Why should I update WordPress?

WordPress is an incredibly flexible content management system (or, as it is more commonly known, a CMS, or Content Management System) that is constantly updated, whether to add new features or address security issues. These two reasons are more than enough to convince you to update WordPress, but we’ll explain in more detail in this article. If your website was built with WordPress, you made the right choice. There are, of course, other CMSs on the market that meet specific needs. However, to get a sense of how widely WordPress is used, we can look at the market share chart published by Datanyze.

Why should I update WordPress?

There are four main reasons to update:

1. Bug fixes: WordPress is constantly updated, and it’s normal for a release to have some issues. That’s why smaller updates are released to fix any bugs. It’s important to stay up to date;
2. Performance: Each update brings significant performance improvements, making the system faster and more efficient, both for the user experience and for effective SEO;
3. Features: Each new WordPress update adds many features to keep up with market trends. If you’re using a very old version, you probably won’t have access to several features that make day-to-day administration easier.
4. Compatibility: Just like new features, some plugins are only compatible with newer versions;

Could my website break?

There is a significant chance that this could happen, so it’s always a good idea to have a support and maintenance agreement with a specialized company, which will carry out the right procedures for each update. In any case, it’s highly recommended that you make a full backup before updating. This backup should include both your files and your database.

How to update WordPress:

WordPress has a tutorial on how to update your website in two ways:

• Automatic update
• Manual update in three steps

To view the tutorial, visit the WordPress website.

More tips

• Never update WordPress as soon as a new version is released. Wait for the version to stabilize, as the plugins you use or the theme itself may stop working.
• You can check for available updates on the WordPress website.