Thursday, November 30, 2017

How to Write a Bio that Convinces Readers You’re Their Personal Superhero

Writing a bio is hard.

You have to knock ’em dead with two or three dazzling sentences that show you’re a likable, credible, and accomplished expert.

When readers read your bio, they must believe you’re the answer to their prayers — the superhero they’ve been waiting for, that will swoop in and solve that big problem they’ve been dealing with.

But your bio makes you sound more like a superdweeb than a superhero, and every time you land a guest post, only a trickle of readers ends up on your site.

“What about my brilliant post?” you want to yell at your computer. “Wasn’t that enough?”

No, it wasn’t, and that’s the point.

By the time people get to your bio they’ve read your post to the end (high five for that!). You’ve earned their attention. But unless you can convince them you have more to offer them, they’re gone.

So you need to make every word count.  

Luckily, I can show you a simple three-step process to do exactly that. But first, let’s look at some common bio blunders and how to avoid them.

The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead)

#1: Making It All About You


 
I’m Jill — a free-spirit with a passion for quilting, bird watching, Tai Chi, and calligraphy.”
 
Thanks for sharing, Jill. But do I really care? Nah.

It’s confusing, I know. “Bio” is short for biography, which suggests it should be all about you.  But the main purpose of your author bio is to show your audience how you can help them solve their problem with the skills you bring to the table.

So, it’s not about you, Jill. It’s about them.

What to Do Instead:

In this post, using almost the same amount of words, Ayodeji gives us just enough information about himself to tell us what he does and how he helps his audience.

Ayodeji is a writing coach who helps aspiring writers develop the confidence and habits they need to make an impact and income. Visit his page to get three free writing guides, plus a copy of his bestselling Amazon book.
 
It’s clear, precise, and focused on the outcome, not on Ayodeji. He uses phrases like “develop the confidence and habits,” and “make an impact and income,” which directly target the deep-rooted desires of aspiring writers.  He speaks their language.

Here’s another tip: It’s usually best to write your bio in the third person, as Ayodeji has. It’s more professional.

#2: Writing a Condensed Resume, or a Laundry List of Accomplishments


 
John Brown is a qualified personal trainer with a sports medicine degree from Fremont College, as well as professional certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
 
Your bio is not a dumping ground for your career path and qualifications. It’s a tiny elevator pitch that’s selling you as a credible solver of your reader’s problems.

So don’t list every degree you have or talk about your first job out of school. Readers don’t really care. They only care whether or not you have the solutions they are looking for.

What to Do Instead:

Your bio should only include details about yourself that directly relate to your audience’s problem.

Think about your career, education, and skills, and then carefully select the most pertinent facts that are going to impress the audience you are writing for. Like this:

Jessi Rita Hoffman is a book editor who helps authors get their books out of their heads and into print. A former publishing house editor-in-chief, she has edited books for Donald Trump and bestselling/award-winning authors. Visit her blog for writers here.
 
Jessi tells us the most important thing about herself (that she is a book editor), and what she can do for her audience (get their books into print), while establishing her credibility (“best-selling,” “editor-in-chief”).

Everything she mentions is designed to appeal to the audience she’s trying to reach.

#3: Sharing Irrelevant Details or Stuff You Think Your Audience Should Care About


 
Joe Brown is a content marketer with a passion for snowboarding. When he’s not at his computer, you can find him at his nearest half-pipe, or maybe on Twitter @joeb, where he likes to tweet about his pet python. Alternatively, try his email at joe@xyz.com, and he’ll probably shoot you back a list of his favorite origami folds.
 
This bio is from someone whose expertise is content marketing, although he hides it well.

Much like your degrees and career path, your audience doesn’t care about your hobbies, passions, and personal philosophies either, unless they directly impact the problem they’re trying to solve.

What to Do Instead:

As mentioned earlier, only share the details that your audience will find relevant.

If you’re mad keen on knitting and you’re writing for an arts and crafts blog, then go ahead and mention your passion. It’s relevant. But don’t tell them about your cat, unless Fluffy can knit too.

#4: Trying to Cram Too Much In


Okay, so you’ve managed to include only relevant details about yourself, so you’re safe. Right?

Not if you included too many of them.

Like this one from Jo. She’s had an impressive career, but her bio feels endless:

Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger with 20 years of experience in accounting, international banking, and financial planning. She started as a trainee bank teller in Little Rock, Arkansas, before completing her accounting degree and climbing the corporate ladder at Citibank. More recently, Jo decided to follow her dreams and leave the safety net of her six-figure salary to start her own coaching business. Jo is on a mission to help everyday families and couples stop dreaming and start living the life they’ve always wanted through sustainable wealth building, and planning for their future financial security.
 
This is way too much information.

Writing your own bio can be hard. Sometimes you’re too close to the subject matter to realize what’s important and what can be left out. But your bio isn’t the place to share your entire life story. You need to be picky.

What to Do Instead:

With some careful pruning, the real gems hidden away in Jo’s bio can be given center stage:

Jo Smith is a personal finance blogger and coach with 20 years of experience in the high-powered world of international banking and accountancy. Jo is on a mission to help everyday families build sustainable wealth, stop stressing about their financial security, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.
 
Go through your bio word by word and ask yourself, “Does this bit of information make any difference to my audience?”

If the answer is no, take it out, and limit your bio to two or three sentences.

#5: Being Overly Formal (a.k.a. Boring)


 
Joe Jones is an accomplished marketing consultant who specializes in the field of physician practices. He works with medical centers and practitioners to maximize their online real estate, garner new market segments, and engender business growth.
 
If you’re anything like me, you had to read this bio more than once to get a sense of what Joe does. It’s way too formal. Most people will just glaze over this.

What to Do Instead:

Instead of using stilted words and phrases like “maximize their online real estate” and “engender business growth” Joe missed a great opportunity to make himself stand out from the crowd by creating a point of interest.

Perhaps he could have started with something like:

“Joe Jones is an expert marketer who can take your medical practice from queasy to fighting fit…”
 
Do you see how that might grab a few more eyeballs, cut through the noise, and make an impact with his target audience of doctors?

#6. Being Vague (or Overly Woo-Woo)


 
Cecile is a life coach and devoted mom. She loves day breaks and giving things a go. She is passionate about her fellow humans and wants to be their inspiration for growth, as they find their way through the dark to their true self.
 
Hands up, whoever doesn’t have a clue what this person is talking about. What does she do? How does she help solve my problem? Why should I be interested in her?

