Staying current online is a necessity in this rapidly growing digital environment; updating and securing your website is crucial for both user experience and organic rankings. One of the first things most businesses would like to know is: “How often should I update my website’s content and plugins?”
The quick answer: More frequently than you might imagine! But let’s break it down.
Why Regular Updates Matter
As a website owner, whether it’s a corporate site, personal blog, or e-commerce site, one thing you cannot do without is website maintenance. Regular updates ensure:
- Security: Old plugins and themes are among the top ways hackers gain access.
- SEO Performance: Google loves fresh content on a website.
- User Retention: Fresh content will keep your audience returning to your website.
- Performance Improvement: An updated plugin is likely to be faster and better optimized than the old one.
Now, let’s find out how often you should update content and plugins to have a healthy website.
How Often Should You Update Website Content?
New content tells your visitors —and Google—that your site is active and authoritative. Here is a schedule for updating your content:
- Blog – Weekly or Bi-Weekly: Regularly adding new blog posts at least once a week helps maintain your SEO momentum. Regular blogging also allows you to answer customer questions, demonstrate knowledge, and rank for new keywords.
- Landing Pages – Quarterly Reviews: You should audit service pages, product descriptions, or landing pages every 3 to 6 months. Ensure that your pricing, offerings, and messaging are current and accurate.
- Company News & Releases – As Necessary: Keep your community informed with new information, upcoming events, or recent news. This might be monthly, or as your business changes.
- Evergreen Content – Annual Updates: You should constantly update things like evergreen content at least once a year. Update links, statistics, and any other information that may become outdated.
How Often Should You Update Website Plugins?
Extensions enable you to expand the capabilities of your site; however, an outdated extension can also result in serious security issues. Here’s a safe updating strategy:
- Check for Updates Weekly: The majority of WordPress plugins and CMS extensions are frequently updated. Make checking for updates a routine and log in to your dashboard at least once a week.
- Apply Security Updates Immediately: If an update for a plugin is available that addresses a security issue, update the plugin as soon as possible. Postponing security patches may leave your entire website vulnerable to attack.
- Significant Changes to CMS – Think Twice Before Doing It: Core CMS updates (such as WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal) should be performed after thorough testing, particularly for major versions. These updates can introduce new features, but they may also break existing plugins.
- Perform Regular Backups Before Updates: As with all changes to your website, back up your website before upgrading plugins and core software. This makes it possible to recover your site in the event of an issue.
Signs It’s Time to Update Your Website
If you’re not sure whether it’s time for a content and plugin update, keep an eye out for these warning signs:
- Declining website traffic
- Outdated product or service information
- Security alerts or vulnerability notices
- Broken features or display issues
- Poor site performance or speed
Final Thoughts: Consistency Is Key
Many of our clients at WireTree hear from us periodically that website maintenance is not a “set-and-forget” type of deal. Once you have updated your content, you also need to regularly update plugins to keep your website competitive, secure, and interactive.
Content Updates:
- Blogs: Weekly or Bi-weekly
- Landing Pages: Every 3–6 Months
- Evergreen Content: Annually
Plugin & System Updates:
- Plugin Check: Weekly
- Security Patches: Immediately
- CMS Core Updates: After Testing
Need Help Managing Your Website?
For those who prefer to leave it to the experts, WireTree offers premium website maintenance services that include updates, backups, security checks, and content management. At the same time, you focus on what you’re best at — running your business.
If you have any further questions on maintaining the security and functionality of your website, give WireTree a call today!