Over the last year, I have had just about every issue with my WordPress sites that you can imagine. Internal Server errors, the dreaded “White Screen of Death,” “Error Establishing a Database Connection, the inability for the user to reset password, “Warning: Cannot modify header information,”- the list goes on and on, but the granddaddy of them all has definitely been malware. The frequency with which my client sites have been hit with malware has skyrocketed! I even had one client whose site appeared normal…until the user started navigating around and was introduced to some questionable products that my client most definitely was NOT selling. Some days it was enough to make me want to throw in the towel as I spent night after night fixing problem after problem.

But throwing in the towel wasn’t an option, because people were counting on me. I host over 50 sites for clients and friends, and I agreed to keep them updated and online – which may have been a major underestimate on my part. While some of the problems I was getting were just your run of the mill issues that come from not setting the site up correctly, the majority of the problems came from hackers. I had one site alone that had thousands of login attempts over just one weekend.

Because there are so many people who have had similar experiences to mine, if you just mention the word “WordPress” you will typically get one of two instant responses:  people either LOVE IT, or they HATE IT.  I’ve been using WordPress long enough to know that both sides have valid reasons, but the frustrations I’ve experienced just aren’t enough to make me not LOVE it! Just look at these great benefits for starters:

• No Cost – It’s Free!  In an era where everything costs SOMETHING, it’s refreshing that WordPress is still completely free.
• It’s easy to install.
• You can get a great head start with all the great ready-made themes out there. (I even have a build-your-website-in a day program that uses these conveniences to cut your time down!)
• Plugins, plugins, plugins –  there are so many that can add such great functionality to your site instantly.
• It’s SEO friendly, increasing your chances of attracting the right audience to your website with a simple plugin that allows Wordpress to serve all of your SEO needs.
• Google loves WordPress, because Google loves fresh content, and WordPress makes that a breeze.  If Google loves Wordpress, then why shouldn’t YOU?!

For those of you who see all of these benefits, yet are still frustrated in light of some disadvantages, I feel your pain.  When you say that WordPress can seem power hungry, or a hacker’s magnet, or needy with the constant updates, or hard to understand how to use, I get it.  Trust me…I get it.

So with all of that in mind, why haven’t I just moved on? Well, I still think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages, especially now that I have a few secret weapons at my disposal. So what are these secret weapons, you ask?

The first was a shift in my hosting account – I moved my sites off of some those shared hosting solutions that you see advertised everywhere. They were just killing me, especially with the malware issues. I moved my sites over to WPEngine and Pressable – both are dedicated WordPress hosting solutions,  and they have significantly reduced the number of issues I was having. This is one simple and effective solution to the constant barrage of hackers adding malware to your site. They are all about making life easier for you, starting with a Special Offer from WP Engine: You can get 20% off your 1st payment (Monthly & Annual plans), with the code: SPEEDUP.

The other great solution I found that allows me to rest easy and get some sleep again at night is WPFixit.com.  WP Fix It offers a solution that makes those frustrating issues I described above go away, allowing you to focus truly on all there is to LOVE about WordPress!  They offer malware and virus removal, infection insurance, website backups, site speed increases, and they even complete all updates for you!  Because they feel our WordPress pain, they offer these services for a very reasonable price and with a guarantee – “If we can’t fix it, we will refund your money.” This is a valid guarantee, as I have experienced it a few times, and they came through with the refund. I encourage you to give WP Fix It a try and see their service for yourself. They have been kind enough to offer to special deals for Duct Tape Marketing Blog readers, so you can give their legendary service a test drive: Enter the code FIXITNOW for $5 off anything on the site (except sale items). Entering the code SPEEDYSITE will give you $20 off their WP Speed Up service (http://wpfixit.com/product/wp-sup). Both codes expire in 30 days, so make sure you don’t wait too long to give it a try.

There is a reason WordPress is the number one CMS platform available. With over 76.5 million sites in the world, WordPress is here to stay.  Now with solutions like WPEngine, Pressable, and WPFixit.com, your WordPress anxiety and issues can fade away so you can sit back and enjoy all there is to LOVE about WordPress!

Neil Richmund built his first WordPress site in late 2010, and since then he has launched over 300 more sites. He is passionate about all things marketing, but especially those pesky website projects – which he believes are at the heart of all good marketing plans. He founded Strategix Marketing in 2014 with the intent of building a marketing solution that educates people on how to market, rather than just doing it for them. Neil is originally from Australia and currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was recently married, and he and his wife Amy share 3 teenagers between them. He has a passion for teaching people how to help themselves, and helping people build successful businesses has been a great way to do that.