Maintaining the latest version of WordPress ensures your site incorporates security enhancements, such as the cross-site scripting fix with version 3.3.1 and the editor-level access issue addressed with version 3.1.4. You can take advantage of new admin interface functionality, for example, the Media drag-and-drop uploader introduced with version 3.3. Plugin and theme updates likewise can include bug fixes, WordPress version compatibility updates, and new features.

Unless a WordPress theme developer manages your site’s updating process, you should make upgrading a habit. If you don’t login in periodically, you may wish to start doing so to check for alerts. You can also sign up for release notifications straight from WordPress.org. On the WordPress download page, submit your email address under “Release Notification” on the right side of the page.

Before Getting Started: Back Up

Before updating your WordPress version, remember to backup your site files and database. Regularly backing up is an excellent year-round practice and an important step in the updating process. Luckily, a plugin can handle the backup workload for you.

My backup plugin of choice is currently BackUpWordPress, which stores copies of your site files and database on your server. After installing the plugin, you can choose the schedule and the number of backups to store.

To perform an immediate backup before updating WordPress, click “Tools” in the left navigation and then “Backups” in the submenu. Now click the “Back Up Now” button at the top. The new backup will be stored on your server. If an error occurs during or after the WordPress update, you can always revert your site to a previous version.  Phew!

After Updating: Check Compatibility

Once you’ve followed the admin prompts and completed the WordPress version update, double-check your site. Is everything working correctly?

On rare occasions, an update will include code changes that conflict with the plugins installed on your site or with your theme. You can deactivate your plugins and then activate them one-by-one to discover which is the culprit. If no update to that plugin is available, you can search for an alternative plugin which provides the same functionality. If your theme is causing the problem, you should contact the author for an update.

Conclusion

Keeping WordPress running smoothly means keeping it updated. With its persistent reminders, automated update process, and tools like BackUpWordPress, this process is fortunately painless.

May all your updates be fast and error free!

I realized there was good reason to keep site security in mind. As mentioned in an earlier security post, WordPress powers almost 15% of all websites and presents a large target for hackers and malicious scripts. Relying on the default installation without keeping it updated and protected is akin to running a PC without virus software. You may be asking for it.

Customizing your site’s .htaccess files is an excellent way to bar your site against malevolent activity. Jeff Starr, site security expert from Perishable Press, released a new version of his “G” firewall last week. Dubbed the 5G Blacklist/Firewall, this code is a strong and useful security aid for websites running on Apache. (Apache is the most popular server software; check with your host to confirm its use.)

Adding the 5G Blacklist to your .htaccess file can help your site deliver resources more efficiently.  The editing process need not be intimidating to those without a technical background. Simply connect to your host with your favorite FTP program, and browse to your site’s root directory. If you do not see an .htaccess file in the list, you may need to alter your program’s view options to “View Hidden Files,” or you may need to start and upload a new blank .htaccess file (You can use a simple text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit).

Once you’ve opened the .htaccess file on your server, paste Jeff Starr’s firewall code after any other text. Save and close.

You’re almost done! Open your site, and check that all the pages are loading and functionality is working as expected. If anything is awry, remove the 5G code from the .htaccess file. As described in Starr’s post, try removing sections of the code to determine which portion conflicts with your site. You can comment out the problem lines with # signs. The ammended .htaccess file will continue to protect your site.

With little effort you can safeguard your site against unauthorized access. As the weeks pass without incident, you’ll feel grateful you took the few extra security-minded moves.

What are some of your favorite mailings, given or received? The creation process this year helped me forge one resolution at least. Schedule time for mailings as actual projects; doing so will help prevent any stressful nights. Treat yourself at least as well as your clients.

Happy 2012 everyone!

By implementing the strategies outlined below, WordPress site owners can empower themselves and protect their sites beyond the default settings. Owners can successfully minimize their security risks and continue to enjoy the many benefits of the platform.

1. Select or Move to a Reliable Host

Setting up a well-protected site starts with choosing a high quality host. Reliable hosts will constantly monitor their servers for attacks or issues, update their software on a regular basis, and assign your files the most secure permission settings possible. Ask your colleagues about their host experiences. (My host of choice is currently HostGator. I’ve also heard positive reviews of Bluehost, Media Temple, and Laughing Squid.)