You need to avoid ambiguous phrases like “inspiration for growth” and “find their way through the dark.” These phrases might have a nice ring to them, but they mean very little to your reader. They’re too open to interpretation.

What to Do Instead:

You don’t have time to beat around the bush in your bio. Get straight to the point. Like this:

Cecile is a qualified self-development coach who is passionate about helping professional women develop the skills and self-assurance they need to take control of their working lives. Download her free guide, How to Quit Your Dead-End Job Without Risking Your Income, and open the door to your dream career today.
 
In two sentences, Cecile tells me everything I need to know about what she does and how she can help me. No fluff, no messing about, and a juicy opt-in bribe to seal the deal.

Click on the image below to see a larger view:

Embed This Infographic On Your Site

The 6 Common Bio Blunders That Make You Look Like an Amateur (And What to Do Instead) from SmartBlogger.com

The 3-Step Process to Writing a Click-Worthy Author Bio

So now you can see where you might’ve gone wrong in the past, and you’re dying to write a new version. But how do you ensure your next bio won’t commit the same blunders?

Easy. Just follow this simple three-step process to write a bio that your ideal readers can’t resist clicking.

Step #1: Introduce Yourself with a Bang


This is where you tell the audience who you are and what makes you different (while avoiding the common blunders we’ve just discussed). You need to spark their interest and curiosity and get them to say, “Tell me more.”

Let’s start with this example from a blogger in the personal development niche.

Sue Smith is a self-help writer and coach with a degree in psychology…
 
This tells me what Sue does, but it’s rather dull and same-y in a sea full of personal development blogs. There’s nothing here to set her apart or pique our interest.

Let’s give it a twist:

Self-help writer, Sue Smith, is part social scientist, part agony aunt, who…
 
That sounds a bit more interesting. Sue manages to appeal to her audience on different levels by sounding educated, professional, and personable at the same time. Describing herself as an “agony aunt” downplays the more clinical “social scientist.”

I’m curious to know more, and it certainly makes her distinctive.

But there’s another angle Sue could take:

Sue Smith is a certified psychologist who specializes in beating social anxiety.
 
Now, this one is more similar to the first example, but the difference is that it adds more credibility — “certified psychologist” sounds much more credible than “has a degree in,” which suggests she’s fresh out of college — but it also sets her apart more.

She has a specialty, which gives her ideas on the topic more weight than others. If you suffer from social anxiety, you’d want to listen to the expert on it, right?

Compare also:

Sue Smith’s books on beating social anxiety have won her international acclaim. She has been featured as an expert on Psychology Today, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and Good Morning America.
 
This version goes even further in establishing Sue’s credibility. Not only has she published multiple books on the topic of social anxiety, but she’s even been featured on some well-known media channels, adding social proof to her expertise.

We’ve talked before about not delivering a laundry list of accomplishments, but if you have specific accomplishments that make you stand out, those are worth including.

Here’s an excellent bio example that both offers a point of interest and adds credibility:

Jessica’s outside-the-box approach to business plan writing has helped her clients collectively raise almost $50 million in financing to start and grow new businesses. Sign up for her 5-part business plan training series for FREE here so you can get your business plan done and get your money sooner.
 
Jessica doesn’t just say she’ll help you write a business plan, she mentions she has an “outside-the-box approach,” which immediately makes you curious what that approach is. Then she steps it up even more by mentioning her approach has collectively raised $50 million in financing. That’s nothing to sneeze at and creates instant credibility.

It’s an excellent bio that will absolutely pique her audience’s interest.

Step #2:  Call Out Your Audience and Say How You Help Them


Remember, this isn’t about you, it’s about what you can do for your audience. So you need to define who they are and what problem of theirs (their key fear or desire) you can solve.

You should aim for both a logical and emotional connection.  It’s tough, but do-able.

Let’s take Kim, a blogger in the parenting niche:

Kim’s passion in writing is to inspire other parents to not just “hang in there” or “make it through” but to thrive. She does this through blogging at kimbiasottotoday.wordpress.com and speaking.
 
By using language most parents will relate to and zeroing in on their fears, Kim makes a strong emotional connection. At the same time, there’s no mistaking the practical (logical) solution Kim offers.

Note: Of course, Kim’s bio would be even further improved if she linked to an incentive rather than her homepage. More on that in the next step!

Here’s another example:

Jessica Blanchard, registered dietitian and Ayurvedic practitioner, helps busy people re-energize with super simple food, yoga, and wellness strategies that work. Grab your free 7-Day Plan and learn to eat, move, and live better in ten minutes a day.
 
Jessica clarifies immediately who she helps (busy people) and how she helps them (by re-energizing them through food, yoga, and wellness strategies).

You must be absolutely clear about this. If readers can’t identify themselves in your bio and see you have the solution they’re looking for, they will move on.

Step 3:  Offer an Irresistible Reason to Click


You’ve told your audience who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. You’ve impressed them with your credentials and sparked their curiosity.

They’re ready to move to second base, but they need that last push. An irresistible reason to click through to your site and sign up. You need to offer an incentive.

Take a look at this bio:

Henneke Duistermaat is an irreverent copywriter and business writing coach. She’s on a mission to stamp out gobbledygook and to make boring business blogs sparkle. Get her free 16-Part Snackable Writing Course For Busy People and learn how to enchant your readers and win more business.
 
Boom! In 46 carefully curated words, Henneke tells us who she is, what she does, how she can help, and then gives us a gold-plated reason for parting with our email address.

Her free report is 16 parts, but it’s “snackable,” which makes it sound very easy to digest. And it’s for “busy people”, which shows that Henneke understands her audience. She promises results and cleverly relates this back to her own blog, Enchanting Marketing.

Unfortunately, we can’t all steal Henneke’s bio, but we can use it as a fine example of how to write our own.

Ready to Write Your Best Bio Ever?

This three-step process is simple, but it’s not easy, so give your bio the time it requires. You should brainstorm several options for each of the steps.

Bios are hard to craft, but they are also one of the most effective pieces of marketing you can create when you get it right.

Write your best bio ever and your audience will be intrigued. They’ll want to know more and they won’t be able to resist your free offer.

They’ll see you as a credible, personable problem-solver. Their problem-solver.

And they’ll click through to your site, ready and willing to hand over their email address to their new blogging superhero.

You.

