Updating your website can seem overwhelming but avoiding it is not the solution. Ensuring your website theme and plugins are up-to-date is so important in the current digital landscape and with the rise in malicious hackers. But, what happens if you don’t update your website theme?
By not updating your website theme you are making your website vulnerable to malicious malware attacks. This can result in your website being hacked. You also run the risk of damaging your online reputation by losing SEO rankings or breaking your website when software is not working properly.
Keep reading to find out more about the risks of not updating your website as well as how to update your website theme.
Updating your website regularly is an essential step of maintaining a well-managed website in the modern digital landscape. The importance goes above and beyond the aesthetic of the website and involves more technical aspects. Read on to learn the main reasons why it is important to complete website updates regularly.
Keeping your website up to date can help with your authority in your niche. In SEO, ensuring you provide the most useful and up-to-date content for your targeted keywords is important to maintain your rankings. If you consider it from a user perspective, by not providing them with the information they require, users will simply click off your site. This can result in Google dropping your rankings.
But it doesn’t stop there, by not updating your website or plugins regularly you can also experience technical issues such as slower site speed and even navigational problems. Site speed and navigation are also ranking factors that can impact whether a user stays on your site. Once again, risking decreasing your reputation in your industry and domain authority with Google.
For more information on the different Google ranking factors and how they can impact your online present or authority, take a read of our informative blog by clicking here.
Ensuring your website plugins and themes are kept up-to-date can also help with website security. Often, when updates for your theme are released it is to address new security threats and protect your website. Therefore, by not updating them regularly your website will be lacking the necessary software to fight off dangerous malware attacks.
In 2023, Securi research identified that 39.2% of CMS applications were outdated at the time of infection with malicious malware.
The research shows that there is a direct correlation between not completing a website update and being vulnerable to attacks online.
When your website theme is not kept up-to-date, it is more prone to technical issues and crashes. Updating a plugin or a theme can be done without too much technical skill and a little guidance, but as soon as a site breaks it can be a lot more complex. Often, these are the scenarios where you will require the expertise of a developer which can be costly. Consequently, keeping your website up-to-date can be the difference between having to hire an expert to restore your website.
Now that you know the importance of updating your website theme, there are certain risks you need to be aware of before you complete the update. To help you out, our technical team has detailed some of the most common risks.
Losing content when completing a website update can be quite common, depending on your CMS. What makes this worse is that often content is irretrievable which is detrimental to rankings and organic traffic. The best advice for avoiding this is to complete a backup of your site through your hosting and getting a good understanding of your CMS before you complete any update.
When processing a website update, you run the risk of the new software not being compatible with your CMS. Usually, this is because website themes and plugins are not always designed with the focus of being compatible with other themes or plugins. In worse case scenarios this can take your website down completely.
Making significant changes to your website can result in a drop in your SEO rankings. This is significant because SEO rankings are what help draw users to your site organically to help conversions. This is why a backup is always recommended when updating website themes and plugins.
Whilst we have discussed that not completing a website update can result in security risks, it is important to note that updates can still cause security risks. This is because updates can cause unforeseen issues with themes or plugins which leave gaps for malicious hackers to infiltrate.
At this point, you are well-versed on the risks of not updating your website as well as the risks of updating your website. Now it’s time to learn how you update your website theme safely. Read our useful guidance below.
Arguably, the most important step in updating your website theme is to complete a backup through your hosting service. This preparation step is essential in ensuring you don’t lose vital content and features of your website if something goes wrong. Usually, regular backups are included in your website hosting package and are automatic. But when you are completing something as risky as a website update we recommend you double check with your provider if a backup has been completed.
Automatic wordpress theme updates are a great option if you don’t want to worry about the risks mentioned above. Plus you don’t need to monitor if your website needs updating because it will just do it itself. It is important to highlight that to enable this feature, you will need WordPress 5.5 or above.
Follow the steps below to enable automatic wordpress theme updates.
It is important to note that if the website is not using a Child theme this might cause the loss of some custom-made changes to the theme files.
Typically when people download a website theme, they make customisations so that it suits their aesthetic and requirements. Due to this there are some more complex steps that you need to follow. Read on below to learn more.
As part of our service, we regularly educate clients on best practices to ensure your online presence is improving. This can include expanding your knowledge on website updates. Contact us today to discuss how we can work together to boost your online presence and maintain your rankings.
SEO Account Manager
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
PPC Team Leader
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Account Manager
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Account Manager. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
Senior SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
Senior SEO Executive
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
SEO Executive
Kezia joined us in July 2024 after completing a CIM Certificate in Digital Marketing and gaining experience in Content SEO at another Sheffield agency.
In her spare time, Kezia loves to get outdoors, bouldering, hiking and travelling.
SEO Executive
Amy joined Wildcat in 2024 with a background in journalism, having worked as a News Editor and Editor-in-Chief at The Sheffield Tab. She is naturally interested in Content SEO and research, so will no doubt prove to be a content power-house.
In her spare time, Amy loves watching crime shows, listening to music and hanging out with her dog, Eddie!
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