Insights, Web Development

WordPress Website Maintenance: A Comprehensive Guide

  • By Ludmil Enchev
  • December 16th, 2025

Have you ever wondered how often you should carry out maintenance on your WordPress website? Just like any other essential tool you utilize as a business, blogger, or professional, your WordPress website requires regular maintenance to function smoothly and securely. Neglecting these upkeep tasks can lead to performance issues, security vulnerabilities, and a poor user experience, which is why website maintenance should be a top priority for anyone who owns or manages a WordPress site.

That’s why, in today’s article, we’ll explain what WordPress site maintenance is, why it matters, and what key tasks are involved in keeping your site in top shape. Whether you wish to learn how to do these tasks yourself or are considering outsourcing to a professional agency, this guide will provide insights to help you ensure your website performs at its best.

Article Overview

 

1. What is WordPress website maintenance?

Many WordPress website owners don’t perform maintenance checks unless a problem occurs. However, this is a great mistake for thus they expose their sites to many risks. WordPress maintenance mainly means monitoring your website for security issues, checking its performance, and updating its software. And if you want your WP site to always appear in its best shape you’ll have to do regular maintenance tasks. This will ensure that your site remains functional, responsive, and protected from potential cyber threats, allowing you to focus on content creation and business growth without worry.

So to sum it up – website maintenance is the process that keeps your WordPress site up-to-date, secure, and optimized for ultimate performance.

 

2. Why is WordPress website maintenance important?

Well, mainly because it keeps your site running trouble-free and helps you reduce the risks of cyberattacks. And this really should not be underestimated, for as of September 2024 of all websites 43.5% use WordPress as CMS (according to W3Techs), making it a frequent target for hackers.

Now, let’s dive deeper into the reasons that make maintaining your WordPress website so important:

  • Security. WordPress handles tons of sites, so it draws most attacks. Still, outdated software plays a big part. In 2023, 39 % of hacked CMS sites ran outdated software.

  • Performance. Old plugins and outdated code slow things down. That hurts user experience and SEO.

  • SEO. Search engines favor fast, secure, user-friendly sites. Sloppiness equals worse rankings.

  • Functionality. Updates fix features, so neglect makes things break and frustrate visitors.

In short, WordPress website maintenance is important because it ensures your site’s health, safety, and success, protecting it and helping it perform at its best.

 

3. WordPress website maintenance tasks

Let’s look at the most important tasks involved in the maintenance of a WordPress website.

3.1. Perform regular backups

Plugins add functionalities to your WordPress site, from contact forms to SEO tools. However, outdated plugins can be a source of security risks and may cause compatibility issues with newer versions of WordPress.

 

3.2. WordPress Core Update

Keep the core fresh for security patches and performance fixes. WordPress auto-updating helps, but checking manually catches what auto might miss.

 

3.3. Plugin Updates

Plugins add functionalities to your WordPress site, from contact forms to SEO tools. However, outdated plugins can be a source of security risks and may cause compatibility issues with newer versions of WordPress.

In 2024 TechRadar found that nearly 900,000 WordPress sites were at risk due to vulnerabilities in older versions of the Website Builder plugin.
Wordfence now blocks approximately 120 million attacks every day, including exploit attempts and brute-force attacks.
Latest data still shows plugins account for a huge share of vulnerabilities; 95% of reported WordPress vulnerabilities stem from plugins. 

And given that there are over 64,000 plugins according to WPZoom the importance of good plugin maintenance is easily seen. Outdated plugins are often exploited because they lack security patches and hackers take advantage of these gaps.

The good news?

2024 Wordfence data shows roughly 65% of disclosed WordPress vulnerabilities remain unpatched more than a year later. So, that’s why it’s important to review your installed plugins regularly, delete any that are unused, and update the rest to their latest versions.