About the Author: Mel Wicks is a seasoned copywriter and marketing strategist who helps bloggers and entrepreneurs put the “OMG! Where do I sign up?” into everything they write. Download her exclusive Fill-in-the-Gaps Cheat Sheet for an Instant Click-Worthy Author Bio.
 

from
https://smartblogger.com/how-to-write-a-bio/

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Top Nine Social Media Trend Predictions for 2018 [Infographic]

Looking for something new for your social media program? Today's infographic offers nine trends you can expect to see in the coming year. Check them out to stay ahead of competitors and keep your followers engaged. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33139/top-nine-social-media-trend-predictions-for-2018-infographic

Why Your Business (Still) Needs to Be on Twitter: 'The Tao of Twitter' Author Mark Schaefer on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]

Marketing consultant, speaker, and best-selling author Mark Schaefer discusses the revised edition of his book The Tao of Twitter and explains why your company needs to be using Twitter for marketing. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/podcasts/2017/33185/twitter-mark-schaefer-marketing-smarts

Hubcast 158: Sales Enablement, Dream Designs, & HubSpot Masters Facebook Group

Hubcast Podcast

The Hubcast: HubSpot Tips, Tricks, Inbound & Content Marketing News & Sales Info every week. Are you a HubSpotter looking to ...

The post Hubcast 158: Sales Enablement, Dream Designs, & HubSpot Masters Facebook Group appeared first on The Sales Lion.



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https://www.thesaleslion.com/hubcast-158-sales-enablement-dream-designs-hubspot-masters/

Monday, November 27, 2017

How to Use Four Recurring Hashtag Trends for More Effective Tweets

Brand-specific hashtags in your tweets can be helpful, but it's also important to use trending hashtags. Each day of the week comes with its own commonly used hashtags, and your brand can get in on the action. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/33126/four-recurring-hashtag-trends-that-will-make-your-tweets-more-impactful

Social Media and Blog Usage by Fortune 500 Companies in 2017

Fortune 500 companies are increasingly using visual social networks such as Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, according to recent research conducted by Nora Ganim Barnes and Shannen Pavao at The Center for Marketing Research, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2017/33156/social-media-and-blog-usage-by-fortune-500-companies-in-2017

Sunday, November 26, 2017

#SocialSkim: Meet Facebook 'Creator'; Google's Best Social Feature Yet: 8 Stories This Week

Facebook courts video creators away from YouTube; Google's new social search feature; Facebook tests total VR experiences in News Feeds; social selling on LinkedIn; where social video's going in 2018; podcast listeners could be your next influencers; more! Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33191/socialskim-meet-facebook-creator-googles-best-social-feature-yet-8-stories-this-week

Facebook Advertising (Yes, for B2B, Too): Peter Reitano and Jeff Goldenberg of Abacus on Marketing Smarts [Podcast]

Jeff Goldenberg and Peter Reitano, co-founders of the Facebook-first performance marketing agency Abacus, share insights on Facebook advertising and the future of agency marketing. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/podcasts/2017/33133/facebook-advertising-abacus-agency-marketing-smarts

The Top Social Networks for Sharing Holiday and Life-Milestone Updates

Facebook is the most popular social network with consumers for posting updates about holidays and life milestones, according to recent research from Sprout Social. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2017/33155/the-top-social-networks-for-sharing-holiday-and-life-milestone-updates

Direct Mail: How to Succeed in a Digital Era [Infographic]

Direct marketing not only has a place in modern marketing campaigns still but also pairs well with other marketing channels, according to today's infographic. Direct marketing can help you create a multichannel experience for your buyers. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/32948/direct-mail-how-to-succeed-in-a-digital-era-infographic

Seven Ways to Maximize Social Media This Holiday Season

Marketers and retailers have a huge opportunity on social media during the holidays. Being prepared for the holiday rush is a huge advantage, but some brands can easily fall behind this hectic time of year. Stay ahead of the competition with these seven key steps. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/33170/seven-ways-to-maximize-social-media-this-holiday-season

Seven Savvy Tips for the Most Viral Types of Instagram Content

Those who consistently score likes, comments, and engagement with their Instagram posts aren't doing so by accident. By understanding the ins and outs of Instagram's most popular types of posts, you can fine-tune your own content strategy. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/33166/seven-savvy-tips-for-the-most-viral-types-of-instagram-content

Saturday, November 25, 2017

#SocialSkim: Meet Facebook 'Creator'; Google's Best Social Feature Yet: 8 Stories This Week

Facebook courts video creators away from YouTube; Google's new social search feature; Facebook tests total VR experiences in News Feeds; social selling on LinkedIn; where social video's going in 2018; podcast listeners could be your next influencers; more! Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33191/socialskim-meet-facebook-creator-googles-best-social-feature-yet-8-stories-this-week

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Direct Mail: How to Succeed in a Digital Era [Infographic]

Direct marketing not only has a place in modern marketing campaigns still but also pairs well with other marketing channels, according to today's infographic. Direct marketing can help you create a multichannel experience for your buyers. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/32948/direct-mail-how-to-succeed-in-a-digital-era-infographic

Seven Ways to Maximize Social Media This Holiday Season

Marketers and retailers have a huge opportunity on social media during the holidays. Being prepared for the holiday rush is a huge advantage, but some brands can easily fall behind this hectic time of year. Stay ahead of the competition with these seven key steps. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/33170/seven-ways-to-maximize-social-media-this-holiday-season

Monday, November 20, 2017

Seven Savvy Tips for the Most Viral Types of Instagram Content

Those who consistently score likes, comments, and engagement with their Instagram posts aren't doing so by accident. By understanding the ins and outs of Instagram's most popular types of posts, you can fine-tune your own content strategy. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2017/33166/seven-savvy-tips-for-the-most-viral-types-of-instagram-content

Hubcast 157: Social Media Marketing World, The Journey, & Growth

Hubcast Podcast

The Hubcast: HubSpot Tips, Tricks, Inbound & Content Marketing News & Sales Info every week. Are you a HubSpotter looking to take your Inbound Marketing …

The post Hubcast 157: Social Media Marketing World, The Journey, & Growth appeared first on The Sales Lion.



from
https://www.thesaleslion.com/hubcast-157-social-media-marketing-world-the-journey-growth/

Saturday, November 18, 2017

#SocialSkim: Facebook's Yelp-Killer Events App; Snapchat's Coming Algorithm: 10 Stories This Week

Facebook's new app wraps Yelp, Foursquare, and Facebook Events into one; Snapchat's massive redesign & upcoming algorithm; LinkedIn streamlines Lead Gen Forms for messages; Amazon courts Instagram, Twitter influencers; the app just bought by a Chinese startup for nearly $1B; more! Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33161/socialskim-facebooks-yelp-killer-events-app-snapchats-coming-algorithm-10-stories-this-week

6 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (100% Objective)

Imagine if one day your blog just disappeared.

