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Chicago’s Brand Development, Website Design and Search Engine Optimization Specialists

222 Merchandise Mart Plaza
Suite #3994
Chicago, IL 60654
Tel. 773.664.5819

WordPress is one of the most popular web design platforms in use today. Many business contract designers to develop their websites on the platform, and once the keys are handed off, fully expect a functioning website for years to come. The problem is many business owners don’t realize there is a bit of ongoing maintenance you have to manage when you have a WordPress website, and just like anything if things aren’t tended to, problems can occur.

One of the things you have to manage when you have a WordPress website is ongoing updates. WordPress is developed by a community of developers who periodically release new versions of the software. In those new releases, they offer new features, better performance, enhancement of existing features and even bug fixes that help your site run smoothly. These updates help keep your website up to industry standards. Here are four reasons you should always update your WordPress software to recent versions.

New Features: WordPress developers are always adding new features to the platform to help websites stay up-to-date with industry standards and tools to help you with CMS updates and the like. Block editor updates, drag and drop options, user interface improvements and other features people have come to love about WordPress are all elements that have been updated through new software releases. When you don’t update your software, you don’t get access to those new features.

Bug Fixes: With every new release of WordPress there are always going to be some bugs. It’s because the code is new and newly active in the WordPress environment. Sometimes there will be small issues that crop up. With new releases those issues that have come to light since the last are often fixed. So when you update your software you help to ensure those bugs are rooted out.

Site Speed: WordPress is always trying to improve site speed on the platform. With every new release, performance improvements are unleashed to make WordPress faster and more efficient. Since site loading speed is a major factor of SEO management, you can do yourself a favor when you update your WordPress software and add maximum performance benefits to your website.

Security: Probably the most important reason to update your WordPress software is website security. More than 30% of websites across the globe are powered by WordPress. Because its so popular, the platform is a target for hackers. There are always those out there looking to distribute malicious code or steal your (or your visitors’) data.

The latest version of WordPress is new and less familiar to hackers who have been studying older versions looking for vulnerabilities.  If your site is running on one of those older versions, however, you’re risking attack. So keep your site updated and ensure your site’s protection. In addition to your software, you should also keep your themes and plugins up to date as well as hackers can use that to access your site nefariously.

If you would like to talk with a Proctor Digital website designer and develop your own WordPress website, call us at 774.664.5819. We’d love to help!