Updating WordPress plugins are essential to the health and well-being of your site. However, there’s more to it than clicking on a button and refreshing your page.
All plugin updates will impact your site. Some can be minuscule, while others could have long-term and far-reaching effects. It’s important to know the difference between what is relevant to your needs and what can wait for a different update.
The process we use for our site is the same you should use when updating yours. For the best results, follow our steps when dealing with WordPress plugins.
1. Start a Plugin Audit
Before you begin any process, it’s important to take stock in what you have. Plugins are no exception, as there could be a plugin affecting anything from site speed to SEO. First, find your plugins page, which will be on your dashboard’s left sidebar in between Appearance and Users.
Next, open the menu option to discover your roster of plugins. If there are no updates, then you’re all set! If you haven’t seen this page in a while, now is an excellent time to take a good look at your plugin inventory.
2. Examine Your Updates
If a web developer activates WordPress plugins, they are deeming them a necessity. For example, Divi and Elementor themes typically have a set of associated plugins.
The extras are responsible for how your site operates and how customers can interact with it beyond how it looks on the front end. WooCommerce, or any other shopping plugin, needs support to maintain your product database and checkout procedures.
Secondary plugins that add minor design elements or form setup are more comfortable to update at will as those run independent of your central theme or online store. If you have a list of all your updates, move onto step three.
3. Ask for Help
Updating anything on a website that isn’t a blog post or simple word change can have ripple effects across all of your site. Augmentation in the online store can shut down more than the shopping page.
Unless you know the ins and outs and work on the back end of your site regularly, please leave updating to trusted developers.
Page builder plugins and shopping platform updates require a kind of foresight. The average site owner may not know to back up their site or how much storage space that needs.
If you’re unsure which plugin does what or when the right time is to update, it’s always OK to ask for help.
The alternative to updating your site without all of the available knowledge could spell a costly delay in serving your customers have grown accustomed.
Reach out to Valorous Circle’s expert support team, and we’ll guide you through a plan that includes monthly updates without the hassle!
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