How to Secure Your WordPress Site

Every day, hackers (which are typically ‘bots’ rather than humans) are scanning the web looking for easy targets. When they find a WordPress site with questionable hosting, a weak password, an outdated version of WordPress, or themes and plugins with security issues, they know they’ve found their next target. Choose reputable hosting A secure website starts with a quality web host. If you’re a DIY type of person or on a tight budget, you might opt for shared hosting. While some popular hosts provide a reliable shared platform, you can’t control any unexpected security issues on the host’s end. Managed WordPress hosting, on the other hand, takes care of the day-to-day site maintenance and upkeep. Servers are protected, backups are scheduled, plugins are pre-screened, and security updates are performed automatically. Use a strong password and two-factor authentication By default, WordPress creates a login user called admin, it’s time to update that too. It can be practically anything: your name, a nickname, an email, or just something unique. However, make sure you still set your user role to Administrator. Carry out regular, scheduled backups Many backup solutions offer multiple storage locations, such as Dropbox and other cloud providers. This means you can keep multiple copies of your backups well away from your main server, so they can get you back online quickly if necessary. Keep on top of WordPress, theme and plugin updates The latest versions of WordPress automatically perform minor security updates, while leaving you to install the major ones manually. Plus, you’ll need to keep your themes and plugins up to date on your own. Use SSL There are two parts to setting up SSL: obtaining a certificate and implementing it on your site. Getting a certificate is the easy part and once you have it, you’ll need to link it to your site. If you have confidence in your hosting provider and your login information is secured, you’re off to a good start when it comes to how to secure your WordPress website. The Journey is what everyday entrepreneurs, like you, need to follow in the pursuit of online success. Our experienced GoDaddy Guides are here to take you through all the steps, both big and small, that you encounter every day.