 

3.4. Theme Updates

Themes control the visual design and layout of your WordPress website. Like plugins, themes require regular updates to fix bugs and security vulnerabilities and ensure compatibility with the latest WordPress version. Failing to update your theme can lead to an incomplete or broken layout or even expose your WP website to security risks.

 

3.5. Improve your website security

Given the fact that, according to Accenture’s Cost of Cybercrime Study. A security report shows about 39 % of hacked CMS sites ran outdated software, (not large corporations that usually invest in website maintenance). It is safe to say that website security is one of the truly important WordPress aspects needing our attention.

To safeguard your site, you can take several steps, such as installing security plugins (with Sucuri, Jetpack, and WordFence being among the most popular choices), setting up firewalls, enabling two-factor authentication (2FA), and regularly scanning your site for malware. Additionally, changing default login URLs and implementing strong passwords for all user accounts can significantly reduce the chances of a security breach.

 

3.6. Check and optimize your website’s speed and performance

As you may already know, a slow website can lead to high bounce rates and negatively impact your SEO ranking. While Google has been taking into consideration page speed as a ranking factor since 2010 for desktop search results, since 2018 it also affects the ranking on mobile searches. Another thing is that, as Google research statistics show the bounce rate of sites that take 1 to 3 seconds to load is 32% while when this time increases from 3 to 5 seconds the bounce rate goes way up to 90%. This shows that your website’s speed and overall performance are undeniable factors in its success.

 

So, what can you do to improve your site’s speed and performance score?

You can do a speed test (with Google PageSpeed Insights, for example) to identify issues that may be slowing down your site. To ensure your site running smoothly, you can improve site performance by activating cache, optimizing images, HTML and CSS code optimization, server optimizations, and minimizing the number of plugins installed. These will positively impact user experience, site health, and your site’s SEO.

Other important tasks you can do to improve your website’s performance are to find and fix broken links, track errors on pages, test if your forms are working properly, etc. Oh, and also don’t forget to delete unused files, plugins, and spam comments to improve your results further. WordPress Database optimization can also improve your site speed and optimize loading times.

 

3.7. Improve the mobile version of your website

Since mobile users provide a significant portion of the internet traffic, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly is essential. This means regularly testing your site on various mobile devices to ensure it loads quickly, looks good, and is easy to navigate. Many WordPress themes are responsive by default, but you may need to adjust certain design elements or use plugins to enhance the mobile user experience.

 

4. How often should you perform these tasks?

Well, the frequency of WordPress website maintenance depends on the size and complexity of your site. Remember that following a regular maintenance schedule will ensure your WordPress website is safe, fast, and user-friendly. So, here’s a general guide:

  • Backups: At least once a week. Even more frequent backups are recommended for high-traffic sites.
  • WordPress Core Updates: It’s best to update whenever a new version is released.
  • Plugin and Theme Updates: Weekly or as soon as updates for the plugins or themes you’re using are available. Many sources now lean toward weekly or regular interval updates.
  • Security Scans: Weekly or monthly, depending on your site’s size. BlueHost recommends scheduling security checks weekly
  • Speed Optimization: Monthly, or after major updates or content additions.
  • Mobile Testing: Quarterly, or when you are making new design changes.

 

5. Use WordPress Maintenance Mode

WordPress maintenance mode is a built-in feature that temporarily disables access to your website while updates or important changes are being made. When activated, visitors will see a simple message indicating that the site is undergoing maintenance, ensuring they don’t encounter incomplete content or broken functionality. A maintenance note like “Briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance” and returning a 503 HTTP status code is good for SEO. This is particularly useful when updating WordPress core files, themes, or plugins, as these updates can sometimes cause issues if accessed by users during the process.

To easily activate maintenance mode, most site owners use a maintenance mode plugin. Plugins like WP Maintenance Mode, SeedProd, and Maintenance are popular tools that allow you to customize the maintenance message, add branding, and even offer a countdown timer for when the site will be live again. These plugins also provide options for administrators to bypass the maintenance mode, so you can continue working on your site without affecting visitors.

