If WordPress were a car, plugins and themes would be the shiny parts that make it run faster, look cooler, and do tricks you didn’t think were possible. The right setup can turn a plain site into a workhorse that hums. The wrong one can leave you on the side of the road with smoke coming out of the hood.
That’s the tightrope walk of WordPress maintenance: keeping your site secure, fast, and stable without clicking yourself into chaos. It’s doable, but it takes care, timing, and a little bit of know-how. At Strottner Designs, that’s exactly what we handle for our clients so they can get back to, you know, running their business instead of babysitting plugins.
You know that orange circle that shows up in your WordPress dashboard? The one that looks innocent until it says “15 updates available”? Yeah, that’s the one. Clicking it feels satisfying at first. Until something breaks.
Sometimes an update goes fine. Sometimes it blows up your layout, locks you out of the backend, or turns your forms into blank space. It’s kind of like changing your own brakes because you watched one YouTube video about it. Sure, maybe you pull it off. But maybe you also lose your bumper.
At Strottner Designs, we’ve been working with WordPress sites since 2008 and know all of the ins and outs of updating appropriately.
There’s one reason updates are non-negotiable: security.
WordPress runs over 40 percent of the web. That makes it a favorite target for hackers and bots. Outdated plugins and themes are like open windows in an empty house. Sooner or later, someone’s going to climb in.
Developers release updates for a reason. They’re patching holes, improving security, and making sure your site doesn’t get hijacked by some automated script written in 2017 that’s still floating around the internet.
The frustrating part is that the attack usually isn’t personal. Hackers don’t even know who you are. Their bots are just crawling sites, looking for old code. If your plugins haven’t been updated, you’re on the list.
That’s why we handle updates regularly and keep every plugin and theme locked down. Think of it like having a security guard who doesn’t sleep, doesn’t blink, and definitely doesn’t get distracted by donuts.
Here’s the twist: sometimes an update that’s supposed to improve performance does the opposite.
You install the “new and improved” version of a plugin, and suddenly your site starts loading like it’s on dial-up. Or your hero banner disappears. Or your checkout page needs ten seconds to open.
We’ve seen it all. Updates are supposed to make things better, but they can also add bulk. More features often mean more code, which can slow things down. That’s why every update we make is tested, measured, and compared before it goes live.
When we handle your WordPress maintenance, we’re not just pressing buttons. We’re tuning performance, checking speed scores, and making sure your site runs like it’s meant to.
Because if your site feels slow, your visitors don’t wait. They leave. Usually for a competitor.
Performance and security get all the headlines, but stability is what really matters day to day.
Your site might look fine now, but one small update to the wrong plugin can send everything into a tailspin. Maybe your layout breaks. Maybe your images disappear. Or aybe the backend locks up completely.
Every WordPress setup is different. The mix of plugins, themes, and custom code on your site is like a fingerprint. What works for one site might break another. That’s why we use staging environments at Strottner Designs. We clone your site, test everything in private, and only roll out changes once we know they’re safe.
It’s a simple rule: never test in production. Your customers don’t need to see your website’s “oops” moment.
A WordPress site isn’t a toaster oven. You can’t just set it and walk away.
Everything changes: plugins evolve, browsers update, hosting servers upgrade, and WordPress itself keeps moving forward. If your site doesn’t move with it, it starts to lag behind. Pages slow down. Features stop working. Security holes open up.
That’s why Strottner Designs offers ongoing maintenance plans. We handle all the updates, backups, and fixes so you can actually focus on your business instead of wondering whether your website still works.
Think of it like taking your car in for regular tune-ups. Ignore it long enough, and eventually you’re calling for a tow.
Here’s the system that keeps our clients’ sites safe, fast, and stable:
1. Backup everything first. Before any update, we take a complete backup of your site and database. If something breaks, we can roll back instantly.
2. Update smartly, not blindly. We update WordPress core, then themes, then plugins. One step at a time. That way, if something breaks, we know where to look.
3. Check speed and stability. After updating, we test performance, load times, and mobile responsiveness. If anything feels off, we fix it before launch.
4. Keep you in the loop. You get clear reports, not jargon. You’ll always know what changed, what was tested, and what’s next.
This isn’t guesswork. It’s maintenance with purpose.
We’ve seen plenty of horror stories.
Like the client who clicked “update all” at midnight, went to bed, and woke up to a broken homepage. Or the online store that stopped taking payments because a plugin conflict slipped through. Or the contact form that vanished for a week without anyone realizing it.
Every single one of those problems was avoidable. That’s why we do things differently. Our updates aren’t random. They’re scheduled, controlled, and tested. We don’t let your site become a science experiment.
Updating your WordPress plugins and themes isn’t just busywork. It’s what keeps your site running, secure, and alive. But doing it the wrong way can wreck everything you’ve built.
At Strottner Designs, we take that stress off your plate. We design beautiful, functional WordPress sites, and we keep them that way long after launch. Whether it’s monthly maintenance or full management, we handle the tech so you can handle your business.
Next time those orange notifications show up, don’t reach for the update button. Reach out to us instead. We’ll make sure your site stays fast, safe, and solid without any drama.
Visit www.strottner.com to learn more about our WordPress Care Plans and see how simple it is to keep your website in top shape.
Because updates shouldn’t feel like a gamble. They should feel like progress.
Interested in a new site and SEO, or just a new site? Visit Home of the Free Website to learn how we can build you a free or affordable site.
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