We swear WordPress didn’t hire us for this one! We’re not doing free advertising, here – we’re dishing out advice. And even though it can be frustrating, the truth is that dumping WordPress might do you more harm than good. Think about it, WordPress is the industry standard. It’s used by 62.8 percent of sites, followed by Shopify at 6.2 percent and Wix at 3.8 percent.
Whether you like it or not, being the standard comes with undeniable perks. With WordPress, you have:
- An Extensive Support Network: WordPress is backed by a vast community. Its resources are pretty limitless because nearly everyone supports it.
- Ability to Easily Transition: If you’re using an agency and then change later down the road, your content is already in a usable format. There’s no need to port content between different CMSs.
- Reliable Security: WordPress is secure as long as you avoid installing unreliable plugins.
Here’s our advice: Instead of blaming your CMS, take a good, hard look at your site. Identify what isn’t working … and fix it.
Drop the Pricy Designers
Too many publishers are splurging on custom website designs in an attempt to be “on brand” and unique. But look around at other publishers – how unique do those sites feel? You’ll see some variation in typography and color schemes, but nothing you should be dishing out tens of thousands of dollars for.
It’s 2024. Web design shouldn’t cost you $30,000. Instead, budget around $5,000, plus some reasonable hosting fees. By the way, since most sites don’t experience heavy traffic and primarily serve text and images, quality hosting should only cost about $100 per month.
Focus on Mobile Optimization
Everyone’s on mobile. That means desktop design should not be your primary focus – unless your audience is B2B. Excessive spending on unique desktop designs just isn’t worth it. There’s nothing wrong with making your site beautiful, but be reasonable. Make sure you’re prioritizing functionality and user experience over extravagant designs.
Be Picky With Plugins
This is a big one! To keep your WordPress site secure and to maintain its functionality, you need to limit plugins. This means:
- Be selective with plugins. Only install essential plugins, and monitor their impact on your site’s performance.
- Regularly audit your plugins. Even if a plugin doesn’t impact your score now, updates can change that. Regular checks can help you catch issues early.
- Remove problem plugins. If a plugin is slowing down your site and it’s not essential, get rid of it ASAP. If it is essential, do what you can to enhance its performance. Make sure the plugin is up to date and disable any unnecessary features that could be causing the slowdown.
If you think we’re being dramatic – think again. We’ve seen a single WordPress plugin take a site’s Google Page Speed score from a 90 to a 30. Yeah. Bad plugins are a big deal.
Purge your Cache
If you’re effectively managing your plugins and your site is still running slow, try implementing caching. You can use a caching plugin like W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache to store static versions of your pages, which will reduce the load on your server and hopefully speed things up. Don’t forget to regularly purge your cache.
Don’t Be Deceived
The print market is contracting, with more printers and paper mills closing shop everyday. It’s absolutely true that you need to shift your focus to building and monetizing a digital audience … BUT that doesn’t mean you need to rush the process. Do your research. Don’t be deceived by every flashy new CMS that comes to the market.
Nothing becomes the industry standard by accident. All we’re saying is, before you jump ship, make sure you know what the problem truly is. Is it the ship itself … or how it’s being run?
