Would you believe that over 95% of websites run on outdated software? With known vulnerabilities nonetheless! This is one of the most crucial aspects of website maintenance, and overlooking it means exposing yourself to a wide array of security risks.

Now, with a business falling victim to ransomware attacks every 14 seconds, having a WordPress maintenance plan has never been more vital. This is only one reason why you need WordPress maintenance, and there's more.

In this guide, we'll explore some of the most imperative reasons why you need a WordPress maintenance plan.

1. Updates Keep Your Website Safe

While the typical website owner installs updates when prompted, this won't do you any good. Outdated themes, plugins, and page builders can expose your business to severe security issues. These include cross-site scripting vulnerabilities, SQL injections, and short tags.

Things like missing security headers like HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security) and Clickjacking Protection. Having a WordPress maintenance plan means that your website will update periodically. You'll keep yourself protected against zero-day vulnerabilities that are constantly being discovered by hackers trying to exploit outdated software.

2. Enforcement of New Features and Functionality

Another way to protect your business and website is by enforcing the use of certain features and functionality. For example, WordPress 4.2+ enforces SSL by default, but this doesn't mean you should have your site running on HTTPS from day one. In fact, moving towards a full-on HTTPS implementation will take time.

It requires a major change in how search engines index your page as well as updating all internal links to be secure. Also, you may be running content that may require additional licensing or other legal requirements. Things like photographs or other intellectual property.

In this case, ensuring the version you use has these capabilities already built-in can save a lot of hassle down the line. If you need this, you could use a WordPress monthly maintenance plan.

3. You Can Make Sure Your Business Is Compliant

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) is the chief legislation governing copyright on the web. If you fail to comply, you'll be slapped with legal penalties. However,  how can you know whether users are using copyrighted materials without knowing exactly what they're uploading?

You can do this by keeping your software up-to-date with WordPress website maintenance plans. That's because DMCA compliant platforms only allow certain file types to be uploaded. They update automatically when new versions of these platforms are released.

4. Your WordPress Maintenance Plan Will Speed Up Your Site

Do you ever visit a website that seems really slow? This is usually due to all the data being pulled from databases or files that take forever for servers to access. Now, a slow-loading website can cost you customers and, ultimately, your bottom line.

You see, consumers abandon websites that take as little as three seconds to load. This means they'll hit the back button instead of waiting and leave you with a high bounce rate. However, when you have a WordPress maintenance plan in place, all of this will become a thing of the past.

It'll significantly speed up your site because everything will be up to date, hence no server issues. Furthermore, automatic updates include bug fixes that remove slowdowns caused by outdated software.

5. You Can Keep Your Website's Reputation Intact

If you ever let your website become non-functional, if you you fail to update it, this will reflect badly on you and your business. People might start looking at you as irresponsible, and lose trust- the most valuable asset you have in business. With competition online being so fierce, consumers know they have a wide variety, so businesses need to bring their A-game.

If your site is up to date all the time, you won't have to contend with website downtimes and emergencies. As long as your WordPress maintenance plan is automatic, then there won't be any adverse effects that could taint or ruin your reputation. Your customers will be able to get the content, products, or services they need from you with no issues at all.

6. You Can Stay Compatible With Emerging Technologies

Whether it's a new plugin, platform, or even a whole category of apps, there is always something new on the horizon. These new technologies won't work for you if you have outdated software.

That means that as soon as your competitors start using them, they'll have a huge advantage over you. The best way to mitigate this issue is by choosing one of the top WordPress maintenance plans and preparing yourself for whatever comes next.

7. You Can Improve SEO

Updates to your software can give a major boost to your search engine rankings. Google loves websites that update often, as they have more content and the latest features. This is because frequent updates show that your site is active and cutting edge.

It means it'll be appealing to potential customers looking for your products or services. In fact, you might find yourself with the reputation of being the go-to person. WordPress maintenance plans can play a considerable role in how successful your SEO efforts are, so best not to overlook them.

8. WordPress Maintenance Plans Are Cheap

How much would you spend every month to prevent issues from arising? What about for every single issue that does happen? The costs really do add up.

With a WordPress maintenance plan, you can avoid issues before they happen and prepare for everything that might crop up in the future. These flat monthly payments are far cheaper than dealing with each issue as it occurs, let alone the stress and headaches that go along with them. Plus, you don't have to lift a finger, so what's not to like?

The Top Reasons Why You Need a WordPress Maintenance Plan

Updating your software and operating system is one of the most important ways you can protect your website from hackers trying to exploit vulnerabilities. Unfortunately, this process is time-consuming. However, having a WordPress maintenance plan means all these updates will take place automatically behind the scenes without requiring any input from you at all.

Are you currently looking for WordPress maintenance plans? If so, please choose a plan that works for you here. We have some of the best plans on the market and we’ll ensure that your website is well maintained at all times.