In the last quarter, we have been hard at work making sure all of the sites we maintain under our maintenance packages are running the same tech stack, security measures, and loading with well-optimized resources. In this article, we will go over each of the updates we have put in place.
Proactive Maintenance
Every site on our maintenance plans gets looked at every month to make sure it’s running as it should. We make sure everything is up to date and put a plan in place to resolve any fatal code issues or security vulnerabilities that present themselves during the monthly check.
Submitting Issues
We have updated our issue submission process to help decrease the time between when it was submitted and when we started work on it. With Marker.io as our tool of choice for issue reporting, submitting issues through your website is the most efficient way to get your website issue to us.
To start, simply log into your site and click on the “Submit an Issue” tab on the right side of your website. Below is a quick how-to video.
Security Updates
Firewall and DDoS Protection
We use Cloudflare’s secure firewall to protect our managed hosted sites from malicious traffic with IP-based protection. With the included DDoS protection, malicious attacks won’t bring down your site. Is your site currently infected? We also offer free malware cleanup!
Two-Factor Authentication
We have enforced our websites with extra layers of protection. We have enabled 2FA for logging in with our accounts and updating the default login URL, making it harder for hackers to get in. We recommend enabling 2FA for any accounts you have on your site.
Are you interested in enabling 2FA on your accounts? Reach out to your strategist to get started!
Tools
Performance
Performance starts with hosting. Your hosting plan with us comes with CDN by Cloudflare, Site Caching, and more. Helping your site be readily available to anyone at a moment’s notice.
WP Smush is available and installed on our maintained sites. We use its image optimization and lazy loading features to give us that last push of performance we need to make your website faster.
SEO
A well-oiled site is nothing without being able to be found. With Rank Math Pro we make sure each page is properly optimized for search engines. Handling sitemaps, page titles and descriptions, and Schema.
Spam
Included in our tech stack, we are using Akismet and Anti-spam Honeypot to help reduce spam entries in your online forms.
Issues vs. Enhancements vs. Content Updates
Issues
An issue on a website refers to any problem, error, or anomaly that affects the functionality, performance, or user experience. These issues can manifest in various forms, such as broken links, missing content, server errors, security vulnerabilities, or usability problems. Issues can occur for various reasons, including coding errors, compatibility issues with browsers or devices, server issues, or external factors such as cyberattacks or network failures.
Enhancements
Refers to a planned ad-hoc improvement or addition that aims to enhance the overall functionality, usability, or aesthetics of the site. Unlike issues, enhancements are proactive changes made to make the website better in some way. Enhancements can take the form of many shapes, including improving existing features, adding new features, and enhancing accessibility and usability.
Overall, enhancements are intended to evolve and improve the website over time, keeping it aligned with the user’s needs and the industry’s best practices. It plays a crucial part in maintaining the relevance, and effectiveness of the website.
Content Updates
Updating any existing content with content that someone else supplied. Also, note that content can be supplied by the client or developed as part of a separate content or SEO project.
Below are examples that help separate the three.
| Examples of Issues | Examples of Enhancements | Examples of Content Updates |
|---|---|---|
| Images not displaying properly or at all | Adding a blog to the website | Updating a paragraph on a blog post |
| Forms not submitting | Upgrading navigation to a Mega menu | Replacing the image on a page/post |
| Security vulnerabilities | Advanced search/filter | Adding a new Bio on the About page |
| Mobile responsiveness issues | eCommerce shop | Adding a new Product |
| Server errors | Creating a new contact form | Adding new events |
| Cross-browser compatibility issues | Newsletter Integration |
Conclusion
In conclusion, the last quarter has been a period of significant improvement in security and maintenance for our managed sites. We have created a standard tech stack, enhanced security protocols, and optimized your site to ensure peak performance and protection. Our proactive monthly maintenance checks, streamlined issue submission process, and robust security measures like Cloudflare’s firewall and two-factor authentication demonstrate our commitment to safeguarding and enhancing your websites.
Additionally, we’ve bolstered site performance with WP Smush for image optimization, and Rank Math Pro for SEO. Tools like Akismet and Anti-spam Honeypot further ensure a clean, spam-free user experience. We also clearly define issues, enhancements, and content updates, making sure the right person is working on it. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to continuous improvement and providing top-tier support for all your website needs.