No marketing or technology piece would be complete without mentioning one of the most famous pieces of content on the web — WordPress. Whether you’re a casual blogger or someone who owns an online business, it’s likely that you’ve used (or plan to use) WordPress in the future.
Launched in 2003, WordPress is, without a doubt, the best platform for blogging. It has more than 60.8 % market share. However, it’s not immune to problems.
In this article, we’ll discuss some common issues users have with WordPress and how you can deal with them or, in some instances, hire a WordPress developer to resolve them.
7 Common WordPress Issues and how to deal with them
WordPress has been the fastest-growing content management system for 12 years in a row.
With its ease of use, there are thousands of customizable themes, plugins and tools you can use to make your site stand out.
However, while WordPress is user-friendly, it’s also a complex system that may encounter some issues. If you’re not careful, these problems can cause your site to crash or get hacked!
To prevent this from happening, here are some common WordPress issues and how you can fix them:
Avoid Themes with Low Ratings
The WordPress theme you choose is the foundation of your website. That’s why it’s such a bad idea to select themes with low ratings, zero support, and without any updates in a long time. About 57% of plugins have never been rated.
To avoid any incompatibility issues, look for themes compatible with the current version of WordPress and have positive reviews from actual users. Also, make sure that the theme you choose is responsive and mobile-friendly.
The first thing you should consider while choosing a theme is its rating and reviews from other users. If you see a theme with 100% 5-star ratings, it means that the theme is reliable and easy to use for most people.
Take Regular Backups
WordPress is updated regularly and only takes a few minutes to complete. But there are times when something goes wrong during the update process that prevents it from completing successfully. This usually occurs due to faulty plugins, themes, or PHP errors on your website.
The best way to solve this issue is by disabling all plugins and switching back to the default theme (Twenty Fifteen). If this fixes the problem, re-activate your plugins one by note until you find out which one is causing the issue, then delete it from your server.
While some may say that you should never update plugins until you have tested them out on a development site, updates are released for a reason. They fix bugs and make WordPress better. You should continually update your themes, plugins, and WordPress itself. The longer you wait, the more likely your website will be hacked because of an exploit in an outdated file.
You can avoid this problem is to having a staging or development site where you can test things out before putting them live on your site. However, if you don’t have such a setup, keep in mind that something can go wrong when updating anything related to WordPress. Be prepared for it!
Run a Security Scan, Always
Hackers always try to find new ways of breaking into websites. Regularly scanning your website will help you detect and prevent security issues before it’s too late.
WordPress Security is a serious topic that can make or break your site. If you’re serious about protecting your site, you should be performing regular security scans to check for vulnerabilities and malicious code.
If you allow user-generated content, it is even more accessible for the hackers to attack your site, as they can send malicious content through your website to other users who will then get infected.
You should always run a security scan on your site, especially if you notice anything different in the functioning of your website. Malicious files can be hard to detect and even harder to remove if you do not know to code.
There are plenty of security plugins available for WordPress that will scan your site daily, like Wordfence. The plugin gives you detailed reports of any issues it finds and instructions on how to fix them.
Update Your WordPress Installation Regularly
Keeping your website updated is one of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy website. It’s also one of the most neglected tasks by many users.
WordPress releases several updates throughout the year, often to patch security holes or add new features. These updates are usually very minor and will not break your site.
It’s recommended that you update WordPress, themes and plugins whenever an update is available. You can configure automatic updates for minor releases or wait until you have time and manually update your site once every few months.
Secure Your WP Login Page
Keeping your WordPress install secure is an absolute, non-negotiable must.
If you can successfully log into your WordPress admin page and see that it’s all there, but you’re unable to see your WordPress website’s front end, it’s likely because a firewall is blocking your site.
WordPress is versatile and an easy-to-use platform, but that doesn’t mean it’s entirely foolproof. Sometimes, you may encounter WordPress errors that prevent you from logging on to the admin panel, publishing content or even accessing your website.
But don’t panic! Most common WordPress errors can be fixed with a couple of simple solutions. And if you don’t feel comfortable tweaking any code yourself, you can always reach out to your web developer for help.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your login process. With 2FA, you’ll need a username, password, and a code sent to your phone or generated by an app.
This means that if someone guesses or steals your password, they still won’t be able to access your site unless they also have access to your phone. There are many ways you can implement two-factor authentication on WordPress, including plugins like Google Authenticator and Rublon.
Too many people use weak passwords to protect their websites. They think they will be safe because they have installed a firewall or other security solutions on their website. But hackers can easily guess these passwords and use them to access your site. You must create strong passwords that consist of at least 20 characters and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Update Your Plugins and Themes Regularly
Many WordPress users tend to ignore updated themes and plugins, but this is a big mistake. There are almost 60,000 free plugins in the official WordPress plugin directory. If you don’t update your plugins and themes regularly, it puts your website at risk for several problems:
Security Breaches—New threats are identified in themes and plugins, so updating these elements as soon as possible can protect your website from security breaches.
Broken Features—If you fail to keep your plugins and themes up to date, they may stop working. This could be because they are designed to work with specific versions of WordPress, and when you upgrade, they become incompatible.
Compatibility Issues—Not only can outdated plugins stop working altogether, but they can also cause compatibility issues with other plugins and functions on your website.
Also read: Tips in Choosing the Best SEO Agency Partner for Your Perth...
Wrapping Up
WordPress is an excellent platform for those who know their way around a computer, but there’s a learning curve. Once you know your way around WP, everything becomes much more accessible. However, it does have its downsides. Things can go wrong from time to time, and that’s why it’s crucial to be prepared for potential issues. This post will provide you with a short and easy method to get your WordPress site up and running again should the need ever arise.