Once you’ve compiled a list of recommended hosts, check for must-have features such as: 24-hour phone support (without long hold times), weekly offsite backups, site restoration service, and recent versions of Apache, PHP, and MySQL. Grill your possible hosts about their features, and choose the one you feel most comfortable with.

2. Ask for Theme Security Add-Ons

If buying a custom theme, request that the authoring company complete some extra security-minded steps. Beyond setting up your security keys, developers can: customize the admin username, remove the WordPress version number from public files, define a unique database prefix, and add restrictions to your .htaccess files.

When browsing for a free WordPress theme on the web, be careful in your selection. Ensure your theme is malware-free by choosing one from the WordPress Themes Directory.

3. Choose Safe Plugins

When searching for a plugin, select one from the WordPress Plugin Directory. The plugin detail page should thoroughly describe the functionality. In the sidebar, you’ll find WordPress version compatibility information, when the plugin was last updated (hopefully in the past year), a community star rating (ideally 4 or more), and recent support posts. This information should help you contrast plugins and decide which is the most sound.

In his screencast “WordPress 3: Developing Secure Sites,” Web Designer and Developer Jeff Starr suggests installing several plugins for stronger WordPress site security. These include: Akismet, Login Lock, WordPress File Monitor, WordPress Firewall 2, Exploit Scanner, and WP Security Scan. By adding these plugins, you can increase your site security with little effort.

4. Update All Your WordPress Files

Every few weeks, you will notice an alert in the admin interface urging you to update your WordPress version. This alert is generated when WordPress.org releases a new version of its software. Keeping WordPress updated ensures your site takes advantage of the latest core security enhancements. Plugins similarly will alert you when new versions are available. You should regularly update your WordPress version, plugins, and theme.

If you’ve purchased a custom theme, check back with the development company every six months or so for security enhancements.

Before performing any updates, remember to backup your site. Also make sure your theme and plugins work with the new WordPress version. You may need to check with your development company to confirm theme compatibility. The plugin compatibility information is displayed when you click on Updates in left nav under Dashboard.

5. Use Strong Passwords

Creating long, varied, and complex passwords seems a hassle, but they add an extra layer of protection to your admin interface. Passwords should be unique to users and programs, and they should be changed frequently. Strong passwords include a combination of numbers, characters, and upper and lowercase letters.

Once you’ve completed the steps outlined above, you’ll feel confident knowing you’ve armed your site against potential threats. You can return to creating valuable content for the people you truly care about – your target audience and legitimate site visitors.

1. Uses Previously-Dominant Development Techniques

The majority of websites built within the last few years are developed with HTML, CSS, and a content management system (CMS). Flash, while a popular choice for entertainment and automobile sites, has lost favor due to conflicts with search engine optimization (SEO), iPhones/iPads display, and overall site load time. A CMS is an extremely valuable modern feature, allowing site owners who lack coding knowledge to update content and regularly communicate with customers.

Most contemporary websites target a 1024×768 pixel screen resolution or contract/expand depending on the browser’s width. If your site was formatted for a 800×600 screen resolution (or less) and set at a fixed width, it appears instantly older to your audience.

2. Doesn’t Reflect Your Business

Has your business evolved, yet your site remains stagnant? If your website hasn’t been updated in over a year, it probably does not accurately portray your company. Perhaps you are able to update the text via a CMS, but the overall design suggests an old version of your business. Design appeal and the timeliness of your content directly impact visitors’ perception of your company.

Opting for a site template instead of an original design can negatively affect your company’s branding. Instead of presenting the unique aspects of your business within a custom design, your site becomes one of many with a duplicate look & feel.

3. Suffers from Low Traffic

Assuming you have analytics software installed on your site, you can check stats such as traffic, bounce rate, and return visitors. Low traffic is an important alarm because it suggests poor content, stale design, and/or improper SEO. Does your site content give visitors a reason to share it? Are the pages search-engine friendly? A thorough audit of your site and a survey of your customers should reveal the specific factors contributing to low traffic and corresponding remedies.

Conclusion

Remaining cognizant of these three indicators and your site’s condition will empower your online marketing efforts. By optimizing your website for the future and completing an overhaul when necessary, you site will serve as an ongoing vital asset to your company.

Digital technology supports communication with varied response times, which promotes an “always-on” mentality. Constantly pinged by email, social networks, and texts, many people habitually check their computers and mobile devices for updates. Rushkoff challenged us: “Do not be always on.”

