1 Easy Step to Prevent the Loss of Your No.1 Asset

This is another article for my Blogging Guide.

Regularly Backing Up Your Database Will Save Your Sanity.

What is more important than regular backups? Nothing! That’s right. I cannot stress the importance of regularly backing up the database of your blog.

Not performing regular backups is like working on a text document for two days straight without saving. Just imagine what would happen if the power went out? Disaster! All those hours of work down the drain.

Now, think of a scenario where your blog database gets somehow damaged.
Some examples of when damage can occur:

1. Your indirect fault, i.e. installing a faulty plugin
2. Your host’s fault, i.e. resetting the server with obsolete backups
3. Your blog can become a target for hackers.

This means the loss of your number one Internet asset – your content, and as I see it, this is equivalent to a fire in your house. I just wish that insuring yourself in case of fire would be that easy as making sure you will not loose anything of your online property.

Use a plugin!

I use the WordPress Database Backup plugin that you also should download and install. The good thing is that after setting it up you can forget it is there, it will do anything by itself for as long as it is active in your plugins directory.

To set it up:

1. Go to ‘Manage’ and then click on ‘Backup’. This will get you to the Backup Setup menu.
2. Look for the Scheduled Backup in the middle of the page.
3. Check the backup frequency you would prefer. This depends on your posting frequency. No point in backing up every day if the blog stays the same, right?
4. Fill in the email for the backups to be sent to.
5. Press the Submit button.

That’s it! Your database is now in the safe hand of the simple, but useful plugin.

- Alex

Technorati Tags: backup, wordpress database, plugin, online property, internet asset