A website isn't done when it launches. Plugins release updates, vulnerabilities are disclosed and data grows — a site left alone for six months is usually noticeably slower and an easy target. This is the maintenance checklist I use for the sites I look after.

Every week

• Check the site is up: home page, contact form, cart/checkout for shops. Use uptime monitoring with alerts.
• Review security alerts (Wordfence/Solid Security): odd logins, changed files.
• Apply urgent security patches when a plugin vulnerability is announced.

Every month

1. Back up first, then update

• Take a full backup (files + database) before updating.
• Update core, themes and plugins — test on staging first for important sites.
• Re-check key pages and flows (forms, checkout) afterwards.

wp db export backup-$(date +%F).sql
wp core update
wp plugin update --all
wp theme update --all

2. Security review

• Audit users: remove unused accounts, check roles.
• Make sure admins have two-factor auth.
• Delete deactivated plugins/themes you don't use.
• Run the security plugin's malware scan.

3. Speed and errors

• Run PageSpeed Insights on key pages and compare with last month.
• Check Core Web Vitals and Pages in Search Console: 404s, de-indexed pages.
• Clean the database: old revisions, expired transients, spam comments.

wp transient delete --expired
wp comment delete $(wp comment list --status=spam --format=ids) --force
wp db optimize

4. Report to the owner

A one-page summary: what was updated, backup status, speed scores, issues fixed and suggestions.

Every quarter

• Test a restore on staging — a backup that has never been restored doesn't count.
• Check the host's PHP version and move to the recommended one (currently PHP 8.3+).
• Review plugins for abandoned ones that need replacing.
• Renew domains, SSL and paid plugin licences.

Signs a site needs attention now

Wrapping up

Regular maintenance costs far less than cleaning up a hacked site or lost data. If you don't have time to do it yourself, I offer monthly website maintenance with clear reports.