WordPress maintenance + security

This is my PSA, call to action + support for any and all WordPress users. Yes, it’s a big deal. When you log into your website, do you type the word “admin”? If so, we need to talk. If not, you’re not off the hook just yet. Taking WordPress login security seriously could save you thousands of dollars. No joke. WordPress likes to make things as easy as possible for their users, which includes setting the default username to admin. If you didn’t change it then, it is time that…

Sometimes the tools that we use to keep our businesses safe do too good of a job. Before you find yourself locked out of your website, set up these security measures.

We talk ad nauseam about running backups on this blog + social media. Run a backup before you do your updates. Run a backup after you do your updates. Run a backup for the hell of it. Run a backup every week. Run a backup because it’s your birthday.

Your WordPress site needs an SSL — to keep your site users protected + to improve your SEO. With many hosting companies providing WordPress SSL certificates for free, why not use one? WTF is SSL anyway? In geek speak, SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. My guess is that did absolutely nothing to help you understand what SSL is + why you need it, right? In less geekier terms, SSL protects sensitive data that is going from one system to another. SSL prevents hackers from seeing or modifying the information…

Do you know the telltale signs your WordPress site has been hacked? If you’re hanging out in the backend of WordPress only, it’s really easy to miss. Check out these key areas the next time you’re spending some time on your site security. 1. Check what users see when visiting your site If your WordPress site looks like it’s supposed to at a quick glance, you might assume that everything is fine. But hackers don’t always look to take down sites. More often than not, they look for sites to…

Without looking at added bells + whistles, WordPress isn’t much for sending emails. But there are a few notices you’ll get when you set up your site that I wanted to go over this month. We’ll start with the most important one — a new user account.

When was the last time you made a copy of your website? It’s mission critical that you have backups of your site in case you face a crappy circumstance. (If you think you’re immune to those, keep in mind that Forbes reported 30,000 sites are hacked every single day.) But fear not, my friend, because I have 3 backup options for you — and one of them is free! Option #1: The free plugin backup If you are looking for a free option to get a site backup right away,…

It’s important to choose a secure password for all of your accounts, not just your WordPress user account. Feel free to take the advice below + apply it to all accounts that you create. Doing so will protect your personal life + business online. What makes a password secure? Before we dive into how to choose a secure password, it’s important to know what actually makes a password secure in the first place. Sometimes it’s easier to start with what it’s not. Your business name or personal details about you…