How to Backup WordPress Website Updated 2023 Must Read Guide

Hey fam! Storytime: A few years back, I was on the brink of losing EVERYTHING on my WordPress site due to a gnarly server crash. Trust me, it was close to being a full-blown disaster. But, good news! I managed to get everything back to its shining glory. Today, I'm gonna spill all the tea on how to backup your WordPress website like a boss. This is the guide you never knew you needed until now!

Buckle up, guys and gals! We're diving deep into:

1. Why Backup? The Stats Don't Lie
2. Manual Backups: Roll Up Those Sleeves
3. Automated Backups: Get Techy with Plugins
4. Cloud Security: Picking Your Digital Fort Knox
5. Backup Schedules: When to Hit That Save Button
6. Backup Testing: Try Before You Buy (Into Disaster)
7. Smart Backups: LSI and NLP Style
8. Go The Extra Mile: Website Security

So, why should you even bother with backups? 'Cause stuff happens, peeps. We're talking server crashes, malware, hacker you name it.

"By failing to prepare, you're preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin

The WordPress Core Files

Okay, to manually backup the WordPress core files, you'll need access to your web hosting control panel, often known as cPanel.

1. Log into cPanel: Usually at yourdomain.com/cpanel
2. Navigate to File Manager: You can't miss it, trust me.
3. Select All Files: Look for the public_html folder and select every little thing.
4. Download as ZIP: It's gonna take some time, depending on your website size.

The WordPress Database

This is the treasure chest where all your website data and content lives.

1. Back to cPanel: You know where to go.
2. Head to PHPMyAdmin: It's usually under the "Databases" section.
3. Export the Database: Choose the "Export" tab, and follow the steps.

UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: The Showdown

My Go-To: UpdraftPlus

Your backups need a safe home. And nothing says safe and secure like cloud storage. Personally, I vouch for Google Drive. But there are other cool kids on the block like Dropbox and Amazon S3.

Timing is everything. For my site, which is updated weekly, I opt for weekly backups. Here's my advice:

• Daily Backups: If you're posting content like there's no tomorrow
• Weekly Backups: For the average Joe's and Jane's
• Monthly Backups: If your site is as static as a cardboard cutout of yourself

Don't let your backups gather digital dust. Test them! I made it a ritual to test my backups every month.

Your backups can be smart, like really smart, if you know what you're doing. I've dabbled in Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to make my backups smarter.

Last but not least, secure your site. I'm talking Wordfence, peeps.

Whew! That was a lot, but trust me, backing up your WordPress site is like insurance. You hope you never need it, but when you do, you'll be thankful you have it.