Features To Look For In a Backup WordPress Plugin
You have a WordPress site, and you're considering a backup WordPress plugin. You've finally decided that it's a good idea to backup your WordPress blog. Now if anything goes wrong you have a copy somewhere at least you can put somewhere else.
But what features should you look for in a WordPress backup plugin?
I've seen many plugins that overload you with features. Tell you it'll backup to Amazon S3, that it will backup to Rackspace, they add all kinds of features. But do you need all these features or do you just need a backup plugin that simply works?
Backup WordPress Plugin Requirements
If you are looking for a backup plugin, here are a few things to consider. Find a company that's got a good reputation in the market and is reliable, with good support. You want them to be around next year in case you have problems.
You may want automation and the ability to backup away from your website. One of my clients had her entire site wiped. If this happens to you and you store backups on your site, you've lost all your backups.
Find one that is easy to use. Some backup plugins require a detailed knowledge of WordPress's database structure and organisation. What's the point in having the best backup plugin in the world if you can't use it, if you don't know what to do?
If you can't find a backup plugin where you can just click on one button then it's useless to you. When you're looking for a backup solution look for those that show screen shots or videos of it in action. Do you have to go through a ten step process, do you have to confirm every step of the way, or can you click on one button and now your WordPress blog is safely backed up?
Finally, pick one that can restore your site somewhere else if you have to.
Backup Frequency
How often should you back up your site? Realise that you're not going to just make one backup of your site and not use it ever again. You should take a backup of your site at least once a month, if not several times a month, and it shouldn't be a chore. It should be something where you go in, you click a button and now you have a copy. Make sure your backup plugin is easy to use.
Can It Restore?
Next, make sure that your backup can actually restore. It sounds silly for me to say that your backup plugin should also restore. But you'd be surprised at how many WordPress plugins simply don't work or are out of date. What you should do is install a backup plugin and immediately take a backup. Then go and install a new blog and see if you can restore that same blog somewhere else.
You'd be surprised at how many backup plugins won't restore. You might be backing up your site every month but if something goes wrong you're in the same situation as if you had not made a backup. Check your backups complete successfully by restoring to a test site.
Can It Clone Your Site?
Your backup plugin should also have the ability to clone your site somewhere else. What's the difference between restoring and cloning? Cloning means that you can backup your site on one location and go to a different website or a different folder and put your site in that new place. All the links, all the information, everything will work just fine.
Why is cloning so important? Because if you want to restore a site you might want to restore it in a different location first just to make sure you don't destroy your original backup, your original site.
Once you can clone sites it means that if you have your site set up exactly the way you want it you can customise your theme, plugins, settings, memberships, all that stuff. Back it up and restore it or clone it in a new location and now you have saved tons of time for yourself.
Backup WordPress Plugin Requirements Summary
When you're looking for a backup WordPress plugin make sure it's one that's easy to use which means clicking one button - or get one that's automatic. In that way your backups can successfully restore and that you've cloned these sites onto other locations.
Buy it from a reputable company that can provide support if you need it.
If you'd like to chat about your specific WordPress backup requirements, contact me via this contact form: Contact Alun
