Keeping your WordPress website updated is one of the simplest ways to help it stay secure, reliable, and running smoothly.

We recommend checking your website at least once a month to make sure WordPress, plugins, and any other important items are up to date. These updates often include security fixes, bug fixes, and improvements that help your site continue working properly.

If you would rather not manage this yourself, IDXCentral offers WordPress Care Plans where we handle routine updates and maintenance for you.

Before You Make Updates

Before making any updates, we recommend ensuring you have a recent backup of your website. If your site is hosted with us, rest assured it's backed up nightly. Should anything go wrong, simply contact our support team, and we'll restore it for you quickly and easily.

How to Update WordPress Plugins

Plugins add features and functionality to your website. Keeping them updated is one of the most important maintenance steps you can take.

• Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Go to Dashboard > Updates.
• Look for the Plugins section.
• Select the plugins you want to update.
• Click the Update Plugins button.
• Wait for the updates to finish.
• After the updates are complete, visit your website and check a few important pages to make sure everything looks and works as expected.

How to Update WordPress

WordPress itself also needs to be updated from time to time. These updates may include security improvements, bug fixes, and new features.

• Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
• Go to Dashboard > Updates.
• If a WordPress update is available, you will see an option to update.
• Before updating, confirm that you have a recent backup.
• Click the update button and allow WordPress to complete the process.
• After the update is complete, review your website to make sure it is displaying correctly.

Check Your Website After Updates

After making updates, take a few minutes to review your site.

• Visit the home page.
• Click through a few main navigation links.
• Check your contact page or forms.
• Review any important IDX or property search pages.
• Make sure images, buttons, and menus are working correctly.

You do not need to check every page, but it is helpful to review the most important areas of your site.

Other Basic Maintenance Tips

In addition to updates, here are a few simple things you can do to keep your website cleaner and easier to manage.

• Remove plugins you no longer use. Unused plugins can create unnecessary clutter and may become a security risk if they are not maintained.
• Delete spam comments. If your site allows comments, check for spam and remove anything that does not belong.
• Keep your content current. Review your main pages occasionally to make sure your contact information, bio, services, and market information are still accurate.
• Check your forms. Submit a test inquiry once in a while to make sure messages are being delivered correctly.

Need Help Managing Your Website?

If you are comfortable handling basic updates yourself, the steps above are a good place to start.

If you would rather have IDXCentral manage this for you, we offer WordPress Care Plans designed to help keep your website updated, monitored, and running smoothly.

With a Care Plan, our team can help manage routine WordPress maintenance so you can spend less time worrying about your website and more time focusing on your business.

Contact IDXCentral if you would like help choosing the right Care Plan for your website.