Website Tips · 2026-10-04
Do you actually back up your website?
Not 'it's live' — do you have an actual copy somewhere else? Most small business owners don't, and it's a five-minute check worth doing before anything breaks.
Do you actually back up your website? Not "it's live" — do you have an actual copy somewhere else.
One host, one copy
Most small business owners don't. The site lives on one host, one server, and if that host has an outage, gets hacked, or a plugin update breaks something at 2am, there's no version to roll back to. It's just gone, or broken, until someone rebuilds it from scratch.
What a proper backup actually is
It's not a dramatic thing to think about — until the one day it actually happens, and then it's the only thing that matters. A proper backup means a recent copy of your site, saved somewhere separate from where it's hosted, updated regularly, not just sitting there from the day it launched two years ago.
The 5-minute check
The check takes five minutes: ask whoever manages your site hosting where the backups are, and how recent the last one is. If the honest answer is "I don't know" or "there isn't one," that's worth fixing now, while nothing's actually broken.
A website with no backup isn't broken today. It's one bad update away from being broken with nothing to fall back on — so it's worth knowing the answer before you need it, not after.
Not sure if your site's actually backed up properly? Get in touch on the services page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a backup if my website is already live?
Yes. Being live isn't the same as being backed up. If your host has an outage, gets hacked, or an update breaks something, there's no version to roll back to without a separate backup.
What does a proper website backup actually involve?
A recent copy of your site, saved somewhere separate from where it's hosted, updated regularly — not just a snapshot sitting there from the day it launched.
How do I check if my website has a backup?
Ask whoever manages your site hosting where the backups are and how recent the last one is. If the honest answer is 'I don't know' or 'there isn't one,' that's worth fixing now.
Topics: Website Tips, Guide
By Lee Day · leeday.uk · UK-wide support