It’s a terrifying thought, right?

You put all that work into writing amazing content and developing an audience. The last thing you want is for it all to go up in a puff of smoke because of some technical issue or hacker.

But if you don’t back up your website regularly, that’s exactly what would happen if something ever went wrong.

Thankfully, I have some good news for you:

Backing up your website isn’t something you need a developer for. Heck, it’s not even that complicated.

And with the right WordPress backup plugin, you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing that no matter what happens to your site, you can always have it up and running again in no time.

To help you get started on the right foot with WordPress backups, I’m going to spend this post going through six WordPress backup plugins and helping you choose the one that’s right for you.

But first…

Here’s What to Look For in a WordPress Backup Plugin

While the backup plugin that you eventually choose will depend on your personal preferences, there are a few key features you should at least consider when making your choice:

  • Does the plugin offer automation? Automated backups let you “set it and forget it.” In other words, it keeps you from having to remember to do it manually every week/month/whatever time frame.
  • Does the plugin take full or partial backups? All the plugins on this list offer full site backups. But if you search elsewhere, you will find some plugins that will only back up specific parts of your websites, like just your database or theme.
  • How does the plugin handle restoring from backups? Some plugins give you built-in tools, while others require you to manually upload the files and import your database.
  • Does the plugin work with remote storage? If the plugin doesn’t let you back up to remote storage, you’ll be entirely responsible for keeping your backup files safe. Some plugins will store your backups on your server, which can still be useful, but won’t help you if your server gets wiped clean.
  • Does the plugin offer site migrations? This is the least important question. But if you think you’ll move your site often — like from a local staging site (that you use for tests) to your live site — this feature comes in handy.

The 6 Best Backup Plugins Compared in Detail

In order to help you make your decision, I want to give you an actual idea how these plugins function in the real world. So, in addition to giving you each plugin’s feature list, I’ll also show you the actual process for how you can use the plugin to back up and restore your website.

Let’s dive in…

#1: UpdraftPlus


By the numbers, UpdraftPlus is the most popular backup plugin at WordPress.org. It also has a staggering five-star rating on over 2,672 reviews to help explain its popularity.

So, why do so many people like UpdraftPlus? Probably because it gives you nearly all of the points I discussed above without charging a penny (though there is a premium version with more features).

Here’s what you get with UpdraftPlus:

  • Manual or automatic backups (based on a schedule that you define)
  • Full-site backups or backups of specific parts of your site (like your database)
  • Easy restore from backup via a dedicated tool
  • Off-site backup to Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and more
  • UpdraftVault dedicated backup storage, which is basically a dedicated cloud storage service for UpdraftPlus (storage costs extra, though)

In fact, the only feature that you might miss in the free version is a dedicated site migration tool. If you do want that migration feature, though, you can always purchase UpdraftPlus premium starting at $70.

UpdraftPlus table

Who Is UpdraftPlus Good For?

UpdraftPlus is the plugin I recommend for most casual bloggers because it strikes a good balance between flexibility/features and ease of use.

But while it’s easy to use, it’s not the easiest to use. We have other plugins on this list that simplify the process even more. (Of course, those may have other downsides for you.)

How to Take a Backup with UpdraftPlus

Once you install and activate UpdraftPlus, you can access its settings by heading to Settings → UpdraftPlus.

To run a manual backup, you just need to click the big blue Backup Now button:

UpdraftPlus backup restore

Then, you can choose whether to back up your entire site, or just a specific part:

UpdraftPlus - choose backup

And that’s all there is to it! Depending on the size of your site, the backup may take a few minutes to create.

Once it’s finished, you can download the files to your computer by visiting the Existing Backups tab:

UpdraftPlus - download files

Something to note about UpdraftPlus is that it divides its backups into different files. You need to download all five files to have the full backup of your site.

Of course, one of the benefits of UpdraftPlus is that you don’t actually have to manually run your backups.

If you want to set up automated backups and/or off-site backups, you can do that by going to the plugin’s Settings tab, and choosing how often you’d like to run a backup:

UpdraftPlus - set up backups

As you can see on the image above, you can also choose a remote storage option, so you don’t have to rely on the backups on your server.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus lets you restore from backup in two ways.

First, you can run a one-click restore by going to the Existing Backups tab and clicking the Restore button:

UpdraftPlus - one click restore

Note: This only works if the backup you want to restore from is still on your server.

Second, you can upload a set of backup files from your own computer or from remote storage. You’ll need to upload all five backup data files to get a full backup.

UpdraftPlus - upload backup files

#2: BackWPup


BackWPup is another popular WordPress backup plugin with over 600,000 active installs.

Here’s what you get with this plugin:

  • Full or partial site backups
  • Automated backups via a few different methods
  • Off-site backup to Dropbox, email, S3 services, and others (Google Drive is not available in the free version, though)

And here’s one unique, though niche, BackWPup feature:

The free version works with WordPress MultiSite. Most WordPress backup plugins lock MultiSite support behind their Pro versions.

You may notice one feature missing from this list, though — BackWPup does not offer a tool to restore from backup. You’ll have to do that manually.

BackWPup - table

Who Is BackWPup Good For?

BackWPup is more flexible than UpdraftPlus in certain aspects as it offers more customization options when it comes to how and what to backup. But those same customization options make the plugin less user-friendly than UpdraftPlus and might feel overwhelming to casual bloggers.

For example, you can run backups via WP-CLI, export backups as WordPress XML files, trigger backups by visiting an external URL, and more.

If you’re a WordPress beginner, that might all  sound like gibberish to you, which is okay, because you won’t need those options. But advanced WordPress users should appreciate them, especially the WP-CLI integration.

So unless you want those advanced options, I recommend you choose one of the simpler backup plugins on this list.

How to Take a Backup with BackWPup

To start running backups with BackWPup, you need to create a Job. A Job is basically any task that you want the plugin to complete:

BackWPup - create a job

You can also choose where to send the results of your Job:

BackWPup - job destination

As well as whether to run that job manually or via some type of automation:

BackWPup - job schedule

From the screenshots above, I think you’ll be able to see why I don’t recommend this plugin for beginners. Unless you’re a power WordPress user, terms like WordPress cron and WP-CLI mean nothing to you.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with BackWPup

Again, BackWPup does not currently offer a dedicated restore-from-backup tool. Instead, you’ll need to manually restore your site by uploading the actual files via FTP and importing your database.

