WordPress gained universal recognition because it could be used to create virtually all kinds of websites and blogs without any hassle. The ease that comes with implementing this CMS open-code solution for website creation is way better than going for the coding method. Moreover, it saves the cost of hiring a full-time programmer for website design.
However, having a WordPress website does not literarily means you will never need the service of a programmer. Your site could develop a fault that may require a professional to resolve. Therefore, for the smooth running of your business and to prevent unnecessary downtime, you need to have a programmer you can call upon anytime.
But before calling, you need to be watchful for some errors. These errors or warning messages would serve as indicators for knowing when to seek professional help. The following are 5 WordPress warning signs showing that you need your WordPress expert.
The website is only displaying white
This error could drive a website owner insane if care is not taken because the site will display no content. The only thing visible on the site or blog would be a blank white page with no error message or clue on what to correct. For this reason, it’s often referred to as White Screen of Death (WSoD).
It is more dreadful that this error could be traced to many malfunctions. It could be some plugins malfunctioning, theme, cache, or insufficient memory. This makes it hard for you to make any corrective attempt. For this reason, it’s better to call a professional to fix it.
The WordPress expert will look into all possible sources of the error to pin down which one is the exact cause. Then, the expert will make the necessary corrections, which will restore your blog to its original state. It sounds easy, but it’s something you would not want to mess with.
Syntax error
Many WordPress website errors would leave you in the dark on the cause, but this particular one is different. When there’s a syntax error, your WordPress website will display a warning message, “Parse error: syntax error, unexpected.”
The second line of the error message will state the file’s path containing the invalid code syntax. And the exact line of code with the wrong syntax. As a non-programmer, you would not want to correct this fault because it’s coding related.
The problem is usually in the function.php file of the WordPress theme folder. The code will have to access the file on the server using SFTP and correct the code using a code editor. After which, the professional will save the changes made and replace the new file with the existing one. Then he will refresh the page and confirm if the fault has been rectified.
Page can’t be found
The warning message “Oops! That page can’t be found” shows that your WordPress website has a 404 error. This particular error is very common to WordPress sites. And it means that the server on which you hosted your blog can’t find the requested page. It can also occur even when the page is available.
The problem is usually linked with the site’s htaccess file. This controls the manner of communication between your WordPress site and your server. It might be redirecting your URLs, making it impossible for the server to grab the requested page.
The first solution for rectifying this error is to regenerate a new htaccess file. This file can be found in the public_html folder of your WordPress website. The steps to renew it require SFTP. Therefore, it’s crucial to seek a professional.
The site can’t access the database
You get this warning message on your website pages when it’s unable to access your database. A database is where all your site’s data and contents are kept. The inability of your site to access this storage facility would cause it to display nothing.
To correct this error, website owners need to dig into a file named wp-config.php of the WordPress folder on your server. This file contains the login details to your database, and they must correlate with those on phpMyAdmin, a location on your server.
These terms would probably sound strange because you’re not a website professional. Therefore, we recommend hiring a WordPress expert to look into it for you. If the login details are different, the professional will ensure that the necessary corrections are made.
If the error persists, the profession will have to use a WordPress database optimization tool to resolve the error. Now, you see why you must keep the contact with a WordPress expert.
Connection timed out
The last but not the least error is the connection timed out. It’s recognized by a warning message that says, “This page isn’t working…. took too long to respond”. You must have seen this message when a page you’re on took a long period to load. Your website could also display it when your server struggles to load a page to visitors.
This could be because your website is straining the server, or your site is not getting enough resources from the server. For the former, your WordPress expert will improve the site loading speed by ensuring that you’re following the speed optimization etiquette.
The professional will have to recommend a new server solution for you if the latter is the case. It could be that the shared hosting you’re on is no longer enough for your website.
Conclusion
Virtually anyone with computer literacy can indeed create a website using WordPress. However, it’s not everyone that can manage the website. It’s nice to know a professional you can call upon for management, especially when it gives a warning message.
As a business owner, you have enough roles on your hands already. The last thing you want to do is go about watching YouTube tutorials to resolve a website error. Why not commit the task to a professional?
