After an hour of driving through heavy traffic, you finally reached the gym. A quick change of clothes and you get on a treadmill to warm up. The problem is that the treadmill isn’t running properly.
The speed constantly varies, and you feel the belt slipping. The console doesn’t work, and the motor emits a nagging whirring sound.
Disappointed, you decide to take your workout to another gym. Disappointment turns to shock when you discover your $4,000 Breitling watch missing from your gym bag.
Someone from the gym had stolen your watch from your locker!
You report the incident to the gym manager.
“It’s bad enough that the equipment is run down, but your security measures are worse. The least you can do is assure members our valuables are safe!”
Would you go back to the gym – or cancel your membership? The experience will probably encourage you to cancel the membership and transfer to a gym with better facilities and tighter security.
Your customers will face the same question if they had a bad experience with your WordPress website.
Will they visit your website – or visit your competitor’s website?
How A WordPress Website Gets Worn Out
Choosing WordPress as your website platform is a step in the right direction. Of the 1.1 billion websites on the Internet, 472 million are powered by WordPress.
That’s 43% of all websites!
We’ve written an article on why WordPress is the number one website builder in the world.
However, number one doesn’t mean it’s perfect.
A website is a technological innovation built with parts, programs, and systems that enable it to perform various functions.
It’s a man-made machine. Like all machines, a website is subject to wear and tear.
On any given day, people land on your website. They’re accessing content, engaging with its CTAs, and fiddling with its features. Likewise, you’re uploading content, responding to comments, or finalizing transactions.
The busier your website gets, the faster it wears out. When a business grows, users demand more out of your website. It begins to run like a workhorse—24/7, 365 days a year, without rest.
It’s not just the website grind you have to keep pace with.
Improvements or upgrades in apps, software programs, and website platforms are intended to keep up with innovation.
Innovation is constantly moving forward. Software developers are striving to create programs that improve the performance and functionality of websites and apps to meet the ever-changing demands of consumers.
Then, there’s the matter of website security.
Cybercriminals are working tirelessly to gain advantages over cybersecurity experts in the fight for your website assets.
If your WordPress website’s security features aren’t updated, hackers can steal valuable assets, particularly confidential information, like candy from a baby.
In time, your website infrastructure won’t suffice to provide users with an excellent experience.
4 Risks Of Ignoring WordPress Website Updates
Software developers often release updated versions of their programs to enhance their functionality. Developers also recommend software patches to address potential vulnerabilities in the program, fix bugs, and close out security loopholes.
The good news is that WordPress websites notify you when updates for plugins, themes, and systems are available.
Don’t ignore them!
Ignoring WordPress updates can expose your website to various risks.
Let’s begin with the risk that carries serious – and expensive – consequences.
1. The Threat of Getting Hacked and Exposed to Other Forms of Cyber Attacks
Here are the latest statistics on hacking:
- 300,000 malware software are created daily.
- A cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds.
- 30,000 websites are attacked daily.
- Ransomware attacks happen every 11 seconds.
- It takes four months to contain the damage from a security breach.
If you think cyber criminals only target big corporations like Yahoo!, Facebook, and Sony… think again.
43% of cyber-attacks target small and medium-sized businesses.
Cybercriminals launch automatic scripts that scour the Internet for websites with vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities include outdated WordPress plugins, templates, and systems.
These programs are outdated, allowing malware to exploit them as entry points for websites.
What are the consequences of getting your website hacked?
- Customers who had their personal information stolen might initiate a class-action lawsuit for negligence.
- News travels fast online. Once word gets around that your website was hacked, your business reputation will be tarnished.
- Business closure! 60% of small businesses that get hacked shut down after six months.
It’s a good thing WordPress takes website security seriously.
All custom domains hosted on WordPress are automatically installed with a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate.
An SSL certificate is a program that encrypts data as it’s transmitted from browser to server.
WordPress also offers thousands of security plugins that are free and easy to install. Among the best free WP security plugins are Sucuri, WordFence Security, and All-In-One WP Security and Firewall.
Developers constantly improve their security plugins to stay ahead of hackers.
