Every business website should have automated daily backups stored off-server — and your hosting provider's backup is not a substitute for your own independent one. When a site gets hacked, a server fails, or an update breaks something, a recent off-server backup is the difference between a quick restore and rebuilding from scratch.
Backups are the most boring part of running a website right up until the moment you desperately need one. By then it's too late to set them up. Here's how to make sure you never have that moment.
Why your host's backup isn't enough
Many businesses assume their hosting provider has them covered. That's a risky assumption:
- Some hosts don't back up at all, or only on higher-tier plans
- Host backups live on the same infrastructure — if the server has a serious problem, the backup can be affected too
- Restores can be slow, limited, or chargeable, and not always available when you need them
- It's not in your control — you're relying on someone else's policy and goodwill in a crisis
An independent, off-server backup that *you* control removes all of those risks. Treat your host's backup as a bonus, not your safety net.
What a proper backup covers
A complete website backup includes both halves of your site:
- Files — your themes, images, code, and uploads
- Database — your content, settings, and (for many sites) the actual pages and posts
Backing up only one is useless — you need both to restore a working site. Make sure whatever solution you use captures the database as well as the files.
How often to back up
Match frequency to how often your site changes:
- Active sites (regular content, eCommerce, frequent updates): daily backups, so you never lose more than a day
- Low-traffic, rarely-changed sites: weekly is often enough
- Always before major changes — updates, redesigns, or migrations — take a fresh backup first
Crucially, backups should be automated. Manual backups depend on someone remembering, and people forget — usually right before they'd have needed one. Set it and forget it.
What to do when your site breaks
This is the payoff. When something goes wrong — a hack, a broken update, a server failure — a good backup means you can restore the site to its last working state quickly, often in minutes rather than days. Without one, you may be rebuilding from nothing, losing content, time, and business. The restore process should be tested too: a backup you've never tried to restore is a backup you don't fully trust.
Reliable, tested, automated off-server backups are a core part of any website maintenance plan, and they're especially important given that outdated plugins make WordPress security incidents a real risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I back up my website?
Active sites with regular content changes or eCommerce should be backed up daily, so you never lose more than a day's work. Low-traffic sites that rarely change can often get by with weekly backups. Always take a fresh backup before major changes like updates, redesigns, or migrations, regardless of your normal schedule.
Is my hosting provider's backup enough?
Usually not on its own. Some hosts don't back up at all or only on premium plans, host backups often live on the same infrastructure as your site (so a serious failure can affect both), and restores can be slow or limited. An independent, off-server backup that you control is the reliable safety net every business site needs.
What should a website backup include?
A complete backup must include both your files (themes, images, code, and uploads) and your database (content, settings, and pages). Backing up only one is useless because you need both to restore a working site. Make sure your backup solution captures the database as well as the files, not just one or the other.
How do I restore my website from a backup?
With a good backup solution, you restore your site to its last working state through your backup tool or hosting dashboard, often in minutes. The key is having a recent, complete, off-server backup ready before you need it — and ideally having tested the restore process, since a backup you've never restored isn't one you can fully rely on.
Want backups handled automatically, so you're never caught out?
We set up reliable automated off-server backups as part of our care plans, so your site can always be restored fast. Explore our website maintenance plans, or get in touch and we'll make sure you're protected.