upstate logo

Free Tutorials Now Available to Help Secure Your Site!

It’s important for website owners to regularly update their WordPress core software and plugins. This helps keep the website safe from hackers and ensures it runs smoothly. Before doing these updates, it’s crucial to make a backup of your website. This backup is like a safety net, so if anything goes wrong during the update, you can easily go back to how your website was before, preventing any major issues.

Neglecting crucial information about WordPress updates can lead to downtime for your business website. These free tutorials are invaluable resources that can play a significant role in safeguarding your site against potential threats like website hackers, malicious malware, and bots. By following these tutorials and staying informed about updates, you can minimize the risks and maintain the uninterrupted online presence that is essential for your business’s success.

wordpress plugins

Common Questions

Why am I just now hearing about these updates?

In the past, I used to update plugins for websites a few times a year, even for clients without a paid maintenance plan. However, this became unsustainable as the number of websites on the server increased. Going forward, I've made some adjustments. Plugin updates will now be available exclusively with managed hosting or a maintenance plan. I understand that not everyone can afford monthly maintenance, so I'm providing free tutorials for everyone to learn how to update their websites themselves. This helps website owners take control of their updates while still keeping affordable options available.

This change is not a price increase or a service that is being removed from the basic web hosting package; it simply means I won't be providing free updates to clients without maintenance plans.

What if I don't have an admin login for my website?
Please feel free to send us an email if you don't have a login for your WordPress website. We're here to assist you, and if you are the owner of the website, we'll provide you with the necessary login credentials completely free of charge. Your access to your website is important to us, and we're here to ensure you have everything you need to manage it effectively.
Can't I just set all my plugins to auto update?

It's not always a good idea to set your WordPress plugins to update automatically. Auto-updates can sometimes cause unexpected problems on your website. It's better to update plugins manually because it lets you check if the new version works well with your website and other plugins. So, while auto-updates are convenient, manual control over plugin updates is usually safer for your website.

You could experience website downtime if you set plugins to automatically update.

Why won't some of my plugins update?
It's important to be aware that certain WordPress plugins may require annual software renewals directly from the developers. Without an active license, you won't be able to update these plugins. You have the option to either leave them outdated or reach out via email to us and inquire about the cost to renew them. It's crucial to understand that having outdated plugins on your website can make it more vulnerable to potential security risks, potentially leading to a website hack. So, it's advisable to keep these plugins up to date to maintain your website's security and functionality.
How do I restore a backup that I created?
You can use UpdraftPlus to restore a backup you've created for your website. If you need maintenance support for your website, it's available to you without the requirement of a maintenance plan. We offer miscellaneous website consulting at a rate of $75 per hour, prorated to the nearest quarter of an hour, allowing you to get the specific help you need, when you need it. It's worth noting that if you have an active maintenance plan, you can enjoy the added benefit of free backup restoration services as part of your plan, ensuring your website stays secure and functional.
Aren't you backing up my website anyway as part of my web hosting plan?
While your website is on a routine backup schedule, creating a new backup before performing plugin updates provides you with a fresh restore point. Here's why this matters: Let's say your last backup was taken a week ago, and since then, you might have made changes to your website, added new content, or even made sales. If you create a new backup just before doing any website maintenance, you'll have the option to restore back to this recently created backup, ensuring that your website reflects the most up-to-date changes rather than reverting to an older backup that's a week old. This approach helps you maintain the latest version of your website with all the recent updates and transactions intact.
What if I ignore these updates and my site gets hacked?

In case your website gets hacked, there is a possibility of restoring it from a backup. However, it's important to note that even if you can recover your website through a backup, you will still need to address the root cause of the issue, which often involves outdated plugins that created vulnerabilities in the first place. Simply restoring the website is a temporary solution, and to maintain long-term security, it's crucial to update and secure these plugins to prevent future vulnerabilities and potential hacks.

How much do you charge to fix a hacked website?
For clients who have subscribed to a monthly maintenance plan, the good news is that there is no additional cost for malware removal services from your website. However, for those who are not on a maintenance plan, please be aware that these services will be billed at a rate of $75 per hour. It's important to keep your website protected and up-to-date to minimize the risk of malware issues, but if they do arise, having a maintenance plan in place can save you from additional expenses related to cleaning and security.
Isn't this page just an approach to upsell maintenance plans?
The main objective of this new page is not to promote or upsell maintenance plans. Your website's security is a top priority, and my goal is to offer valuable free resources to assist you. I'll keep updating this page with more information at no cost, specifically aimed at helping those who prefer a do-it-yourself approach. Your website's safety and success are important, and I'm committed to providing you with the tools and knowledge you need to achieve that without any additional charges.
You designed my website but I used my own hosting. Am I eligible for a maintenance plan?
If your website was designed by Upstate SC Web Design, you are eligible for a maintenance plan, even if you are using third-party hosting services. We extend our maintenance plan options to all our valued clients, regardless of where your website is hosted, to ensure that you have access to the support and services you need to keep your website running smoothly and securely. Your website's success and satisfaction are our top priorities, and we're here to assist you, no matter your hosting provider.

How to Backup Your Website