You’re thinking of building a website or having a site built for you. You’ve checked out a few website companies and compared features, ease of use, and cost. But what about what what happens after your website is up and running?
What are you doing to keep your website secure?
Recently, Google released a feature in their Chrome web browser letting visitors know whether a website is secure or not secure. This was a very bold move and at first may seem like Google was “sticking it” to webmasters, forcing them to purchase SSL certificates in order to keep their website from having the scarlet letters “Not secure”. However, the reality is that they want the website to be secure, not only for visitors coming to your website but for the benefit of your website as well.
Adding a SSL certificate to their website is something that we urge all of our clients to do. But what else do you need to do to your website to ensure it is secure?
If you have a computer or smart phone, you have periodically received an alert that there is a new software update that should be installed. And if you have implemented the update, occassionally you (or others you know) may have experienced bugs or glitches that hadn’t been worked out in the update. This can lead to malfunctions for your device and lots of frustration for you. The same can be true for websites and their software updates.
Unfortunately, there are people who find it fun, exciting, and sometimes profitable to hack into websites. And if your website is using old, outdated software, it makes it easier for them to hack your website. In fact, hackers target websites using old software with known security flaws. So it is crucial to make sure that your website’s software is current. This means making regular updates to the core software and plugins (apps) used on your website. The question is…
Do you want to be the one responsible for making all your website software updates every month?
Let me explain why you may not want to take on this task…
Sometimes after an update for core software or a plugin may seem like it went fine but later you find that it caused an issue with another part of your website. When this happens, it requires troubleshooting the site to determine the cause of the issue. After the root of the problem is discovered, contacting the software developer for each plugin is needed. Usually, there is some back-and-forth discussion with the developers and once a solution is found, the solution needs to be implemented, then tested. For our support and development team, this is just part of their day. However, for someone who isn’t very technical and doesn’t know website software well, this can seem overwhelming. And even if you are familiar with websites, this can be very time consuming.
This is why with all of our custom website design packages, we take care of updating all your website’s software for you. This is not only for the core software but we also update all the plugins that provide specific functionality to your site (image sliders, contact forms, shopping carts, photo albums, etc). In addition to performing the updates for you, we also resolve any issues that may occur as these updates are performed. We have researched and there are no other website companies that we have found (Christian or secular), that provide this level of service.
We do this because we want to help you achieve your mission online through a successful and secure website.
Have you run into issue when trying to do your websites software updates? Are there other areas that you found to need updating in order to keep your site secure? Post your comments and questions below.
If you are interested in talking with us about how we can build your website and keep it secure with monthly software updates, please contact us here.
President at OurChurch.Com
Mark has served as the President of OurChurch.Com since its founding in 1996, leading the Custom Website and Sales departments with dedication and expertise.
Over the years, he has managed hundreds of custom website, graphic design, and marketing projects for churches, non-profits, businesses, and schools.
Beyond his professional work, Mark is deeply committed to serving his community. He coordinates and packs over 700 meals each week for children through One Community Now’s Pack A Sack for Kids program, volunteers in the Children’s Ministry at Generations Christian Church, and participates in a weekly Bible study.