While that’s not too hard to do, this is another reason why BackWPup is not a great option for beginners.

The developers are working on adding a restore tool to their plugin, though, so this may change in the near future.

#3: VaultPress/Jetpack


VaultPress is part of the Jetpack plugin from Automattic, the same company behind WordPress.com. It’s designed to make things as easy as possible for you to both back up and restore your site (if needed). Essentially, it puts your backups on autopilot.

That means:

  • Automatic daily and real-time backups. Yesreal-time means that any time you make a change on your site, that change gets synched right away.
  • 30 days of backup storage in the VaultPress cloud
  • One-click restores from the VaultPress interface
  • Easy migrations — restore to different sites with the click of a button

And beyond backups, on the higher tier plans, VaultPress also scans your site for vulnerabilities and helps you fix any problems that it discovers.

Sounds pretty slick, right? So what’s the catch? Well, unlike all of the other plugins on this list, there’s no free version.

If you want to use VaultPress, you have to pay their yearly fee.

VaultPress - table

Who Is VaultPress Good For?

In terms of pure ease of use, VaultPress is the best option for beginners and casual WordPress users. It’s simple and pretty much hands-free. There is a small one-time setup to enable one-click restores, but once you complete that, VaultPress requires essentially zero manual input.

So if you’re looking for the absolute easiest WordPress backup solution, this is it. Just remember that you’re going to pay $39 per year for that ease of use, whereas something like UpdraftPlus is almost as simple without the price tag.

How to Take a Backup with VaultPress

Even though VaultPress is part of the Jetpack subscription plan, it’s technically a separate plugin. So before you can get started taking backups, you’ll need to install and activate both Jetpack and VaultPress. The process is straightforward, but if you need help you can find instructions for both Jetpack and VaultPress.

Once you have both those plugins up and running, VaultPress automatically starts working. While you don’t technically need to configure anything for it to take your first backup, if you have a large site, you might want to give VaultPress remote access through SSH or FTP to speed up the process:

VaultPress - settings

If you’re not sure why/how to do this, VaultPress has a support article on the subject and you can always reach out to Jetpack/VaultPress support or your host’s support.

Once VaultPress completes your first backup, you can manage all your backups from the VaultPress interface. If you want, you can also download physical copies to your local computer for safekeeping:

VaultPress - manage backups

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with VaultPress

To enable one-click restores, you’ll first need to give VaultPress remote access to your site (if you haven’t already configured it to speed up your backups).

Again, if you’re not sure just how to do that, give this support article a read. Or you can always reach out to Jetpack/VaultPress support and/or your host’s support team.

Once you complete that one-time setup process, all you need to do to restore your site is click a button in the VaultPress interface:

VaultPress - restore

#4: Duplicator


Duplicator is a popular and well-rated WordPress migration plugin. Because there’s a good deal of overlap between what happens when you migrate a site and what happens when you backup/restore a site, Duplicator functions great as a backup tool as well.

That said, many of the backup features that come for free in the other plugins are only available in the paid Duplicator Pro plugin.

Here’s what you can do in the free version of the plugin:

  • Download a full site backup
  • Fairly easy restore from backup (though it’s not a one-click restore)
  • Easy site migrations

And if you upgrade to Duplicator Pro, here’s what you’ll get:

  • Scheduled backups
  • Off-site storage at Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3
  • Special support for extra-large websites
Duplicator - table

Who Is Duplicator Good For?

Duplicator is a good option for intermediate users and above.

As someone who works with WordPress for a living, I find it convenient and often use it to move sites around and back them up. But I don’t believe it’s as good an option for beginners as tools like UpdraftPlus or VaultPress.

Here’s how it shakes out:

If you’re comfortable using FTP, you might enjoy this plugin for its convenience and flexibility. But if you just want a simple backup utility, some of the other plugins are better suited for you.

How to Take a Backup with Duplicator

To back up your site with Duplicator, you’ll need to create something called a Package.

Duplicator - create a package

A Package consists of two files:

  • Installer — contains a setup wizard that helps you migrate or restore your site
  • Archive — contains a complete backup of your WordPress site
Duplicator - package completed

Put together, those two files are all you need to completely back up your WordPress site.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with Duplicator

Whether you’re migrating your site or restoring your site from backup, Duplicator uses the same process.

It’s not as simple as something like UpdraftPlus, but it is more streamlined than the completely manual process offered by BackWPup.

Basically, you’ll need to use FTP or cPanel to upload both files to the server where you want to restore or migrate your site.

Then you can go to yourdomain.com/installer.php and follow the plugin’s four-step wizard to restore your site. The only slightly technical thing that you’ll need to do is create an empty database for Duplicator to connect to (here’s how to do that in cPanel, the most common hosting management tool):

Duplicator - restore site

#5: BackUpWordPress


BackUpWordPress is a backup plugin from Human Made, one of the largest WordPress development agencies. In addition to working with enterprise clients like USA Today, they’ve also created some of their own products like BackUpWordPress.

With BackUpWordPress, you can:

  • Take complete site backups or database backups
  • Create separate schedules for complete backups and database backups

If you upgrade to the Pro version starting at $29, you’ll also get the ability to back up to off-site storage like Google Drive, DropBox, Amazon S3 and more.

BackUpWordPress - table

Who Is BackUpWordPress Good For?

BackUpWordPress is a great option for casual users who want something that works out of the box. There’s literally nothing you need to configure — just activate and go.

On the other hand, it doesn’t currently offer a dedicated restore function. That means the simplicity only extends to actually backing up your site, not restoring it.

Also, in the free version, you don’t get remote storage, so you have to manually download your backups on a regular basis.

How to Take a Backup with BackUpWordPress

As I mentioned, you don’t actually need to do anything after activating the plugin. By default, BackUpWordPress starts off with backups already scheduled.

