We made it through 2024 (barely?). I chose to close my laptop lid + enjoyed two weeks with family — the dogs really — and my favorite heated blanket. If you also took some time off + you’re diving back in, let’s tackle your annual site care tasks.
I recommend giving yourself 3 hours to tackle all of these things. If that sounds like way more time than you have to spare, remember that you can have tiny blue orange take care of all of these things (+ more). The DIY entrepreneur can tackle this with a warm beverage + ambient Spotify playlist.
- backup your site + save the backup file somewhere away from your hosting company [30-45 minutes]
- bonus points: delete your old backups [5 minutes]
- scan your plugins + remove any not being used [20 minutes]
- scan your user list + remove those who don’t need access [10 minutes]
- change your password (I know) [10 minutes]
- run any pending updates (WordPress, themes + plugins) [30-60 minutes]
- check license status for all plugins + themes that require it [15 minutes]
- test your contact form to ensure you get the notification + that it’s a clean user experience [10 minutes]
- test your mailing list opt-in for the same reasons as #7 [10 minutes]
If you only have 1 hour to spare, please tackle items 1, 4, + 7. I’d include number 6 on that list, but I prefer things in threes.
If your site isn’t saved, secure + notifying you of potential new clients, you’re leaving a whole lot to chance. Set aside another 2 hours for the remaining list items over the next few weeks. Or let me know you’re ready to have a site momanager in your pocket.
I hope you have a joy-filled new year!