HOW TO BACKUP A WORDPRESS SITE

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Ecommerce SEO Services and have developed comprehensive guidance on How to Backup Wordpress Site.

Backing up your WordPress site is one of the most important maintenance tasks you can perform. A backup acts as a safety net, allowing you to restore your website quickly if something goes wrong—whether it’s a server crash, a hack, or an accidental deletion. Without regular backups, you risk losing valuable content, customer data, and all the work that’s gone into building your online presence. This article explains how to back up your WordPress site safely, the different methods available, and why creating backups should be part of your regular website management routine.

Why backing up your WordPress site matters

Websites face several potential risks. Plugin conflicts, software updates, human error, or malware attacks can all cause data loss or downtime. A backup ensures that even if your site is compromised, you can restore it to a previous working version with minimal disruption.

For ecommerce sites, regular backups are especially vital. Losing transaction records, product listings, or customer details can harm your business financially and damage your reputation. Having a solid backup system gives you peace of mind and ensures business continuity.

What a WordPress backup includes

A full WordPress backup typically consists of two main parts:

  1. Website files: These include your WordPress core files, themes, plugins, and uploaded media such as images and documents.

  2. Database: This stores your posts, pages, comments, user information, and website settings.

Backing up both ensures you can completely restore your site if needed. Missing one of these components could result in a partial recovery or loss of important data.

How to back up a WordPress site

There are several ways to create backups, depending on your technical experience and hosting setup.

1. Using a WordPress backup plugin

The easiest way to back up your website is by using a plugin. There are many free and paid options available, each with different features. Popular backup plugins include UpdraftPlus, BackWPup, Duplicator, and Jetpack Backup.

Most plugins let you schedule automatic backups daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on how often your site is updated. They can also store backups remotely on cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3 for extra security.

To create a backup with a plugin:

  • Install and activate your chosen backup plugin through the WordPress dashboard.

  • Configure backup settings to include both files and databases.

  • Choose where to store your backup (local download or remote storage).

  • Run a test backup to ensure it completes successfully.

2. Backing up manually via your hosting control panel

If you prefer to do things manually, most web hosting providers allow you to back up your site using their control panel (such as cPanel or Plesk).

This method typically involves:

  • Logging into your hosting account.

  • Using the File Manager to download all your WordPress files (public_html or root directory).

  • Exporting your database via phpMyAdmin.

Once downloaded, store your files and database securely on your computer or an external drive. Manual backups take more time but give you complete control over the process.

3. Using automated hosting backups

Many managed WordPress hosts offer automatic daily backups as part of their hosting package. Providers like SiteGround, Kinsta, or WP Engine include backup tools that run in the background, keeping recent versions of your site safe.

With this option, you can usually restore your site with a single click if something goes wrong. However, it’s still recommended to occasionally download your own backups for extra protection in case of hosting issues.

Where to store WordPress backups

Storing backups in multiple locations is the best way to stay protected. Relying solely on your web server can be risky if it experiences downtime or data loss.

Common backup storage options include:

  • Cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive

  • External hard drives or USB storage

  • Secure offsite servers provided by your hosting company

Keeping several copies in different locations ensures you always have access to a safe version of your website.

How often you should back up your WordPress site

The frequency of backups depends on how often your site changes. A static brochure-style website might only need monthly backups, while an ecommerce store or blog that updates daily should back up every day.

As a general rule, always back up before performing major updates, installing new plugins, or making significant design changes. This ensures you can roll back easily if something goes wrong.

Testing your backups

Creating backups is only part of the process—you also need to test them. Occasionally restoring a backup to a staging site verifies that your files are complete and functioning correctly. This prevents surprises when you actually need to restore your live site.

Testing backups helps you identify corrupted files, incomplete databases, or configuration issues before they cause serious problems.

What to do if you need to restore your website

If your website crashes or becomes compromised, restoring from a backup is usually straightforward. Most plugins or hosting providers allow you to choose a saved backup and click “restore.” For manual backups, you’ll need to upload your files again via FTP and import your database through phpMyAdmin.

Once restored, test your site thoroughly to ensure everything functions correctly, including links, images, and checkout processes.

The role of backups in website SEO and performance

Backups indirectly support SEO by maintaining site stability and uptime. Websites that experience prolonged downtime or data loss risk losing rankings and user trust. A reliable backup process allows you to restore your site quickly, keeping your SEO performance consistent and preventing lost traffic.

Backups also allow for safer experimentation. You can confidently update plugins, redesign pages, or add new functionality knowing you can restore your previous version if needed.

How Lillian Purge helps businesses protect and optimise WordPress sites

At Lillian Purge, we go beyond SEO by helping businesses secure and maintain their WordPress websites. We assist with technical optimisation, site speed improvements, and backup systems that safeguard your online investment.

Our tailored SEO and website management strategies ensure your ecommerce site performs reliably, ranks well, and remains protected from downtime or data loss. With the right backup and optimisation plan in place, your business can focus on growth with confidence.

We have also written in depth articles on How Do I Change Font on Wordpress? and How to Change Wordpress URL as well as our Wordpress Hub to give you further guidance.