How to Deal With WordPress Problems As A Beginner

Last updated on August 1st, 2018 at 06:20 pm

When you have a self-hosted WordPress blog, problems will arise. If you’re a new blogger, you need to know how to deal with different types of WordPress problems that arise. In this article, we’ll be discussing some tips that will help you overcome your WordPress problems while staying sane.

As a DIY blogger who doesn’t have a lot of disposable income, you are going to have to get good at taking care of your own issues. Don’t worry if you can’t overcome your problem, there are always people who can help you out.

How to Deal With WordPress Problems As A Beginner

Starting a new blog can be a scary adventure. There’s so much to learn, especially if you’re not that great with HTML and CSS. If you’re an older blogger like I am (in my 40’s) you didn’t have the joy of learning these skills in school.

Don’t worry that’s the great thing about using WordPress. There are themes you can use right out of the box that will help you get your blog setup in a day.

Related: Most Common WordPress Questions

If you’re a DIY blogger, which I am sure you are if you’re reading this. Most new bloggers don’t have the disposable income to spend on their blog. Most of us would rather spend money on groceries, bills and eating out.

You don’t want to spend a lot of money on your blog (NOT at the beginning) until it actually starts making money. Now I am not saying you shouldn’t spend any money (you are trying to grow a business aren’t you?)

However when you face common WordPress problems such as:

• WordPress PHP errors
• Fix white screen of death
• WordPress database errors
• and etc…

 
There are literally tons of WordPress problems you can face as a blogger. My goal isn’t to cover each and every problem. I want to give you some tips on how to handle these errors and get your blog running smoothly again.

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Let’s get Started…

1. Is Your Site Really Down

As a WordPress freelancer, I work with a ton of sites. Sometimes I see things other people are not seeing. Not sure why this happens. I’ve personally found that checking to see if my site is down for everyone or just me. You might be surprised to see that you’re the only one who is seeing the errors.

It’s happened to me and I’m sure that as you continue working with WordPress it may happen to you. You may need to clear your cache or reboot your computer.

2. Go Back to Your Previous Version

Things happen and unfortunately, we can’t control everything. This is the reason that I am always preaching backup your site. If you start dealing with WordPress problems, you can always restore your backup.

If you still haven’t taken the time to set up an automated backup plan, I highly recommend you get one setup after you clear up the WordPress warnings.

3. Step Away From Your Computer and Mouse

Troubleshooting WordPress does not include pressing buttons and clicking links because you are freaked out. I’ve done it before, you keep pressing return because you believe this will fix the issue. NOT A GOOD THING.

Using the return, return, return has never fixed my WordPress problems. I’m quite positive it won’t fix yours. (if it does, let me know 🙂

4. Undo Your Last Change

Maybe you installed a new plugin, made a change to your stylesheet or added code to your functions.php page? If you made a change to your site, undo that last change and that may remove the errors.

Retrace your steps and walk back in time to when your blog was working properly. Maybe it’s as simple as deleting a plugin.

5. Read the Error and Listen

Since my 8 years of working with WordPress, I’ve learned that learning how to read WordPress errors has enabled me to fix a lot of my own problems. (NO I am not a PHP developer)

If I can do it…so can you. I’ve written a great tutorial on dealing with plugin PHP errors. I show you how easy it can be to read why you’re receiving the error and some steps to fix it.

6. Google Your Errors

Google is one of the first places I turn to whenever I am dealing with WordPress problems I can’t figure out. At the moment you might be thinking you’re the only one who has ever dealt with this problem.

The truth is that there are a ton of common problems that WordPress users deal with on a daily basis.

What I like to do is copy and paste the error into Google. Put quotes around your error like this.

This will bring up results related to your error. You can then browse the different results to see if it’s a quick simple fix.

7. YouTube It

I love YouTube and this is my go to whenever I need to learn how to do something. YouTube is responsible for showing me how to install new windshield wipers on my Toyota Prius.

You’d be amazed at what you can learn just by spending some time on YouTube. If you’re new to WordPress YouTube should be your new best friend. Here’s my channel if you want to subscribe.

8. Ask Your Twitter Followers

If you’ve been growing your Twitter followers then ask them. Send out a tweet asking if anyone has ever dealt with the issue you’re having. You might have to tweet your question more than once as we know that a tweet does not last on your feed for long.

Don’t be afraid to send out a tweet.

9. Facebook Groups

If you’re a new blogger, you should join some Facebook groups. Blogging can be a lonely thing. It takes a while to build up momentum and success with your blog. You don’t have to do it alone.

Joining the right Facebook groups can help you stay motivated to keep working towards your goals. You can use these groups to network with other like-minded people who understand your struggles and triumphs.

I’ve learned that Facebook groups can be a great way to network with others. Yes you can also ask questions in groups if you ever need help.

10. WordPress Sites to Help You

My blog was setup to help new bloggers. However, there are other great blogs you can visit to help troubleshoot WordPress issues. I’ve done the legwork for you and here’s some that I use whenever I’m trying to trouble shoot errors. Here’s a great list of resources for every DIY blogger.

I am sure that you will be able to find someone who can help you with your issue.

11. Hire Someone

When you’ve exhaused all other means and are tired of trying to figure it out, it’s time to hire someone. While I personally haven’t ever hired anyone to fix any of my problems. (so I don’t feel comfortable referring someone)

I recently hired WP Fix It to switch my site from HTTP to HTTPS. Overall, I was very happy with their service and support. So if you’re looking to hire someone for you WordPress problems, I’d definitely recommend them.

If you do hire them, let me know how your experience goes. I want to make sure that I am only referring reliable helpful people to my readers.

Final Take Away

Don’t freak out when you’re dealing with WordPress problems. As I mentioned, I’ve never run into anything that can’t be fixed. (knock on wood)

The best thing you can do for your blog is to setup a backup maintenance plan. Take it step-by-step and if all else fails hire someone to fix your problem. If you’re trying to grow your blog so you can monetize it, you need to get back up and running as quickly as possible.

Have you ever had to deal with any type of WordPress warnings and errors? What did you do to fix it? Don’t forget to save this page as a reference for later. And please take the time to share and pin it!