Plain-English guides to common WordPress website problems: a site that is slow, breaks after updates, looks wrong on a phone or is not bringing in enquiries. Each one explains likely causes, what you can check yourself and when it is worth getting a developer involved.
A white screen, a critical error or a broken layout after clicking Update. What to do first, what is safe to try yourself and what to leave to a developer.
Before installing another speed plugin, work out what is actually slow and why. How to measure properly, the usual causes and when to bring in a developer.
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About these guides
Understanding WordPress website problems
WordPress website problems usually have a handful of common causes. A slow site is often too many large images or plugins. A site that breaks after an update is usually a conflict between a plugin, the theme and the version of PHP. A page that looks wrong on a phone is a layout problem. Few enquiries can come from the way the page is written, not from the traffic.
How to use the guides
Start with the problem you recognise, such as a slow page or a broken layout, and read that guide first. Each one lists the checks that are safe to do yourself, so you can rule out the common causes of WordPress website problems before spending money. If a guide solves it, you have saved time. If it does not, you will at least know what to tell a developer.
Who these articles are for
They are written for business owners and managers, not developers. Each guide explains the likely causes, what you can check yourself and when it makes sense to bring in a developer. Where an article relies on a source, such as the WordPress troubleshooting guide, it links to it so you can read it yourself.
When a guide is not enough
Some WordPress website problems need hands-on work. If your site is down, or you are not comfortable changing settings on a live website, send me the details and I will tell you what I would check first. You can also see the services I offer, such as fixes and support, or how a project works from first message to launch. New guides are added as common questions come in, so the topics grow over time.
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Send a few details about the site, what it needs to do and when you would like it live. I read every enquiry myself and reply with questions or next steps.
