When it comes to a website, we all want the same basic things. It’s got to be easy to use, simple to maintain, safe and secure, as well as nice to look at. At Sage Island, we’ve found that the best way to offer our clients all these perks and more is through WordPress. WordPress is the simplest and most powerful content management system available. It’s also flexible and easy to customize, making it an ideal choice for industries ranging from real estate to action sports to retail, and everything in between. We even use it for Sage Island’s website!

Because WordPress is so ubiquitous, there’s a good chance you’re using it for your business’s website, too. There’s also a good chance you aren’t using the latest version of WordPress, which can negate many of those perks we were just talking about.
I know what you’re thinking. “How important could a few updates be? I don’t need a new version – the one I’ve been using for the last three years works just fine!” That, my friend, is where you’re wrong.
 
Think about it this way. You buy an awesome new car, one with a killer paint job, leather seats and a state-of-the-art sound system. That car is your baby and because you want it to last a long time, you take care of it with regular oil changes, repairs and weekends spent waxing it until it shines. Well, your website is the same way. No matter how good it looks, there’s a back end, much like the engine of a car, that needs to be serviced regularly. If you fail to take care of your website, you’ll quickly run it into the ground.
 
Still not convinced updating WordPress is worth it? Here are a few more reasons you should always use the latest version:

• Security. WordPress is immensely popular, which makes it a target for hackers and data thieves. By updating to the latest version, you’re able to reconcile known security vulnerabilities. If you ignore the updates, you’re putting your website – and your business – at risk.  
• New Features. Each WordPress release comes with new features and improvements. Taking advantage of these features is an easy way to improve the users’ experience and keep your site looking and feeling modern and relevant. It sends the right message to your clients, and shows them that you care enough to offer them the best experience possible.
• Speed. Faster is better, especially online. Each WordPress update improves the speed of your website, which is a huge factor in SEO. If you don’t update WordPress, it could take minutes for a simple page to load, and today’s online user doesn’t have the patience to wait that long, nor should they.
• Bug Fixes. Nobody’s perfect, not even WordPress. The platform is, however, constantly improving. In fact, any issues you experience on your website can usually be solved by updating WordPress, as each new release fixes bugs that managed to slip in. If you don’t update your site, these fixes won’t be available.