The Importance of Backing Up Your Website Data

Your website is often the first point of contact between you and your customers, and it’s a 24/7 shop window into your business. But what happens if something goes wrong with your website? What if you experience a technical glitch or your site is hacked? You’ll lose valuable customers and orders. This is where having a backup comes in handy.

What is a website backup? 

Everyone knows the importance of backing up their computer files, but they don’t think about the need to back up their website in the same way. Many things— accidental and intentional — can destroy all the hard work you’ve invested in your site. Whether it’s a server malfunction, malware attack, unreliable web host, or undisclosed development bug you didn’t know about–if you don’t safeguard your precious data, then recovery will be all but impossible. Simply put, a website backup is the best way to prevent you from losing your site and data in case of a disaster.  

Recovery From Human Errors

We all make mistakes from time to time. Someone could click the wrong button, delete a necessary file, and the next thing you know, your site’s broken. Most companies believe their hosting provider automatically protects them when these things happen, but many providers don’t perform regular backups unless you have a support plan. So you’re left wondering what the next step is. 

That’s why it’s essential to have a backup plan in place to recover from accidental deletions or other human errors. With a backup copy of your website data, you can quickly and easily restore your website to its previous state.

Cyber attacks 

Businesses of all sizes face a growing concern: cyber attacks. 

After cyber attacks, you can suffer from data loss, leaving you unable to run your business, and this can cause you a loss of revenue and credibility with your customers.  

While this can be devastating, website backup services provide businesses with a way to protect their data and recover quickly after an attack. If you have a backup ready, you can reduce your downtime and promptly return your website to its original state – without hours or days of expensive manual labour or hardware repair work. 

Hardware failures 

Hardware malfunctions and failures can happen anytime, so a reliable backup recovery process is essential for keeping your website running smoothly. 

You can take steps to reduce the risk of hardware failures, such as monitoring and maintenance, but they can still happen. So a backup is often the most reliable way to recover from these frustrations if they occur. 

Make sure you don’t store all your copies on the same hardware. To cover all your bases, consider making at least three website copies: one that’s off-site and maintained by a reputable vendor, one on your local machine or external drive, and one on the live site itself.

Comply With Data Retention Regulations

Many businesses are required to comply with data retention regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These regulations require companies to keep copies of their customer data for specific periods, usually between six months and seven years. Backing up your website data helps ensure that you have a complete customer data record and can meet these regulatory requirements. 

It makes it easier to switch web hosts. 

Switching web hosts may be necessary for various reasons, but the process can cause a few headaches. In some cases, website migration is a straightforward task that involves moving files and databases from one server to another. It sounds easy enough, but unfortunately, things can often go wrong. One of the surest ways to protect yourself when changing web hosts is to request a full website backup from your previous provider before moving over to your new hosting provider.

Finally 

Talk to your hosting provider about your website backups and how they can help you. At CWCS, we offer website backups as part of our supreme support packages. To find out more, get in touch with a member of our team. Our experts are always happy to help you choose the right solution.