“I wish I knew that years ago when I built my website!”
Her reaction was understandable. The prospect had asked about what it would take to fix the errors and technical problems that were plaguing her company’s WordPress website. I was the bearer of bad news, telling her that she basically needed a site rebuild, as what she had online was so old and neglected it was beyond repair. The site had been online for several years with no technical updates, which left it open to hacking. Worse, the developer used a cheap, unsupported layout theme that was performing poorly. The plugins were another mess, all of them old and unlicensed. All it would take is an overdue server PHP upgrade, and the dreaded “white screen of death” would make an appearance.
She had no idea that WordPress needs periodic maintenance. She also didn’t know that not all layout themes and plugins are alike, and they need updates and licenses and support. When she asked what her website traffic was, I couldn’t tell her as the original developer didn’t install a Google Analytics tracking script. At the time, the budget was tight and she thought that websites were pretty routine and having a local college student build her site would save a bit of money. Don’t all young people understand the Internet? Well, not always.
Next time you’re planning a website project or digital marketing strategy, consider first getting some sound advice from an experienced webmaster. A brief consulting call can end up saving a lot of money and aggravation in the long term, paying for itself many times over.
Why invest in pre-project consulting?
- Besides addressing your questions, a skilled WordPress consultant will ask you about your larger picture—and discuss related issues you hadn’t considered before, such as marketing technology, email, hosting and automation.
- You’ll find clarity about what’s needed to achieve your online business objectives. In many cases, new clients overestimate the amount of effort needed to obtain the desired outcome.
- A consulting session will help you determine an appropriate and realistic budget for development and other services.
- You’ll learn about available resources and services that you probably didn’t know about.
- If you decide to work with another service provider, you’ll be better informed and proceed with your project with greater confidence.
I offer pre-project Discovery Sessions, perfect for planning any website project or internet marketing strategy. If you already have a WordPress website, the companion Audit Report will provide a takeaway analysis of your site’s configuration, so you’ll have a roadmap to progress in-hand and ready to go. Click here to learn more and to schedule a session.