What a good Webmaster does and why you should do-it-yourself

If you have a website created by a professional developer they will often play the role of webmaster temporarily, but once the site is finished the work is not done.

With a dynamic system like WordPress there’s a surprising amount of things that need to be maintained and looked after.

In short, web development is not webmastering!

There’s benefit to doing it yourself as it gives you more control and puts you in touch with things that can help keep your site safe, secure and continue to play friendly with Google and other search engines. Not to mention saving you money!

What a good Webmaster does

1. Submit your site to Webmaster tools

Google will index your website regardless but this gives you an extra level of control over what shows up and allows you to check on any potential problems. Learn how to verify your site and submit a sitemap.

2. Install Google Analytics

If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.

Learn how to setup Google Analytics for WordPress.

3. Setup a regular backup schedule

This is the most important security measure for your site as it allows you to retrieve your latest backup should anything go wrong. Set up a free backups system for WordPress.

4. Updating and checking plugin compatibility

As the WordPress core software is updated and new features added, well maintained plugins will evolve with it. This is generally good for security and speed, but you should be aware of some of the potential problems. Learn more about updating WordPress plugins and themes.

5. Keep passwords secure and organized

Having a place to keep all your passwords and login details is very important. I recommend secure text documents and Firefox’s excellent secure login add-on for quick access. Learn how to manage your passwords.

6. Implement security measures

Keeping your site secure from hackers and spam is important for your ranking as well as visitor experience. Learn more about WordPress security.

7. Monitor website uptime

This free tool will alert you within 5 minutes of a problem being detected with your website. This means you can respond and get the help you need in time to save major dramas.

8. Renew domains and hosting accounts

To make sure you never miss a domain or hosting renewal I recommend the following strategies:

• Use the one email address (Gmail is good) for all your accounts
• Check this email address often

9. Optimize your site for speed

Site speed is important for SEO and site ranking as well as for a pleasant user experience. Everyone likes a fast website! Learn how to make WordPress faster.

10. Update content and provide training

Making changes to content is also a part of a webmasters role. They should also help the end user learn to use the platform. That’s what this site is for! 🙂

Keeping your site maintained is easy once you have systems in place and as a website owner it’s empowering to know the details are being looked after.

Have questions? Something we’ve missed? Let us know in the comments.

photo credit: [martin] via photopin cc