Wondering why you need the best free WordPress backup plugin? Do you have a backup strategy for your website? With WordPress, it’s super easy to secure your data so you never have to worry about a loss. In fact, with a variety of free backup plugins available, there really are no excuses.
If you think this doesn’t apply to you and you don’t need to worry about backing up your website, think again.
As a business owner, your webpage is your bread and butter. It provides credibility, allows audience interaction, and serves as your #1 source of marketing. But what if something went wrong and your site suddenly crashed? Even worse – what if you didn’t have a backup and you had to rebuild the whole thing from scratch? It happens more often than you’d think, but it doesn’t have to.
Everyone who’s ever lost any data knows how devastating it can be. The loss of just one important file can make or break you under the right circumstances. Fortunately, creating a backup strategy is simple (and in many cases, free).
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Perform an Initial Full Backup
Once your site is developed, run an initial backup before you do anything else. Initial set-up can be very time-consuming and it is definitely not something you’d want to do all over again!
Running a backup right from the start provides you with a basic framework (including the filesystem and database), so they don’t have to be reproduced in the event of a loss.
Schedule Auto-Backups
Most WordPress backup plugins can perform auto-backups or auto-rollbacks – and it is definitely a feature you want to have.
A regularly scheduled backup can provide peace of mind. It means that no matter what happens, you always have a recent copy of all your important information.
Here’s what you want to back up regularly:
- The database – when you backup the database, that information can be used to restore and recover lost data after a failure (or even to move the site to a new location).
- The uploads folder – you may wonder why you should backup your uploads. After all, they’re not necessary to keep a site running. This is why: any images, videos, or other media you’ve ever uploaded to your site is contained in this folder – and it’s a lot better to have a backup of it than to go back and search for specific images, videos, and more.
How Often Should You Perform a Backup?
You may be wondering how often you should run a backup. Once a month? Once a week? At the end of every day
The answer is “yes”. It never hurts to take a backup once a week, or to take one every day. The prime time to take a backup is right after you make changes to your website. If you post a new blog post, take a backup. If you run an online store, it’s recommended to take backups more often as you have orders coming in.
How to Run a Backup
There are really only two options here: manual backup or auto-backup.
- Manual backup – this option gives you the ability to run a backup at any time, whenever you deem it necessary. The process is simple but time-consuming: just download all the necessary files onto your computer and then store them somewhere safe (like Dropbox).
Most hosting services have a built-in backup feature, and with a little research, you can quickly figure out how yours works. Some are as simple as just clicking an “export” button. Learn more about InMotion Hosting’s backup manager.
- Auto backup – auto backup allows you to just “set it and forget it.”
There are dozens of different options for automated WordPress backup solutions. We’re a fan of the best free WordPress backup plugin by BoldGrid.
Customizable schedules and features such as database and file system backup, improved retention, and granular automation, make it a truly winning product. And with both free and premium options, there is something for everyone.
What has your backup experience been? Have you ever had a disaster and lost all of your data? Just remember: there are lots of free WordPress backup plugins available. There is no reason to leave your data unsecured!
InMotion Hosting no longer offers free backups. Sorry! However, you can now get the feature-rich backup manager service for an additional $2/month. Don’t let your site get caught without backups.