It will:

  • Back up your database every day
  • Back up your entire site every week

If you want, you can always manually create a backup by clicking Run now:

BackUpWordPress - manually create database

And you can also change the default schedule by clicking on Settings:

BackUpWordPress - change default schedule

In the free version, you’ll then need to manually download your backups to your local computer in order to ensure that you always have a working copy available. While the plugin will store backups on your server (according to your settings), this is not a safe way to store your backups long-term because if something happens to your server, you’ll be unable to access your backups.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with BackUpWordPress

Again, BackUpWordPress does not have a dedicated restore function. To restore your site from backup, you’ll need to upload all of the files via FTP and import your database via phpMyAdmin.

#6: All-in-One WP Migration


Like Duplicator, All-in-One WP Migration is a migration plugin that serves double duty as a backup plugin. One thing that’s nice about All-in-One WP Migration, though, is that it offers a simpler restore process than Duplicator.

The plugin gives you:

  • Full or partial backups
  • Easy restore from backup
  • Functionalities that make migrating your site a breeze

You can also purchase individual premium extensions for off-site backups at cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more.

There’s no way to put your backups on an automatic schedule, though.

All-in-One WP Migration - table

Who Is All-in-One WP Migration Good For?

Because it lacks scheduled backups, All-in-One WP Migration is good for users who are willing (or even prefer) to handle things manually.

One advantage that All-in-One WP Migration has over some of the other backup plugins is that it gives you a good deal of control over which files you export, which is helpful if you only want to take partial backups.

Most of the time, you’ll probably want to take full backups anyway, so this isn’t a huge advantage for casual users. But partial backups can be helpful if you’re running an especially large site where taking a full backup every day takes up too much space and/or processing power.

For example, if you use tons of high-resolution images that don’t change very often, it’s a waste of resources to back up those files every single time you take a backup.

For most casual users, one of the plugins that focuses specifically on backups will offer a more streamlined solution.

How to Take a Backup with All-in-One WP Migration

To create a backup of your site, you need to Export it. You can export your entire site or exclude certain elements by using the Advanced options:

All-in-One WP Migration - create backup

Once you export your site, the plugin will prompt you to save the file to your computer (or your offsite location if you purchase a premium extension). And the files will also show up in the Backups tab of the plugin.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with All-in-One WP Migration

To restore your site from a backup, you have two options.

First, you can go to the Backups tab and click the restore button:

All-in-One WP Migration - restore

Second, you can go to the Import tab and upload a previously exported file from your computer or a remote storage location:

All-in-One WP Migration - import
Note: One well-known plugin that’s missing from this list is BackupBuddy. We intended to include it, but unfortunately iThemes does not offer a trial version, maintains a strict no-refund policy and did not respond to any of our requests for a demo licence. 🙁
 

Start Taking Backups and Sleep Easy Knowing That Your Site is Protected

Peace of mind is a beautiful thing.

And after you start using one of these WordPress backup plugins, that’s exactly what you’ll have.

Don’t wait — choose the plugin you like the best, install it, and create your first backup.

Then, no matter what happens to your site, you’ll always have a working copy tucked safely away.

And that means you can sleep easy knowing the work you’ve put into your site is safe and secure.

Author bio: Colin Newcomer is a freelance writer for hire with a background in SEO and affiliate marketing. He helps clients grow their web visibility by writing primarily about digital marketing and WordPress. In his spare time, he travels and curates graphic t-shirts.
 

from
https://smartblogger.com/wordpress-backup-plugin/

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Triple Your Instagram Followers in 10 Steps [Infographic]

Instagram remains popular, yet the social platform is still something of a mystery for many marketers. To learn how to set up and use your brand's Instagram account to gain followers and engagement, check out the tips in today's infographic. Read the full article at MarketingProfs

from
https://www.marketingprofs.com/chirp/2017/33100/triple-your-instagram-followers-in-10-steps-infographic

6 Best WordPress Backup Plugins Compared (100% Objective)

Imagine if one day your blog just disappeared.

It’s a terrifying thought, right?

You put all that work into writing amazing content and developing an audience. The last thing you want is for it all to go up in a puff of smoke because of some technical issue or hacker.

But if you don’t back up your website regularly, that’s exactly what would happen if something ever went wrong.

Thankfully, I have some good news for you:

Backing up your website isn’t something you need a developer for. Heck, it’s not even that complicated.

And with the right WordPress backup plugin, you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing that no matter what happens to your site, you can always have it up and running again in no time.

To help you get started on the right foot with WordPress backups, I’m going to spend this post going through six WordPress backup plugins and helping you choose the one that’s right for you.

But first…

Here’s What to Look For in a WordPress Backup Plugin

While the backup plugin that you eventually choose will depend on your personal preferences, there are a few key features you should at least consider when making your choice:

  • Does the plugin offer automation? Automated backups let you “set it and forget it.” In other words, it keeps you from having to remember to do it manually every week/month/whatever time frame.
  • Does the plugin take full or partial backups? All the plugins on this list offer full site backups. But if you search elsewhere, you will find some plugins that will only back up specific parts of your websites, like just your database or theme.
  • How does the plugin handle restoring from backups? Some plugins give you built-in tools, while others require you to manually upload the files and import your database.
  • Does the plugin work with remote storage? If the plugin doesn’t let you back up to remote storage, you’ll be entirely responsible for keeping your backup files safe. Some plugins will store your backups on your server, which can still be useful, but won’t help you if your server gets wiped clean.
  • Does the plugin offer site migrations? This is the least important question. But if you think you’ll move your site often — like from a local staging site (that you use for tests) to your live site — this feature comes in handy.

The 6 Best Backup Plugins Compared in Detail

In order to help you make your decision, I want to give you an actual idea how these plugins function in the real world. So, in addition to giving you each plugin’s feature list, I’ll also show you the actual process for how you can use the plugin to back up and restore your website.

Let’s dive in…

#1: UpdraftPlus


By the numbers, UpdraftPlus is the most popular backup plugin at WordPress.org. It also has a staggering five-star rating on over 2,672 reviews to help explain its popularity.

So, why do so many people like UpdraftPlus? Probably because it gives you nearly all of the points I discussed above without charging a penny (though there is a premium version with more features).

Here’s what you get with UpdraftPlus:

  • Manual or automatic backups (based on a schedule that you define)
  • Full-site backups or backups of specific parts of your site (like your database)
  • Easy restore from backup via a dedicated tool
  • Off-site backup to Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and more
  • UpdraftVault dedicated backup storage, which is basically a dedicated cloud storage service for UpdraftPlus (storage costs extra, though)

In fact, the only feature that you might miss in the free version is a dedicated site migration tool. If you do want that migration feature, though, you can always purchase UpdraftPlus premium starting at $70.

