Why Every Freelance Developer Should Have a Solid Backup Strategy

As a freelance web developer since 1995, I’d like to share several reasons why having a sound backup strategy is critical for anyone who is serious about web site development with WordPress. WordPress Does Not Have a Built-in Backup It amazes me how many newcomers to the wonderful world of WordPress take this for granted.

As a freelance web developer since 1995, I’d like to share several reasons why having a sound backup strategy is critical for anyone who is serious about web site development with WordPress. 2

WordPress Does Not Have a Built-in Backup

It amazes me how many newcomers to the wonderful world of WordPress take this for granted. Or, they think their web host will handle this for them. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. Few hosts will guarantee a backup. And since WordPress does not include this function out of the box, you’d better get smart on what’s available for you to use. 3

Servers #fail

Eventually web servers will fail. They’re a lot like your high school girlfriend (or boyfriend). Things might be going ok right now, but more than likely, sooner or later, they’re going to let you down. You may never experience the kick-in-the-gut of a catastrophic server crash, but most of us will have to deal with corrupt files or tables at some point. And when – not if – it happens to you, having a good recent backup makes all the difference! 4

Clients

The first rule of client entropy states: “Never underestimate the ability of the client to discover new and creative ways to mess up his web site.” Many clients have the “What does this button do syndrome.” They are infamous for uninstalling plugins that conflict, deleting theme files, or inserting their own creative php code. The list goes on. The worst clients are the ones who think they know everything after they watched an 8 minute WordPress overview video on YouTube. The second rule of client entropy states: “If you work with clients, you better have a backup.” hacked-new

Hackers

Hackers are often as bad as clients. Yes, WordPress is very secure if you keep your core files and plugins up to date. But hackers are persistent and motivated. One Monday morning a couple of years back, I woke up to an early morning client call when he found hacker graffiti on his web site. Thankfully, I had a backup and he was up again 5 minutes later. A good rule of thumb is that if your web site is on the Internet, you’d better have a backup. 6

I’ve heard that sometimes even we make mistakes.

If you work with web sites and you are a human, you need a good backup. Not long ago, I was in the process of converting a single WordPress site into a multisite. Somewhere along the way, I messed something up. Because I was backed up, I was able to restore in a couple of minutes and be back on track.

Why BackupBuddy?

BackupBuddy is the ideal solution for freelancers searching for a solid backup strategy. It’s compatible with most web hosts. It offers a developer license for use on unlimited sites. And it is backed by a stellar technical support team. bb-freelancers150
Check out all of the BackupBuddy for Freelancers posts for more tips for client work and speeding up your WordPress development workflow with BackupBuddy.

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