How to Successfully Backup Your WordPress Website: Manually or With Plugin?

Do you regularly back up a WordPress site to protect against the possibility of data loss and to ensure the ability to recover and restore your website? Whether your answer is yes, or no, keep reading! We have all the answers to your questions!

How much time, money, and effort have you put into your website? One technical failure, hacking attempt, human error, or software issue, and WHOOPS: it can lead to the loss of all your hard work and resources.
Studies show that over 60% of small businesses face a critical data loss within the first six months. On the other hand, 84% of companies faced IT-related issues which took longer than an hour. Backup in WordPress has become a critical step for your website’s protection and data security.

Whether it is for recovery from technical issues, content restoration, migration and development, compliance, legal requirements, or other reasons, backup in WordPress is a powerful tool to restore your website to its previous working state. It will ensure minimal downtime and reduces the impact on your business or online presence.
Do your businesses rely on a website for revenue or customer engagement? Maintaining WordPress full backups is crucial for business continuity. However, saying you have a backup in WordPress alone is not the main action. First, you should choose the best way to back up a WordPress site!

Manual Website Backups vs. Plugin Backups: Pros and Cons

“How to backup a WordPress site” has over 1900 search volume on Google. While the growth of technology offers more advanced plugins with better features, two primary methods (manual backup and plugin backup) are still on top. Many professionals prefer manual backups for greater control and customization.

Let’s have a more general look:

Performing a Manual Backup on WordPress

Pros:

• Control: Manual backups give complete control over the backup process. You can choose what files and databases to include, where to store them, and when to perform the backups.
• Independence: Manual backups are not reliant on third-party plugins, reducing the risk of compatibility issues or reliance on plugin developers’ support.
• Customization: Manual backups provide customization options, such as specifying backup intervals, selecting specific directories or files to include/exclude, and setting up backup compression or encryption.

Cons:

• Time-consuming: Manual backups require more time and effort, as you need to perform the backup process manually, including gathering and copying files, exporting databases, and storing them securely.
• Human error: Since manual backups depend on human intervention, errors’ possibility is high.
• Inconsistent scheduling: It is challenging to maintain a consistent backup schedule manually. It will increase the risk of missing backups or performing them infrequently.

Using Plugins for Site and Database Backup

 Pros:

• Convenience: A backup of a WordPress site with plugins provides an automated and user-friendly interface, simplifying the process. Once configured, you can schedule backups to run automatically at specified intervals.
• Ease of use: Advanced plugins are user-friendly and offer one-click backup and restore options. You don’t need technical expertise to perform backups or manage the backup settings.
• Additional features: Many backup plugins offer advanced features, like incremental backups, remote storage integration, and migration tools to move websites between hosts.

Cons:

• Plugin dependency: Relying on backup plugins means your backup process depends on the plugin’s reliability, compatibility with your website platform, and ongoing plugin updates and support. You should find a reliable plugin to ensure your website’s and data safety.
• Compatibility issues: Some backup plugins may conflict with other plugins or themes on your website, leading to compatibility, performance issues, or even website downtime.

Manual Steps for Backing Up Your WordPress Site

Here is a  comprehensive overview of the general process for backing up a WordPress website manually. However, the steps may vary based on different factors and personal preferences:

1. Connect to your web server and get access to your WordPress files.
2. Navigate to the “public_html” or “www” folder.
3. Select all the files in your WordPress installation and create a backup by downloading them to your local computer
4. Access your hosting control panel and locate the phpMyAdmin tool. 
5. After Opening it, select your WordPress database. Click on the “Export” option, choose the appropriate settings, and export the database as an SQL file.
6. Within the “wp-content” folder, locate and copy the “uploads” directory. 
7. Store your backups securely.

Make sure to test your backup to ensure its functionality.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Website Backup Using Plugins (p.s. Transferito)

Different backup plugins for WordPress can offer varying functionalities and backup methods. They may differ in terms of features, backup options, and storage destinations. 

1. If you don’t have an account, click on the “Sign Up” button and fill in the required information to create a new account. If you already have an account, simply log in using your credentials.
2. Once you’re logged in, click on the “Create New Job” button to start the backup process.
3.  In the backup job creation form, you’ll need to provide the necessary details of the website you want to back up. This typically includes the website URL, FTP/SFTP details, or database connection information.
4. Transferito offers various backup options. Choose the backup type you prefer, such as full website backup, database backup, or selective file backup.
5. Customize the backup settings based on your requirements. You can set the backup frequency (daily, weekly, monthly).
6. Select the storage location where you want to store your backups. Transferito provides options like cloud storage (Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, etc.) or remote FTP/SFTP servers.
7. Double-check all the settings you have chosen. Make sure the website details, backup options, settings, and destination storage are correct. If everything looks good, click on the “Start Backup” or “Confirm” button to initiate the backup process.
8. Monitor the status and progress through the website’s dashboard or receive notifications via email.

After the backup process completes, you can access your backups through Transferito’s dashboard. The tool allows you to easily restore from the stored backups.

Conclusion

If you are looking for all-in-one wp migration and want to enjoy all the benefits of manual and plugin backups, Transferito is what you need. It offers a reliable backup process, ensuring reliability, convenience, and enhanced security for website owners. 

The tool allows you to retain multiple versions of your backups. No matter if it is due to an accidental deletion, data corruption, or a website malfunction, its features enable you to get back to a specific point. Accessing multiple backup versions enhances flexibility and provides a safety net for your website.

With Transferrtio, you can leave behind the challenges of manual backups and at the same time, enjoy all the benefits. It offers a user-friendly interface that makes the backup process intuitive and accessible, even for users with limited technical expertise. The platform provides instructions, prompts, and guidance, making it easy for website owners to manage their backups effectively.