In today’s digital era, your organization’s web presence is as crucial as your physical presence. WordPress, which powers approximately 43.2% of all websites globally, is a favorite among major brands and bloggers. With a dominant 63.3% market share in the CMS market, it is three times more popular than the other nine leading CMS platforms combined (see statistics below). To give you an idea of just how popular WordPress is, just check out some of these statistics:
- As of 2024, over 810 million websites use WordPress
- More than 500 new WordPress sites are built every day
- WordPress is available in 208 languages, supported by contributions from a global community of users and developers.
- Over 22% of all new domain registrations in the United States are powered by WordPress.
- Despite spending tens of millions on marketing, Wix only powers 2% of all websites, making WordPress 22 times more popular than Wix.
- Other popular content management systems have market shares below 2%, including Squarespace at 2.1%, Joomla at 1.8%, Drupal at 1.2%, Blogger at 1%, and Magento at just 0.81%.
If you have a WordPress site, or are thinking about developing your site on WordPress, you’re in good company. However, owning a WordPress website is not a “set it and forget it” endeavor. It requires a robust maintenance plan for sustainable, secure, and efficient operation.
Security: A Key Concern
One of the primary reasons for having a WordPress maintenance plan is to ensure the security of your site. Given its popularity, WordPress is a frequent target for hackers, viruses, bots, and other cyber threats. Keeping your website up to date with the latest security patches and updates is your first line of defense. A maintenance plan ensures that your WordPress core, plugins, and themes are regularly updated, significantly reducing your vulnerability to cyber attacks. For instance, about 13,000 WordPress sites are hacked daily simply due to outdated software and poor security practices.
Performance: User Experience Matters
A well-maintained WordPress site guarantees a good user experience, which is critical for retaining and converting visitors. Compatibility issues can arise with each new WordPress update, especially if you’re using third-party plugins. Regular updates and quality assurance testing are crucial to maintaining optimal site performance. Poorly maintained sites may suffer from slow loading times, errors, or broken links, frustrating visitors and harming your brand’s reputation. A WordPress maintenance plan helps keep your site user-friendly, professional, and reliable.
Optimization: Boosting Your Site’s Potential
A comprehensive WordPress maintenance plan includes SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies to help your website stand out. This involves setting goals, implementing a plan, tracking results, conducting SEO audits, improving keyword density, analyzing user experience, and using site-speed improvement tools. These actions help your site rank higher in search engine results, increasing visibility and attracting more traffic. The WordPress Plugin Directory hosts over 59,537 plugins, many of which are designed to boost SEO and site performance.
New Features: Staying Current
WordPress frequently releases new features and improvements that enhance your website’s functionality and user experience. These updates can only be fully utilized if your site is maintained and updated regularly, underscoring the need for a maintenance plan. For example, WooCommerce, a leading e-commerce plugin, powers 9% of all websites, making it more popular than Shopify for online stores.
Misconceptions About Hosting and WordPress Maintenance
It’s important to understand that a hosting plan is not the same as a WordPress maintenance plan. While a hosting plan may include some level of maintenance, such as routine software patches and upgrades, it typically does not cover WordPress-specific tasks. Ensuring that both your server administration and WordPress maintenance are in order is crucial for the smooth operation of your website.
Conclusion
A WordPress maintenance plan is an investment in the security, performance, and longevity of your website. It ensures that your site runs smoothly and frees up your time and resources, allowing you to focus on your core business. Given the platform’s extensive ecosystem with over 59,537 plugins and more than 11,719 free themes, a well-maintained WordPress site can offer unmatched flexibility and functionality.
Questions?
Check out our Maintenance Plans and how we can help keep your WordPress site up to date. Or Contact Us and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.