He suggested: “Live in person.” Online communication is beneficial for people geographically distant but not for people in the same building. If you are texting someone in the same room, you are missing non-verbal cues which add depth to your exchange and enable you to better relate.

“You are never completely right.” The internet encourages oversimplification. People share opinions without much knowledge or research of their topic. Users often post Facebook and Twitter updates, for example, with strong conviction but without real expertise.

Rushkoff stressed his most important principle: “Program or be programmed.” Every digital tool we use has a purpose that may not align with our goals. Some people assume the purpose of Facebook, for example, is to help users make friends. In reality, Facebook’s agenda is to profit from our social activity by selling our data to marketers and weaving ads into the interface. The Facebook user is the product.

Without awareness of digital technology’s biases, we are not using the medium most advantageously and may be enjoying a lesser quality of life. The best defense, Rushkoff asserted, is to actively construct the tools we use in our daily online activities. Programming should be a basic literacy skill of the 21st century, so we can provide alternatives to the tools created by for-profit corporations. Rushkoff argued, “If you are not making the program, then you are living the program. If you are not using the technology, then the technology is using you.”

At the very least, we should understand the inherent characteristics of the online environment. We can then consciously decide when to use the technology and how our goals can best be served.

For the full inspiring keynote and complete list of biases, watch the below video.

Level 5 Leadership and the Hedgehog Concept intrigued me the most.

Level 5 Leadership

Level 5 Leadership proved to be the most important factor and a prerequisite before the others could take maximum effect. You might expect the leader of a long-successful business to possess an outgoing personality and to take full ownership of his company’s successes; however, Collins discovered these leaders are more likely to be extremely humble, often shy, and to attribute their professional successes to the efforts of those around them. One indicator of Level 5 Leadership is whether the CEO sets the company up for long-term success. Is the company mission greater than the leader’s ego? Does he/she instill a system which breeds success and choose an appropriate successor? A non-Level 5 Leader might view the company’s decline after his/her departure as the ultimate testament to his/her importance.

Steve Jobs immediately came to my mind while reading the Level 5 chapter. I wonder whether Apple will continue to be successful after Jobs ultimately resigns. I ponder the leadership style of Tim Cook, currently in charge of day-to-day operations. How humble is Jobs, and has he set Apple up to be successful with Cook?

The Hedgehog Concept

In addition to displaying Level 5 Leadership, all 11 companies saw through the clutter of everyday business details, recognized simple patterns, and clarified an uncomplicated but powerful truth. This truth, or Hedgehog Concept, guided and informed all their professional decisions. The formation of the Hedgehog Concept, according to Collins, stems from three areas of understanding: 1) what you can be the best in the world at 2) which activities will generate great profits, and 3) what you are passionate about. If your business meets two of these criteria, you may be able to produce good results, but probably not great and sustained results.

Collins describes Walgreens’ Hedgehog Concept as an example. Walgreens strives to operate “the best, most convenient drugstores with high profit per customer visit.” The proliferation of Walgreens on corner lots illustrates this quest for convenience. The company would not hesitate to close a profitable store in order to open another situated half a block down on a corner lot. The new store is easier for customers to access and so aligns with Walgreen’s guiding concept.

Business decisions are easier for Good to Great companies. If a “strategic” move does not fit within its Hedgehog Concept, the company knows to refuse and focus on its simple mission. Without a Hedgehog Concept for reference, a business can make poor, costly decisions. Collins illustrates the ramifications of a missing Hedgehog concept with Walgreen’s competitor, Eckerd. When Eckerd purchased American Home Video Corporation in the early 1980s, the drugstore moved into the home video market. The company hoped the new line of business, still in its infancy, would generate great profits. Eckerd ultimately regretted their decision, however, and sold the company at a 31 million dollar loss. In 2007, Rite Aid acquired Eckerd.

Conclusion

This book has provided me with a new way of looking at companies and evaluating their chances of long-term success. The theories, all of which are worth reading about, can be applied at the small business level and guide one’s own business decisions. Before making a decision, you may ask yourself — is this simply serving my ego, or is it for the betterment of the company? Am I lunging at new ways of generating revenue for revenue’s sake?

If you are a Level 5 Leader with a Hedgehog Concept, you may not need to ask these questions. But it’s a good place to start.