Is Your WordPress Site Driving You Nuts? Here’s How to Fix It

Fixing WordPress Sites

You know that feeling when your WordPress site just won’t cooperate? Maybe it’s running painfully slow, throwing up random errors, or worse—completely crashing at the worst possible moment. It’s frustrating, right? But here’s the good news: most WordPress issues have solutions, and they’re often easier (and cheaper) to fix than you’d think.

In this post, we’ll go over the common problems business owners face with their WordPress sites and how to fix them—without tearing your hair out.

1. Slow Website? Here’s What’s Slowing You Down

A sluggish website isn’t just annoying—it’s bad for business. Visitors won’t wait around for pages to load, and Google certainly won’t rank you well if your site crawls like a snail.

Common culprits:

  • Bloated themes with too many bells and whistles
  • Unoptimized images that take forever to load
  • Too many plugins running in the background
  • Poor-quality web hosting

The fix:
Start by running a speed test with Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. Then:
✅ Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or Smush
✅ Remove unused plugins and themes
✅ Enable caching with a plugin like WP Rocket
✅ Upgrade your hosting if your site’s getting too much traffic for a budget plan

2. Error Messages You Don’t Understand (But Need to Fix)

Ever seen the dreaded “There has been a critical error on this website” message? It’s vague, unhelpful, and completely terrifying if you’re not a developer.

Other common issues include:

  • The White Screen of Death (WSOD) – where your site just… disappears
  • Internal Server Errors (500 errors) – usually caused by plugin conflicts
  • Database Connection Errors – when your site can’t talk to its database

The fix:

  • First, don’t panic. Most errors happen because of plugin conflicts or a misconfigured update.
  • Disable plugins one by one. If you can still access your dashboard, deactivate them all, then reactivate them one at a time.
  • Switch to a default theme. If your site works again, your theme might be the issue.
  • Check your error logs. Many hosting providers let you access logs that show what went wrong.

If you’re stuck, reach out to a WordPress expert—sometimes, a five-minute fix can save you hours of frustration.

3. Your Site Got Hacked – Now What?

Security is a big deal, especially if your site collects customer data. If your site has been hacked, you might notice:
❌ Strange pop-ups or redirects
❌ New admin users you didn’t create
❌ Google flagging your site as “unsafe”

The fix:

  • Change all passwords immediately (including hosting and database access).
  • Scan for malware using security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri.
  • Restore a clean backup (if you have one).
  • Update everything. Most hacks happen because of outdated plugins or themes.

To prevent future attacks, install a firewall and enable two-factor authentication for logins.

4. Contact Forms or Emails Not Working?

If customers are trying to reach you and you’re not getting their messages, your contact form could be broken. This happens a lot with WordPress contact forms because some hosting providers block certain email functions.

The fix:

  • Use an SMTP plugin (like WP Mail SMTP) to ensure emails get delivered properly.
  • Test your form by sending yourself a message.
  • Check spam folders—sometimes, emails end up there instead.

5. Plugins That Break Everything

WordPress plugins are great—until one of them breaks your entire site. Ever updated a plugin, only to find your website suddenly unresponsive?

The fix:
1️⃣ Disable all plugins. If your site comes back, one of them is the culprit.
2️⃣ Reactivate plugins one at a time to see which one causes the problem.
3️⃣ If an update broke your site, roll it back to a previous version using a plugin like WP Rollback.

And here’s a golden rule: don’t install every plugin you find. Stick to well-reviewed plugins that are actively maintained.

Final Thoughts

Running a WordPress site doesn’t have to be a headache. Most problems—whether it’s slow speed, error messages, security issues, or broken plugins—can be fixed with a little troubleshooting.

If you’re dealing with a stubborn issue and need help, don’t waste hours searching forums—get in touch with a WordPress expert who can fix it quickly. Sometimes, a small tweak can make a world of difference.