We all know the joke about do-it-yourself computer fixes: did you turn it off and turn it back on again? It’s funny because it’s true. There are so many times that simply flipping the switch is enough to trick your computer into shaping up. What happens when the website you’ve designed is giving you similar issues? Can you turn your WordPress site on and off again to fix what’s broken? Maybe not the whole thing, but you can flip the switch on the plugins to diagnose the problem. Let’s take a closer look.
One At a Time
It sounds like a pain, but the only way to be certain which plugin is causing the problem is to try each one. Turn off the plugin and refresh the site to see if there are any changes. Then rinse and repeat.
As you can see, this will quickly bog you down. If you have more than one site causing issues, you’ll be frustrated by having to solve these back-end problems over and over again. When the problem is a plugin, you are likely using it for more than one client, so it may not be an isolated issue.
Isolate the Problem
Through trial and error, you will begin to see the pattern and be able to zero in on the problem. Once you do, you can make changes or seek further assistance to ensure the site begins to work properly again.
We hate to say it, but sometimes it ends up being more than one plugin causing the problem. It can be infinite combinations and will take some time to isolate the problem.
Delete or Update the Plugin
After the problem has been determined and you know which plugin or set of plugins, you can make your changes to improve the site. You can remove the plugin all together or you can try to update it if updates haven’t been pushed automatically.
You may need to find a new plugin to handle the specific processes the old plugin was handling on your client site. Always research plugins thoroughly to find a reputable on that won’t slow down your page load speed.
Consult an Expert
If all this sounds overwhelming, that’s okay. It can be. Finding small problem sources like this one can be easily frustrating when all you really want to do is design beautiful sites for your clients. But you don’t have to do it alone.
Working with a specialist can help you maintain the integrity of your site and prevent outages or problems in the future. Experts like Site Trustee can give you and your clients the peace of mind that the websites will work and be updated regularly.
Do you have troubleshooting issues? Talk to Site Trustee today.