If your web developer has disappeared or stopped responding, your WordPress site can almost always be taken back and brought up to date. Here is how we handle a takeover, from the first warning signs to a secure, current site.
A Real Takeover: Launched in About 10 Days
We recently took over the website of a small contracting company. We did not even need to log in to see what was wrong with the relationship. The client was paying $600 per month, and some of the copy on their site was still the placeholder text from the prepackaged template their designer had purchased.
The conversation moved quickly from there. With the client’s support, we launched their new site in about 10 days. They were able to cancel their old subscription and save $600 that same month.
Step One: A Security Check
The first thing we do when we inherit a neglected WordPress site is a security check. We look for administrator accounts that should not be there, a common sign that a site has been compromised and is being used to send out malware and unwanted ads.
Step Two: Bring Everything Up to Date
Next, we update everything: WordPress core, the theme and every plugin. If the site breaks during the updates, we fix it. We do not roll back to an older, problematic version of any theme or plugin. Instead, we solve the problem and work with the developers to fix the issue as far upstream as possible.
Step Three: Redesign or Move to Web Care
Once the site is secure and current, the client has two options: a redesign, or moving the existing site directly into our Web Care plan. Most clients choose to have their sites rebuilt on our in-house platform.
Can Every Neglected WordPress Site Be Moved Safely?
Most can. The most common obstacles are outdated plugins and abandoned themes that are no longer updated by their developers. When we find these, we offer a low-cost migration into our in-house theme, and Web Care helps the client get back on their feet as quickly as possible.
In most cases, however, the site can be moved safely as it is. The most common step is simply renewing the site’s premium plugin subscriptions, so license and API keys are current and everything continues to receive updates going forward.
What to Know Before You Call
Two questions tell us most of what we need: Where is your domain registered? And are you still on speaking terms with your current developer? With those answers, we can usually map out the path from start to finish.
The Strangest Thing We Have Found
A customized version of WordPress itself, modified so heavily that it could never be updated. Bringing that custom theme and WordPress installation back to a point where it could be managed for security and updates took a great deal of work.
If Your Developer Has Gone Quiet
If your developer is no longer responding, or you are not sure what you are looking at, compare our Web Care plans or contact us with a question. You will hear from a real person in Fairfax.
