Maintaining a WordPress site for long-term security

Abstract

Over one-quarter of all sites are built on the WordPress platform. Development teams often plan detailed processes for a website build, without giving much thought to afterlaunch maintenance. The web build process represents only a small fraction of the life of a website. After-launch security and maintenance should be a top-of-mind focus from the outset. This paper examines: (1) steps to take at the outset of a digital project to position the website for long-term success; (2) how to maintain content and design consistency over the lifetime of a website; and (3) tips and tools to secure WordPress sites.