Blog are just like any computer in the fact that they are only as good, and secure, as the software on them. Keeping your blog software up to date is important, but so is keeping your plugins and third party code updated.
Updating your blog’s plugins can give your blog a few advantages:
- Additional features if the plugin is a major update.
- Security fixes.
- Optimized plugin code that runs faster and more efficient.
- Better compatibility with the blog software or other plugins.
- Better compatibility with third party sites if it’s part of another service.
Don’t feel bad if you don’t update your plugins as it’s quite hard to keep them up to date; especially if you have a lot of them. Some plugins have update notifiers in them, others now tie back into Wordprss.org to look for updates. But that’s just the update notification, they all require some time and effort to download and update.
De-activing plugins is a lot easier, unless you actually have to modify the code, and doing so has its benefits.
- It can speed up the blog as it has fewer scripts to run or plugins to load.
- Helps avoid conflict between plugins.
- Can help page rendering time if that plugin use to have to rely on a third party site to run properly.
- Less for you to have to worry about updating in the future.
Checking out BloggerDesign, I found more than a few things to get rid of. First to go were all the analytics code. Performacing, WordPress.com, Feedburner and 103Bees stats code was all removed. Google Analytics sill remains, but I didn’t think I needed five stats accounts running when really, I was only checking one often. I also removed four other plugins and upgraded eight.
Take the time once a month or once every few months and audit your blog. What plugins were cool at the time, but now you don’t use? What plugins to you rely on, and are they up to date to ensure proper functionality? Taking care of all aspects of your blog can make it easier on you and your visitors.
