It would be pretty devastating to wake up one day and see your digital assets robbed from you. But this would not happen if you had a website backup.
Website threats and attacks are pretty common these days. Would you leave your website at risk? Certainly, not.
Like every car on the road, it has a spare tire. Although spare tires are not often used and tend to be hidden in the cavity of your car’s trunk, it is your safety net. It makes you drive without fear of having your tires flat.
That’s the same with website backup. It is your website’s safety net.
Backing up your website may seem a tedious task. But, in this article, you will realise that it is a crucial security resource for every digital marketer.
What is a Website Backup?
Website backup creates a complete copy of the essential files and database of your website. Backup solutions have to be done daily to help the owner restore the previous state of the website. Although backups are not the only security measure you should apply to your website, it is still a crucial resource.
Some of the files that need a backup include but are not limited to the following:
- Configuration files
- Core files
- Database
- Theme, plugins, and uploads
Even though website backups cannot fix the problem or prevent your website from re-infection, it guarantees to restore your website completely after the crash or problem. You do not have to worry if you have mistakenly deleted some crucial elements, plugins or if your website is hacked.
If you are not convinced yet, here are some reasons why having a recent backup of your website is essential.
9 Reasons Why Website Backup is Important
You absolutely have to perform backups for your website because of these reasons.
1. Provides Security Against Human Error
It is inevitable for humans to commit errors. It can be as careless as accidentally deleting an important file or tweaking some configurations that lost the website’s functionality— there are several possible reasons. That’s why you have to be careful. You can fix these errors easily and efficiently if you have a backup.
Let’s say your website experienced a downtime after tweaking. You have two options:
- Determine the problem and troubleshoot it; or
- Restore the most recent website backup and go on with the day.
The first option might take time, depending on how serious the problem is. However, if you choose the second option, all you need is to restore the backup, and you do not have to lose time or any valuable data along the way.
It is better to have a backup and restore the previous website version than lose everything at once. Create backups daily; you don’t know when you need them.
2. Prevents Data Loss
It is evident, preventing data loss is the main reason for having a website backup. Imagine you are running a website with thousands of content. Someone accidentally deletes an entire library content.
If you have a website backup, you can quickly restore what was lost. You can upload your website backup to a cloud server, making it safer for your data. But if you do not have any backup, you should be prepared for the worse.
3. Reverse Problems During Updates
It is necessary to update your website to help it function smoothly. But, it is common for updates to go wrong. Well, it does not mean you should not update your website. It means you need to have an automatic backup system for your website.
So when your website needs an update to any of its elements or plugin, you have the most recent version. That’s why it is a smart decision to do a website backup before tweaking your website. If anything goes wrong during the update process, you can quickly restore the previous version.
4. Provides Protection Against Hackers
There are several instances a website is hacked. If someone manages to breach your account and lock you out of your website, there are three ways you can do:
- Recover account access through email.
- Contact web hosting provider and ask for assistance.
- Restore a backup from the hosting panel.
The first option has a low chance of success, and most attackers change the email associated with the account. But, if your web host is reputable, they can help you.
However, restoring a backup regains the control of your website. If this happens, update your credentials and ensure that the attackers are blocked from causing harm.
5. Fixes Malware Infections
Malware does not only infect personal computers; websites have also been affected. Even if your website has active security measures, web hackers have highly-sophisticated their techniques. Thus, you should always be prepared if an attack happens.
Troubleshooting malware is tricky. You need to identify the loophole and what made your website vulnerable to infection. If you have a backup, you can easily make your website clean faster.
6. Simplifies Migrating Process Between Web Hosts
The day will come when you have to change web hosts. It’s an honest mistake for some that some decent-looking provider deceived them. But, it often results in problems and separation.
When this time comes, you have to migrate from your old web host to a new one. The migrating process involves moving all of your website files from your previous server to the new one. But, if you have a website backup, you can easily migrate the copies of your website files.
Although you can copy the files manually, use a reliable tool, or ask your new provider to do the task for you, having a website backup gives you more freedom.
7. Easier to Create and Test New Website Version
Every website owner desires to have better versions of their websites. However, creating and testing a new website version is not that safe and easy. If your website becomes unresponsive after the update, it affects your live website. You need a testing environment or staging site when creating a new version.
A website backup helps you restore the previous setup if anything goes wrong from the new version.
8. Ensures Uninterrupted Revenue
An income-generating website should be accessible at all times. If your website bugs down, even just for a minute, it costs you money. Did you know Amazon Prime experienced an estimated $99 million loss because of a bit of downtime?
Well, if you are running a small business, you might not have those kinds of numbers yet. But, gaining is better than losing your potential earnings due to a problem that you can prevent.
If your website experiences downtime, you can quickly restore the backup and have your website back on track. After that, you can determine and fix the problem.
May it be a few minutes, hours, or days, a lost income is a massive blow to any business.
9. Strong Digital Security Measure
Every digital expert recommends and encourages website owners to back up their data. However, only a few look into it. Website backup is a versatile security measure. You have several options on how to backup your website. That’s why there is no excuse that you should not do it.
A backed-up website and data are one of the cornerstones of having strong digital security.
Be Prepared. Have a backup.
Experts do not fail to remind web owners and digital marketers to set up website backup for digital security. This security measure should not be overlooked. Blue Water Digital hopes that the information we shared convinces you to create an extra layer of safety for your website.