UpdraftPlus table

Who Is UpdraftPlus Good For?

UpdraftPlus is the plugin I recommend for most casual bloggers because it strikes a good balance between flexibility/features and ease of use.

But while it’s easy to use, it’s not the easiest to use. We have other plugins on this list that simplify the process even more. (Of course, those may have other downsides for you.)

How to Take a Backup with UpdraftPlus

Once you install and activate UpdraftPlus, you can access its settings by heading to Settings → UpdraftPlus.

To run a manual backup, you just need to click the big blue Backup Now button:

UpdraftPlus backup restore

Then, you can choose whether to back up your entire site, or just a specific part:

UpdraftPlus - choose backup

And that’s all there is to it! Depending on the size of your site, the backup may take a few minutes to create.

Once it’s finished, you can download the files to your computer by visiting the Existing Backups tab:

UpdraftPlus - download files

Something to note about UpdraftPlus is that it divides its backups into different files. You need to download all five files to have the full backup of your site.

Of course, one of the benefits of UpdraftPlus is that you don’t actually have to manually run your backups.

If you want to set up automated backups and/or off-site backups, you can do that by going to the plugin’s Settings tab, and choosing how often you’d like to run a backup:

UpdraftPlus - set up backups

As you can see on the image above, you can also choose a remote storage option, so you don’t have to rely on the backups on your server.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus lets you restore from backup in two ways.

First, you can run a one-click restore by going to the Existing Backups tab and clicking the Restore button:

UpdraftPlus - one click restore

Note: This only works if the backup you want to restore from is still on your server.

Second, you can upload a set of backup files from your own computer or from remote storage. You’ll need to upload all five backup data files to get a full backup.

UpdraftPlus - upload backup files

#2: BackWPup


BackWPup is another popular WordPress backup plugin with over 600,000 active installs.

Here’s what you get with this plugin:

  • Full or partial site backups
  • Automated backups via a few different methods
  • Off-site backup to Dropbox, email, S3 services, and others (Google Drive is not available in the free version, though)

And here’s one unique, though niche, BackWPup feature:

The free version works with WordPress MultiSite. Most WordPress backup plugins lock MultiSite support behind their Pro versions.

You may notice one feature missing from this list, though — BackWPup does not offer a tool to restore from backup. You’ll have to do that manually.

BackWPup - table

Who Is BackWPup Good For?

BackWPup is more flexible than UpdraftPlus in certain aspects as it offers more customization options when it comes to how and what to backup. But those same customization options make the plugin less user-friendly than UpdraftPlus and might feel overwhelming to casual bloggers.

For example, you can run backups via WP-CLI, export backups as WordPress XML files, trigger backups by visiting an external URL, and more.

If you’re a WordPress beginner, that might all  sound like gibberish to you, which is okay, because you won’t need those options. But advanced WordPress users should appreciate them, especially the WP-CLI integration.

So unless you want those advanced options, I recommend you choose one of the simpler backup plugins on this list.

How to Take a Backup with BackWPup

To start running backups with BackWPup, you need to create a Job. A Job is basically any task that you want the plugin to complete:

BackWPup - create a job

You can also choose where to send the results of your Job:

BackWPup - job destination

As well as whether to run that job manually or via some type of automation:

BackWPup - job schedule

From the screenshots above, I think you’ll be able to see why I don’t recommend this plugin for beginners. Unless you’re a power WordPress user, terms like WordPress cron and WP-CLI mean nothing to you.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with BackWPup

Again, BackWPup does not currently offer a dedicated restore-from-backup tool. Instead, you’ll need to manually restore your site by uploading the actual files via FTP and importing your database.

While that’s not too hard to do, this is another reason why BackWPup is not a great option for beginners.

The developers are working on adding a restore tool to their plugin, though, so this may change in the near future.

#3: VaultPress/Jetpack


VaultPress is part of the Jetpack plugin from Automattic, the same company behind WordPress.com. It’s designed to make things as easy as possible for you to both back up and restore your site (if needed). Essentially, it puts your backups on autopilot.

That means:

  • Automatic daily and real-time backups. Yesreal-time means that any time you make a change on your site, that change gets synched right away.
  • 30 days of backup storage in the VaultPress cloud
  • One-click restores from the VaultPress interface
  • Easy migrations — restore to different sites with the click of a button

And beyond backups, on the higher tier plans, VaultPress also scans your site for vulnerabilities and helps you fix any problems that it discovers.

Sounds pretty slick, right? So what’s the catch? Well, unlike all of the other plugins on this list, there’s no free version.

If you want to use VaultPress, you have to pay their yearly fee.

VaultPress - table

Who Is VaultPress Good For?

In terms of pure ease of use, VaultPress is the best option for beginners and casual WordPress users. It’s simple and pretty much hands-free. There is a small one-time setup to enable one-click restores, but once you complete that, VaultPress requires essentially zero manual input.

So if you’re looking for the absolute easiest WordPress backup solution, this is it. Just remember that you’re going to pay $39 per year for that ease of use, whereas something like UpdraftPlus is almost as simple without the price tag.

How to Take a Backup with VaultPress

Even though VaultPress is part of the Jetpack subscription plan, it’s technically a separate plugin. So before you can get started taking backups, you’ll need to install and activate both Jetpack and VaultPress. The process is straightforward, but if you need help you can find instructions for both Jetpack and VaultPress.

Once you have both those plugins up and running, VaultPress automatically starts working. While you don’t technically need to configure anything for it to take your first backup, if you have a large site, you might want to give VaultPress remote access through SSH or FTP to speed up the process:

VaultPress - settings

If you’re not sure why/how to do this, VaultPress has a support article on the subject and you can always reach out to Jetpack/VaultPress support or your host’s support.

Once VaultPress completes your first backup, you can manage all your backups from the VaultPress interface. If you want, you can also download physical copies to your local computer for safekeeping:

VaultPress - manage backups

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with VaultPress

To enable one-click restores, you’ll first need to give VaultPress remote access to your site (if you haven’t already configured it to speed up your backups).

Again, if you’re not sure just how to do that, give this support article a read. Or you can always reach out to Jetpack/VaultPress support and/or your host’s support team.

Once you complete that one-time setup process, all you need to do to restore your site is click a button in the VaultPress interface:

VaultPress - restore

#4: Duplicator


Duplicator is a popular and well-rated WordPress migration plugin. Because there’s a good deal of overlap between what happens when you migrate a site and what happens when you backup/restore a site, Duplicator functions great as a backup tool as well.

