Description: This blog talks about how important backups are for any site, and why they’re important. It also shows you how to get started with using them.
Website Backups Introduction
Website backups are stored files that contain information from your website. They’re stored on a server, but can be downloaded onto your computer as well. These backups can be done manually, or they can automatically be taken care of through various plugins. Some plugins I know about include Jetpack and UpdraftPlus, both of which can be downloaded on WordPress sites. You can go into these plugins and configure the settings to match your needs. They can stay at the default settings, which are usually set to make backups manual. Or, you can change them to automatically back up your site on a specific schedule.
So, now you know what website backups are and where they’re stored. But, you don’t know why they’re used. Its actually really simple, and it matches it’s name.
They’re used to store your sites data so that if something went wrong, you would still have all of your sites information. In other words, they’re literally used to back up your site. For example, if your site got hacked and you lost all of your pages, a site backup will allow you to restore all of those pages in a few clicks. It’ll be like nothing ever happened. Something like this happening may seem unlikely to you, but its better to have something to solve it, rather than being stuck when it happens. Again, it can be solved with a simple plugin.
Website Backup Plugins
I’ve briefly mentioned plugins for website backups, but lets go more in depth. These plugins are used to automatically back up your site by saving your data. It can be done as often as you choose, or it can be done manually. These plugins may also come with an option that allows you to download a backup onto your computer in addition to the one they store. It’s a very useful, beneficial, and easy tool to add to any site. In addition, it saves you a whole lot of time and It’ll save you in the long run if anything was to happen.
I have a little experience with backup plugins such as Jetpack and UpdraftPlus, but there are many others to choose from!
JetPack
Jetpack is a powerful backup plugin. It allows you to restore your site with one click, it comes with a mobile app that allows you to restore from anywhere, & you can restore when your site is offline. It’s suitable for beginners as well, since it doesn’t require development skills. As for the backups themselves, Jetpack stores backups of database files, WooCommerce data (this is very important if you have an online business that receives payments), etc. The backups are encrypted and taken care of on a different server so that you’re site speed isn’t negatively affected. If you use Bluehost to host your website, Jetpack may come with your plan.
UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is another trusted and powerful backup plugin that is easy to use. Like Jetpack, you can restore your site with one click. Your backups can be completely manually, or you can schedule backups of your WordPress files, database files, plugin files, and theme files on a schedule. UpdraftPlus lets you schedule backups every 2, 4, 8 or 12 hours or daily, weekly, fortnightly, or monthly. As you see, there’s plenty of options. Something that’s different from Jetpack, is that UpdraftPlus allows you to migrate/clone your website from the dashboard. This is beneficial when trying to move your website to a new domain or host.
Both plugins are useful, and there’s many more out there. Spend time finding one that works best for you, it is important to have.
Conclusion
In conclusion, website backups are important to protect your website and its data. If something was to happen, a simple click would take care of it! So, take the time to download a plugin or set up backups because you never know when you may need it. Take into account what type of site you have to know what you need. Then, find a plugin that best fits those needs. My portfolio site uses backups too!