Why Does My Website Keep Crashing? How do I Prevent It?

 

If your website crashes regularly, it’s time to take action.

Even a brief delay in site speed can impact revenue, and frequent crashes make it even worse. Understanding the main causes of website crashes can help you address issues quickly and minimize downtime.

In this article, we’ll explore the top three reasons websites crash and practical solutions for each one.

Understanding the main causes of website crashes can help you address issues quickly and minimize downtime. To make this easier, we’ve created a free infographic summarizing key tips and solutions.

Download it here to keep your site running smoothly!

Reason No. 1: Traffic Issues

An increase in website traffic is usually a good thing, but only if your website can handle it. Too many visitors at once can overwhelm servers, causing crashes or slowdowns.

High Traffic Volume

The Problem:
Your website doesn’t have the server capacity to support the number of visitors it’s receiving. This could happen due to a legitimate surge in traffic or bot activity.

How to Solve It:
To prevent crashes caused by high traffic, you may need to:

• Upgrade server capacity (e.g., increase disk space).
• Move from shared hosting to a dedicated server.
• Use a robust hosting provider like WPEngine.

Your hosting partner can analyze traffic patterns and suggest the best configuration for your needs.

Database Overloads

The Problem:
When a website loads, it pulls information from a database. If the database struggles to handle too many requests, it can cause slowdowns or crashes, even with sufficient server capacity.

How to Solve It:

• Install a caching plugin: Tools like WP Rocket reduce the load on your database by storing frequently requested data.
• Optimize database queries: If caching doesn’t work, a developer can adjust how your website retrieves data to make the process faster and more efficient.

Reason No. 2: Technical Problems

Technical issues are another common cause of website crashes. Here are a few of the most common problems and solutions.

Code Errors

The Problem:
Faulty code can disrupt how your website functions, either on the server side or the client side. A common example of a faulty code issue is missing semicolons in JavaScript files. Even small errors like this can prevent scripts from running properly, causing interactive features on your website—like forms or dropdown menus—to break. On the server side, errors in database queries or outdated script libraries can lead to crashes.

How to Solve It:
Conduct a website audit to identify coding errors, outdated scripts, or compatibility problems. Depending on the findings, your developer may need to update, fix, or rewrite parts of the code.

Software Updates

The Problem:
Updating your website’s core software, plugins, or theme without proper testing can lead to compatibility issues and crashes.

How to Solve It:
Before making updates to a live site, test them on a staging site to ensure they won’t cause issues. If a live site crashes after an update, roll back to a previous backup and fix compatibility issues before publishing again.

Reason No. 3: Security Issues

Security vulnerabilities can cause your website to crash or become inaccessible. Addressing these issues promptly is critical.

Security Certificate Issues

The Problem:
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts data between your site and its users. Without it, data is vulnerable to interception, and browsers may flag your site as unsafe.

How to Solve It:
Keep your SSL certificate valid and properly configured. This ensures secure connections and prevents disruptions. Most hosting providers can manage this for you.

DDoS Attacks

The Problem:
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack floods your website with fake traffic, overwhelming its server and causing downtime. Attackers use a network of infected devices (called a botnet) to send massive amounts of fake traffic to a site. This overwhelms the server, making it unable to respond to legitimate users.

How to Solve It:
Prevent DDoS attacks by monitoring traffic for unusual spikes, using firewalls to block malicious requests, and choosing hosting solutions with built-in DDoS protection.

Your hosting and maintenance provider should develop a customized plan to monitor and protect your site against potential DDoS threats. Proactive measures are essential for businesses that rely heavily on uptime.

FAQs

1. What steps should I take if my website keeps crashing?
   Start with a full audit to identify whether traffic, technical, or security issues are causing the crashes. Address the root cause with targeted fixes.
2. How can I ensure my hosting plan is adequate?
   Review your hosting provider’s capacity limits and compare them to your website’s traffic patterns. If your site crashes during peak times, an upgrade is likely needed.
3. Why is caching important for my website?
   Caching helps reduce server load by storing frequently accessed data, improving load times and overall site performance.
4. What should I do if a plugin causes issues?
   Disable the plugin and contact the developer or support team. Test alternatives or consult with your technical partner for a custom solution if necessary.
5. How often should I test my website for security vulnerabilities?
   Regularly, at least quarterly or after significant updates, to ensure your site remains protected against new threats.

Reminder: For a quick reference to solutions discussed in this blog, download our infographic!

Conclusion

Websites can crash for a variety of reasons, but these issues are manageable with the right approach. Regular audits, proper hosting, and proactive security measures will help you avoid downtime and maintain a reliable online presence.

If you’re looking for ongoing support, TechArk offers website maintenance services to keep your site running smoothly 24/7.