To use a maintenance mode plugin, you simply install and activate it from your WordPress dashboard. After activation, you can configure settings such as the design of your maintenance page and specify who can access the site while it’s under maintenance. Once you’re done with your updates or changes, you can quickly disable the mode, returning the site to full functionality. Activating WordPress maintenance mode ensures your visitors always have a seamless experience, even when you’re performing crucial behind-the-scenes work.

 

5. Can you outsource the maintenance of your WordPress website?

Yes, you can outsource WordPress website maintenance to professional agencies or freelancers who specialize in this service. Outsourcing is especially useful for businesses or individuals who lack the time or technical skills to manage maintenance themselves. A WordPress maintenance services provider will handle updates, security checks, backups, and optimization of your website, giving you peace of mind and allowing you to focus on growing your business. So, if you’re not sure you can provide for your site’s technical needs outsourcing is a great option.

HTMLburger’s team of WordPress experts can take care of your website maintenance by ensuring it is always up to date and providing regular monitoring, backups, and support. To find out how we can help your website perform at its best you can book a free consultation with one of our WordPress maintenance experts.

 

Conclusion

In summary, poor website maintenance – especially failing to update WordPress plugins and themes, or using weak passwords – is one of the biggest factors behind disappointing user experience and also many successful cyberattacks. This makes WP maintenance essential for ensuring you have a functional, fast, and secure website. Whether you choose to handle the maintenance yourself or outsource it to WordPress security experts, investing in proper care for your WordPress website will ensure its health, effectiveness, and long-term success.

We hope this article helped you learn how important WordPress website maintenance is! Before you go, make sure to check out our other insightful WordPress articles:

 

FAQ

1. How do I enable maintenance mode on my WordPress website?
Enabling maintenance mode is essential when performing updates or changes to your site, preventing visitors from seeing a broken or unfinished site. You can enable maintenance mode using WP plugins. WP maintenance tools allow you to display a temporary message while you perform WordPress maintenance tasks in the background.

2. What are the key WordPress maintenance tasks I should regularly perform?
Regular WordPress maintenance tasks include updating themes and plugins, running malware scans, performing security monitoring, optimizing your database, and ensuring all content is backed up. These tasks will help improve site performance and protect your site from security threats.

3. Can I perform WordPress maintenance from the WordPress dashboard?
Yes, many essential maintenance tasks can be performed directly from the WordPress dashboard. You can update plugins, monitor security alerts, optimize your database, and check for malware scans from the dashboard’s user-friendly interface.

4. How often should I conduct WordPress security monitoring?
It’s recommended to run security monitoring continuously, as vulnerabilities can emerge at any time. You should also schedule weekly or monthly tasks for malware scanning, monitoring suspicious activity, and reviewing user access levels to keep your site secure.

5. How can I improve my WordPress site’s performance during maintenance?
To improve site performance, focus on tasks like optimizing images, enabling caching, cleaning up your database, and minimizing the use of unnecessary plugins. Regular performance checks will ensure your website remains fast and responsive for users.

6. Are there specific maintenance tasks I should do monthly?
Yes, monthly maintenance tasks include checking for theme and plugin updates, conducting malware scans, reviewing site backups, and analyzing site performance metrics. Scheduling these tasks ensures your WordPress site stays healthy, secure, and optimized.

Here’s the additional FAQ with the requested keywords:

7. What WordPress maintenance tasks can site owners perform on their own?
Many site owners can handle basic maintenance tasks without needing a developer. You can easily delete spam comments, perform malware scans, and review WordPress security logs through your dashboard. Additionally, setting up daily backups ensures your data is safe, and cleaning up your media library by deleting unused files can free up server space and improve site performance. Regularly performing these tasks helps keep your site secure and running smoothly.

Subscribe for our newsletter

We hate boring. Our newsletters are relevant and on point. Excited? Let’s do this!