WordPress is an ultra-popular content management system (CMS) used by millions of websites around the world. As a business owner, you rely on your website to connect with customers and sell your products or services. It’s important, therefore, to keep your site safe from hackers and malware, so your customers feel confident visiting and buying from you.

That said, here are five ways to help keep your WordPress site secure.

Install a Security Plugin on Your WordPress Website

Any WordPress website is only as secure as the security measures that have been put in place. One of the most important security measures that should be taken is to install a security plugin.

There are many different security plugins available, each with its own set of features. However, all security plugins provide an extra layer of protection for your website. They can help to block malicious traffic, detect security threats, and even recover hacked websites. In other words, a security plugin is an essential tool for keeping your WordPress website safe and secure.

Our recommended Security Plugin is Wordfence. The Wordfence Threat Intelligence Team continuously discovers new vulnerabilities in WordPress core, plugins, and themes. We immediately release new firewall rules that protect against these vulnerabilities, which are deployed in real-time to our paid customers providing the best available intrusion prevention for WordPress. Free customers are offered the same protection but delayed by 30 days.

These are just a few of the many ways that you can help to keep your WordPress website safe and secure. Nothing is foolproof, though, so always be alert to issues and keep on top of security. Your website is an asset for your business, and as such, it needs to be treated with care. You wouldn’t leave valuable items out in the open for anyone to access so treat your website in the same way. Don’t wait — act today to improve the security of your WordPress website.  

Install an SSL Certificate

SSL Certificates encrypt data and allow for a secure connection between a web server and a web browser. When an SSL certificate is installed, a padlock will appear, and HTTP will become HTTPS.  One of the primary advantages of SSL is that it protects sensitive information as it travels across the Internet from being intercepted by malicious third parties. This is done by encrypting the data before it leaves the device of the person sending the information and then decrypting it once it arrives at its destination — which can only be done with an SSL Certificate that matches the one used to encrypt the data.

Another advantage of using SSL is that it builds trust and credibility with website visitors because they can see that steps have been taken to protect their personal information. This is particularly important for businesses that collect personal data, such as names, addresses, and credit card information. In fact, many countries have laws in place that require businesses to use SSL when collecting personal data.

Finally, Google has stated that HTTPS is a ranking signal, so installing an SSL Certificate can help your site rank higher in search results. Without an SSL, your site may also be flagged as unsafe, so it’s vital to ensure you install one.

Run Regular Backups on Your Website

Just as you regularly back up your computer files, it’s important to run a backup on your website regularly. Your website is a collection of files, and like any other files, they can be accidentally deleted or lost. Additionally, your website may be subject to hacking or other malicious attacks. By backing up your site regularly, you can ensure that you have a copy of all your files in case something goes wrong.

There are a variety of ways to back up your site, such as downloading a copy of your files to your computer or using a cloud-based backup service. It may also be that your host offers this service, so it’s worth checking with them first. Whichever method you choose, make sure to back up your site on a regular basis to avoid losing any important data. If you make changes to your site frequently, it’s worth running backups daily.

Run Updates in the WordPress Dashboard

Any WordPress user knows the importance of keeping their site up to date. Not only do new versions of WordPress come out on a regular basis, but plugin and theme developers are also constantly releasing updates.

Keeping your WordPress site up to date is important for several reasons. First, new releases often include security fixes that can help to prevent your site from being hacked. Second, updates can improve the performance of your site by fixing bugs and improving compatibility.

Finally, staying up to date ensures that you have the latest features and functionality at your disposal. While it may seem like a lot of work to keep your WordPress site updated, the benefits are well worth the effort. One word of caution, always back up your site before running any updates, just in case you run into any issues.

Use Strong Passwords on Your WordPress Website

As a WordPress user, you need to choose strong passwords for your login and admin accounts. A strong password should be difficult to guess and random. It should be at least 16 characters long and include a mix of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

You should never use easily guessed words and you shouldn’t reuse passwords across multiple accounts. If you’re not sure how to create a strong password, there are many online tools that can help.

Once you have a strong password, it’s important to keep it safe. Don’t write it down unless you can keep it in a secure place and don’t share it with anyone else. If you want to take it a step further, activate two-factor authentication on your site for extra security. By taking these simple steps, you can help protect your WordPress site from hacking and other security threats.