That said, many of the backup features that come for free in the other plugins are only available in the paid Duplicator Pro plugin.

Here’s what you can do in the free version of the plugin:

  • Download a full site backup
  • Fairly easy restore from backup (though it’s not a one-click restore)
  • Easy site migrations

And if you upgrade to Duplicator Pro, here’s what you’ll get:

  • Scheduled backups
  • Off-site storage at Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3
  • Special support for extra-large websites
Duplicator - table

Who Is Duplicator Good For?

Duplicator is a good option for intermediate users and above.

As someone who works with WordPress for a living, I find it convenient and often use it to move sites around and back them up. But I don’t believe it’s as good an option for beginners as tools like UpdraftPlus or VaultPress.

Here’s how it shakes out:

If you’re comfortable using FTP, you might enjoy this plugin for its convenience and flexibility. But if you just want a simple backup utility, some of the other plugins are better suited for you.

How to Take a Backup with Duplicator

To back up your site with Duplicator, you’ll need to create something called a Package.

Duplicator - create a package

A Package consists of two files:

  • Installer — contains a setup wizard that helps you migrate or restore your site
  • Archive — contains a complete backup of your WordPress site
Duplicator - package completed

Put together, those two files are all you need to completely back up your WordPress site.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with Duplicator

Whether you’re migrating your site or restoring your site from backup, Duplicator uses the same process.

It’s not as simple as something like UpdraftPlus, but it is more streamlined than the completely manual process offered by BackWPup.

Basically, you’ll need to use FTP or cPanel to upload both files to the server where you want to restore or migrate your site.

Then you can go to yourdomain.com/installer.php and follow the plugin’s four-step wizard to restore your site. The only slightly technical thing that you’ll need to do is create an empty database for Duplicator to connect to (here’s how to do that in cPanel, the most common hosting management tool):

Duplicator - restore site

#5: BackUpWordPress


BackUpWordPress is a backup plugin from Human Made, one of the largest WordPress development agencies. In addition to working with enterprise clients like USA Today, they’ve also created some of their own products like BackUpWordPress.

With BackUpWordPress, you can:

  • Take complete site backups or database backups
  • Create separate schedules for complete backups and database backups

If you upgrade to the Pro version starting at $29, you’ll also get the ability to back up to off-site storage like Google Drive, DropBox, Amazon S3 and more.

BackUpWordPress - table

Who Is BackUpWordPress Good For?

BackUpWordPress is a great option for casual users who want something that works out of the box. There’s literally nothing you need to configure — just activate and go.

On the other hand, it doesn’t currently offer a dedicated restore function. That means the simplicity only extends to actually backing up your site, not restoring it.

Also, in the free version, you don’t get remote storage, so you have to manually download your backups on a regular basis.

How to Take a Backup with BackUpWordPress

As I mentioned, you don’t actually need to do anything after activating the plugin. By default, BackUpWordPress starts off with backups already scheduled.

It will:

  • Back up your database every day
  • Back up your entire site every week

If you want, you can always manually create a backup by clicking Run now:

BackUpWordPress - manually create database

And you can also change the default schedule by clicking on Settings:

BackUpWordPress - change default schedule

In the free version, you’ll then need to manually download your backups to your local computer in order to ensure that you always have a working copy available. While the plugin will store backups on your server (according to your settings), this is not a safe way to store your backups long-term because if something happens to your server, you’ll be unable to access your backups.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with BackUpWordPress

Again, BackUpWordPress does not have a dedicated restore function. To restore your site from backup, you’ll need to upload all of the files via FTP and import your database via phpMyAdmin.

#6: All-in-One WP Migration


Like Duplicator, All-in-One WP Migration is a migration plugin that serves double duty as a backup plugin. One thing that’s nice about All-in-One WP Migration, though, is that it offers a simpler restore process than Duplicator.

The plugin gives you:

  • Full or partial backups
  • Easy restore from backup
  • Functionalities that make migrating your site a breeze

You can also purchase individual premium extensions for off-site backups at cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more.

There’s no way to put your backups on an automatic schedule, though.

All-in-One WP Migration - table

Who Is All-in-One WP Migration Good For?

Because it lacks scheduled backups, All-in-One WP Migration is good for users who are willing (or even prefer) to handle things manually.

One advantage that All-in-One WP Migration has over some of the other backup plugins is that it gives you a good deal of control over which files you export, which is helpful if you only want to take partial backups.

Most of the time, you’ll probably want to take full backups anyway, so this isn’t a huge advantage for casual users. But partial backups can be helpful if you’re running an especially large site where taking a full backup every day takes up too much space and/or processing power.

For example, if you use tons of high-resolution images that don’t change very often, it’s a waste of resources to back up those files every single time you take a backup.

For most casual users, one of the plugins that focuses specifically on backups will offer a more streamlined solution.

How to Take a Backup with All-in-One WP Migration

To create a backup of your site, you need to Export it. You can export your entire site or exclude certain elements by using the Advanced options:

All-in-One WP Migration - create backup

Once you export your site, the plugin will prompt you to save the file to your computer (or your offsite location if you purchase a premium extension). And the files will also show up in the Backups tab of the plugin.

How to Restore Your Site from Backup with All-in-One WP Migration

To restore your site from a backup, you have two options.

First, you can go to the Backups tab and click the restore button:

All-in-One WP Migration - restore

Second, you can go to the Import tab and upload a previously exported file from your computer or a remote storage location:

All-in-One WP Migration - import
Note: One well-known plugin that’s missing from this list is BackupBuddy. We intended to include it, but unfortunately iThemes does not offer a trial version, maintains a strict no-refund policy and did not respond to any of our requests for a demo licence. 🙁
 

Start Taking Backups and Sleep Easy Knowing That Your Site is Protected

Peace of mind is a beautiful thing.

And after you start using one of these WordPress backup plugins, that’s exactly what you’ll have.

Don’t wait — choose the plugin you like the best, install it, and create your first backup.

Then, no matter what happens to your site, you’ll always have a working copy tucked safely away.

And that means you can sleep easy knowing the work you’ve put into your site is safe and secure.

Author bio: Colin Newcomer is a freelance writer for hire with a background in SEO and affiliate marketing. He helps clients grow their web visibility by writing primarily about digital marketing and WordPress. In his spare time, he travels and curates graphic t-shirts.
 

from
https://smartblogger.com/wordpress-backup-plugin/