WordPress has gained so much popularity till now empowering almost 40% of the websites currently, you see on the internet. Even businessmen prefer to start their journey with this robust content management system. With such a large consumer base around the globe, security is always a major issue, if not treated with the right approach.

Just like any other software or system that you use, WordPress also has its pros and cons. You may not notice them within a few days of using it, but as your blog starts growing and handling thousands of organic visitors daily, you will notice them for sure.

Importance of WordPress blog security

Popular brands and professionals using WordPress for their business are frequently targeted by third parties. To get unethical access to the whole website, alter the files and contents of a website, or even shut down a website completely. Security measures are mandatory to keep your WordPress blog safe from potential threats. Whether it is securing your login page or filling the potential loopholes, we suggest doing everything that you can.

Thankfully you can follow some simple guidelines to keep yourself safe from such problems that we are going to discuss in this article. So what kind of safety measures are required for keeping your beloved site safe from hackers, crackers, and stalkers? Which precautionary actions you should take to avoid such possible threats that can ruin your online presence? Let’s find out!

How to keep your WordPress blog safe and secure?

1. Regular backups to avoid data loss

Anything is possible when it comes to the online world, it includes the security of your WordPress site and its data. Completly losing access to your site and its data is the worst possible thing for anyone. Whatever the reason, you should prepare yourself for such occasions to make sure your business/blog doesn’t get off track. Regular backups of your WordPress site and its contents are suggested to avoid such issues.

2. Avoid using nulled themes and plugins

Many new bloggers try to save their money in the beginning by using nulled themes and plugins that are available on the internet. As these pirated copies are distributed by third-party sites on the internet, there’s a high possibility that they contain malware and viruses.

You may think it’s working properly while using it for a few days, But without even letting you know, the malware and viruses combined with them can ruin your site. Transferring the site access to someone else, leaving nothing for you. Instead, go through our handpicked selection of professional WordPress themes to choose the best one.

3. Update your WordPress regularly

WordPress is an open-source platform managed by people worldwide. They keep searching for loopholes and bugs in the system in order to keep the platform away from possible threats. And when they do find something suspicious, an updated version of WordPress is published to remove such problems. So we highly recommend only using the latest version of WordPress. Simply check your current version and update it manually if required.

4. Choose a powerful and secure hosting provider

The majority of beginners get attracted to cheap hosting providers who don’t guarantee security nor performance. So choosing the perfect hosting service provider is essential. Because keeping your website files secure and safe with extra protection from hosting service is a necessity.

Whereas, Companies that provide multiple layers of encryption with additional security features are more preferable to secure your WordPress site. Not to mention Bluehost is among the best hosting providers in the market that you can choose.

5. Using SSL encryption

The internet protocols are easy to play with if you have enough knowledge to do it. So using the outdated and simple HTTP ( hypertext transfer protocol )  is not advisable. Because even Google suggests you use HTTPS encryption. So you can provide a secure environment to your visitors. The SSL certificates are easy to install. And if you’ve chosen a quality hosting service they will provide SSL security for free in most cases.

6. Changin wp-login URL for better security

By default, WordPress uses the “example.com/wp-admin” URL to allow the admin and users to log in securely. Unfortunately, this isn’t completely safe, even if you’re using a  strong password, hackers can brute force your username and password to gain unethical access to the site.

To avoid such future problems, we suggest you change the login URL of your site to something unique or difficult. Because it will also protect you from spam requests if your site allows the readers to sign up for the newsletter. Simply download a Plugin to change the WordPress URL quickly.

7. Optimize a firewall

Firewalls are found commonly in computer systems and other online services. Comparatively providing an extra layer of security to any service/device, reducing the chances of hacking by someone. You can use the same tactic for your WordPress site with a web-based firewall or install a stronger one on your hosting computer. For the time being, we suggest installing a security plugin that also offers firewall security.

8. Upgrade to two-factor authentication

Normally username and passwords are enough to log in to your WordPress dashboard. However, relying only on username and password can cause you trouble in the future. As spammers can spam your registration page easily because of the lack of human verification. It’s better to upgrade your site security by enabling two-factor authentication on the login and registration sections. You can either use the captcha service from Google or install a plugin to do the work for you.

9. Limit login attempts & use a strong password

By default, there’s no limit to how many times you can attempt to log in after entering a wrong password. It can be useful when you start using WordPress in an earlier stage to try multiple times in case you forget your password.

Unfortunately, it also allows hackers to brute force your login credentials and gets unauthorized access easily. To limit your login attempts, we recommend installing a plugin to do so. Additionally try to choose a strong password with a combination of, upper/lower case letters, special symbols, and numbers to make it hard for others to guess it.

Wrapping up

Nobody would like their site to get stolen, after spending a decent amount of time, and money. That you invest to make the WordPress site reach a better level and compete with others. Acting recklessly and not taking the necessary safety measures can result in losing your website.

Especially if you are a new blogger who is just starting the blogging journey, we highly recommend following the methods that are already present in this article. So you do not have to worry about the security of your WordPress blog. Do share this useful info with others and let us know if you have any confusion regarding anything.