If you ignore updates, the security features of your plugins will be obsolete and easily bypassed by more advanced hacking software.
2. A Diminished Website Performance Will Negatively Impact User Experience
Unused plugins, outdated software programs, and a cache loaded with user data can significantly slow down your website.
A slow website will negatively impact User Experience (UX). Users expect websites to load in three seconds or faster.
A cache helps users access content faster, but if it gets overloaded with data, it will slow down website speed. Your website will also store cookies – small bits of code that collect user data.
Software updates and patches will regularly clean out your cache and delete unwanted cookies.
Outdated plugins can result in unexpected downtime.
For example, if you’re using an outdated contact form plugin that’s no longer compatible with your WP system, a user who accesses it will see only a blank screen.
The user might think you were hacked and forgo the transaction for safety reasons.
Plugin, system, and template updates also improve other key factors of UX such as mobile responsiveness, navigability, and browser compatibility.
You want to create a good first impression to all website visitors, especially first-timers.
Ignoring WordPress updates will do the opposite and inevitably, performance issues will result in the next risk…
3. Poor User Experience Will Compromise Your SEO Strategy
Google is big on UX.
If your website has slow-loading pages, inadequate security features, and problems with responsiveness, navigability, and compatibility, users will leave, and Google will take notice.
- Users can’t upload content fast enough.
- Links and CTA buttons aren’t functioning properly.
- Contact forms can’t be accessed.
- Users can’t view your web pages on their mobile phones.
- Images won’t load properly.
- Videos won’t play.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a process that utilizes various techniques and tactics to enhance – or optimize – the visibility of your website online.
A cornerstone of SEO is creating content optimized with high-ranking keywords, links, meta titles, and descriptive tags.
SEO is a lot of work but the effort is worth it because optimization helps drive traffic to your website, generate leads, and improve sales conversions.
You don’t want to disappoint visitors with a sub-par-performing website!
Your SEO strategy won’t deliver the desired results if you don’t institute updates on your WordPress website.
Worse, Google will penalize your website in the search rankings.
4. Drive Up Business Costs
According to a 2024 IBM report, the global average cost of getting hacked is $4.88 million. The figure represents a 10% increase from 2023.
You must be thinking:
“I’m just a small business owner. I earn less than $300,000 in annual sales. There’s no way I’m charged those expenses.”
The $4.88 million charge is broken down into the following items:
- Opportunity costs.
- Loss in customers.
- Payment of regulatory fines.
- Customer remediation efforts.
“Customer remediation efforts” refers to adjudication; a prelude to a possible lawsuit.
If customers find your offer for compensation unacceptable, their next step is to “see you in court.” For this reason, many businesses that get hacked shut down for good.
A poor-performing website will cost you income opportunities.
Earlier we mentioned that users are likely to abandon a search if a webpage takes longer than three seconds to load.
According to Google, the percentage of users who are likely to leave a slow-loading web page is 53%.
What are the other business consequences of a poor-performing website?
- Unfavorable brand perception.
- Higher cost for customer support services to handle complaints from frustrated users.
- Reduce engagement levels.
These consequences will collectively hurt your business brand and income opportunities.
Conclusion
The problem with convenience is that it’s often unappreciated. As a result, when plugin updates are available, they are ignored and set aside for another time.
Often, “another time” is forgotten.
Ignoring WordPress updates can harm your website because outdated plugins, programs, and templates will negatively impact its functionality and expose it to cyber-attacks.
When WordPress updates are available, act on them immediately. Updating software programs won’t take much time.
The few minutes spent updating plugins can protect your business and save you from the high costs of hacking and lost opportunities.
A smart approach is to sign up for professional WordPress maintenance services. You’ll be assured software programs and templates are regularly updated.
In addition, our monthly maintenance services can provide the following:
- Daily website backups.
- Database optimization.
- Spam cleanup.
- Email support.
- Uptime and security monitoring.
- Performance scans and optimization.
And more!
Choose a package that fits your budget and business needs. To learn more about our managed WordPress maintenance services contact us now.
