statistics logs to keep a tab on the number of 404 errors reported on your WordPress site. Run a links check to make sure that all the external and internal links are still connected and functioning properly. This must be done every six months to a year but if you have a huge number of links on your site then you should do this sooner.
Remove spam comments
Spam comments may be collected in your database if you are using a Comment Spam WordPress Plugin. These are saved so you can restore any comments which may be wrongly marked as spam. While some plugins delete comments after a certain period of time others do not. These spam comments then just accumulate in your database and take up space. So, it is better to check these comments once in six months or so and delete the ones which are actually spam.
Back up the site
Make sure your posts on your WordPress site are backed up on your system and the WordPress host server. This should be done a minimum of three times a year but if you post a lot then you can do it twelve times a year. It is a good idea to schedule a backup of your posts at regular time intervals so you do not lose them by mistake.
Update the site
If you have not posted in a long time then add some posts and make a schedule to post frequently and stick to it. If you post often then look through your posts and check for things that you can improve on. You can change the way your site looks to make it more appealing and break the monotony. This is a huge part of WordPress maintenance as this determines the aesthetics of your site and keeps it attractive for visitors.
To Conclude
WordPress maintenance is an important aspect of running a site as this keeps it from becoming boring and nobody will venture near your site a second time if they find it outdated, full of spam and monotonous. In other words, to keep your visitors hooked you need to carry out WordPress maintenance of your site from time to time. Doing so will also help you run it smoothly and without hassles.
