Backup Plan

There are two types of website owners: those who’ve lost data and those who will. If your site went down today, what would that mean for your business?

Too many small business owners assume their web host is handling backups or think it won’t happen to them. That’s a risky bet.

Let’s talk about how to put a reliable backup plan in place. A backup plan that helps you sleep better at night and keeps your business running smoothly no matter what.

Why You Need a Website Backup Plan

A disaster recovery plan isn’t just for large corporations. Every business website, big or small, needs:

  • Clear understanding of where your data lives
  • Multiple backup layers in case something fails
  • A realistic plan based on how often your site changes

If you don’t have that, it’s time to fix it.

Two Layers of Website Backup You Should Have

To be protected, you need more than just one backup. Here’s what a dependable strategy looks like:

  1. Web Host Backups

Your hosting provider should perform regular backups of your files and databases. But don’t just assume they do.

Ask your web host:

  • How often do you back up my site?
  • Do you back up both files and the database?
  • Can I restore individual files or only the full site?
  • How long does a restore take?
  • What’s the process to initiate a restore?

Many hosts include backups only as part of premium plans. Either way, know what’s covered and what’s not.

✅ Tip: If you’re hosting with us at Wheaton Website Services, all of our hosting plans include daily backups with fast recovery options.

  1. Offsite or Local Backups

If your host goes down or worse, out of business, you need a backup that lives outside their system.

A good second-layer backup might include:

  • A full site export stored on your office computer or cloud storage
  • Automated scheduling of backups

Frequency depends on how often your site changes. Ask yourself: How much data could I afford to lose?

Here’s a rough guide:

  • Low-traffic site (a few changes/orders a month): Monthly backup may be enough
  • Moderate traffic (weekly updates, new content): Weekly backup recommended
  • High-traffic/e-commerce (daily transactions): Daily backup is ideal

Even if some order or customer data is also saved elsewhere (e.g., email, accounting software), a full site backup ensures nothing falls through the cracks.

Bottom Line

You don’t need a complicated backup strategy. You just need a smart one. Two layers. Regular schedule. Tested recovery.

If your current plan is unclear, unreliable, or nonexistent, we can help.

With Wheaton Website Services, we can help you effectively build a smart backup plan to ensure your site is protected against disaster. Are you ready to build a better backup plan? Contact us today to learn how we can help.