4 Easy Ways to Back Up Your Website
The Web is full of threats that can hurt your website – hackers, viruses, malware… plus there’s always good old-fashioned user error. That’s why it’s so important to regularly back up your website. That way, if something goes wrong you can always restore your site — no harm, no foul. Below we’ll take a look at the four easiest ways to back up your website.
#1: Backup Software
There are lots of companies out there that offer easy-to-use backup software that will automatically handle all of your website backup chores for you. If ease and convenience are what you’re after, then backup software just might be the option for you.
How To Do It:
Easy. Just run a search for “website backup software” and take a look at what comes up. Some of the most popular website backup companies are SiteVault, eServerBackup, and Backup Smart. Once you choose a program, simply install it on your computer and follow the directions they provide.
Pros and Cons:
The one big drawback to using backup software is that it’s not free. With prices ranging from $149/year to one-time payments of $19-$99, though, there’s pretty much a backup option for every budget. Plus, many services (like SiteVault and eServerBackup) offer free trials so you can try before you buy. Still, if you want a completely free backup solution, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
#2: cPanel
cPanel is a popular website admin program that many web hosts provide to their clients as a way to manage their sites. If you have access to cPanel, you can use it to manually back up your website.
How To Do It:
Log into your cPanel and click on “Backup Wizard” in the box labeled “Files.”
On the next page, click on “Backup.” This will take you to a page where you can perform a full or partial backup of your website, depending on what you need. Just follow the prompts for whichever option you choose, and you’ll have your site backed up in minutes.
To restore your backed up files, click on “Backup Wizard” again, and this time choose “Restore.” Again, just follow the prompts, and your site will be restored in no time!
Pros and Cons:
Using cPanel to back up your website is a great option if you have the time to perform your own backups (and if your web host uses cPanel, of course), especially if you don’t need to back up your site very often. It’s also free, which is always a plus! However, if you won’t be able to stick to a regular backup schedule or need to back up your site frequently, you may want to look into an automated option (such as backup software) instead.
#3: FTP Client
FTP (file transfer protocol) is a way to transfer files back and forth from your computer to your website… and it’s also an easy way to back up your site files! In the example below, we’re using the FileZilla FTP client, which you can download for free at http://filezilla-project.org/.
How To Do It:
Open up your FTP client and highlight the folder on the local site side that you want to download your backup files to (for example, you can choose your desktop, create a new folder just for backups, etc.).
Now locate your website files on the remote site side. Once you find the folder containing your site files, select all the files (ctrl + A on a PC, command + A on a Mac). Right-click on the selected files and choose “Download.” The files will be downloaded to the location you chose.
Pros and Cons:
As with cPanel, backing up your website with your FTP client is quick, easy, and free. However, if you’re not as tech-savvy as you’d like to be, you might have trouble locating your website files in the FTP client, especially if you have to dig around for them. If you’re looking for a more basic, newbie-friendly means of backup, cPanel or backup software might be the better option.
#4: WordPress
WordPress is an open-source blogging platform and content management system that many people use to build great websites. If you have a WordPress site, you’re in luck, because they make website backup easy!
How To Do It:
The easiest way to back up your site using WordPress is to download and install a backup plugin. Using a plugin will allow you to schedule automatic site backups.
Some of the top-rated backup plugins for WordPress include:
To get any of these plugins, simply log into your WordPress back-end and click on Plugins > Add New. Then you can search for the plugin you want and install it on your site.
Once you’ve installed and activated the plugin, look for it in your left-hand navigation menu (it might be under Settings, or it might have its own menu). From there you can configure the plugin’s settings and back up your site.
Pros and Cons:
Obviously, one big drawback to this method of website backup is that you can only use it if you have a WordPress site. For WordPress users, though, this is an easy and free way to back up your website. The great thing about this method is that many of the available plugins will allow you to schedule automatic backups, meaning you won’t have to remember to go in and manually back up your site whenever you make changes. If you don’t want to worry about manually backing up your site, WordPress is a better option for you than cPanel or FTP backup.
Category: Hosting News, Website Tips
