Regularly backing up your website should be part of your weekly routine—after all, it’s devastating to lose all of your content in one fell swoop. And although there are a number of back-up services you can use, one of the easiest options is to back up your WordPress site to Dropbox.
This task can be accomplished by a number of tools and plug-ins like BackWPup, Cloudsafe365 and ManageWP, to name just a few—1st Web Designer’s got a great round-up.
You can also use the WordPress Backup to Dropbox plug-in, which is super easy. Before you get started, make sure the plug-in is installed on your site (and that you have a Dropbox account, too).
Next, click the WPB2D tab in the left sidebar and choose Backup Settings.
Click the button to link your Dropbox account to the plug-in. You’ll automatically be taken to Dropbox so you can enter your log-in information and authorize the plug-in to use your Dropbox account.
Now that you’re back in WordPress, you should see a note letting you know that you’ve successfully linked the plug-in and your Dropbox account. After that, you’ll have an option to schedule future back ups, as well as select the frequency. You’ll also be able to exclude specified folders from the back up.
The last step? Create your site’s initial back up. Click Backup Now on the left sidebar. Be patient – the first back up will likely be a lengthy process. Once the back up is complete, it’s a good idea to check your Dropbox account to make sure all of the files are where they should be. You may also find that you’ll want to create a separate Dropbox account just for your site back ups, depending on the size of your site’s files.
Easy peasy, right? And just think – you can rest assured that your site is protected in the event of some sort of technological disaster. For anyone who’s been through the experience of losing a site, it’s downright horrible. If you’re not already in the habit of backing up your content, consider this a friendly reminder to get started—immediately!
Do you use Dropbox to back up your WordPress site? Or do you prefer another back-up tool?
Image by Marc Falardeau via Creative Commons
