The most common problems landing on our desks in 2025 were rarely new. Despite the platform’s continued evolution, the majority of issues still stem from the lack of WordPress maintenance gaps rather than unique technical failures.
Most of the work we handled throughout the year involved resolving the cumulative effects of ignored updates, redundant plugins, and basic server configuration issues. Many of these sites were technically functional but had become difficult to manage over time.
Site Speed
Performance lag was the most frequent complaint as site owners worked to meet Google’s Core Web Vitals. These sites were often slow because they were burdened by excessive plugins that performed overlapping tasks. Even after a plugin is deactivated, it can leave behind orphaned tables in the database that slow down queries.
To fix this, we conducted straightforward audits to remove unnecessary plugins and pruned the database to clear out old data. Transitioning to modern image formats and ensuring proper caching usually restored speed without requiring a change in hosting. This approach focused on efficiency rather than simply throwing more server resources at the problem.
White Screen of Death
The White Screen of Death also remained a regular fixture in our troubleshooting queue. In 2025, these total site collapses were typically triggered by memory exhaustion or version mismatches. As hosting providers updated to newer versions of PHP, older themes and unmaintained plugins occasionally failed, causing the entire site to go offline.
We resolved these by using debug mode to identify the specific conflict, then either increased the PHP memory limit or replaced the outdated plugin or theme. These incidents highlight that even minor background updates can cause significant downtime if the underlying site architecture is not kept current with modern server standards.
Malware Removal
Security clean-ups were another consistent part of the workload, with “nulled” or pirated premium plugins remaining a common entry point for malware. Malicious scripts were often used to inject spam links or redirect traffic, which can go unnoticed by a site owner until search engine rankings begin to drop.
Our remediation process involved replacing the WordPress core files, removing all malware, and resetting file permissions to ensure the environment was clean. To prevent recurrence, we focused on basic hardening measures, such as enforcing two-factor authentication and moving the default login URL to block automated login attempts.
Layout Problems
Layout breakages were also common, often caused by automatic updates that the site owner had not tested. When a plugin update conflicted with a theme’s CSS, it could disrupt the visual structure of the site, making it appear unprofessional to visitors.
We addressed this by moving clients towards a workflow where updates are tested in a staging environment before being applied to the live site. The takeaway from 2025 is that WordPress remains reliable, provided it is kept lean and managed with a consistent maintenance strategy.
The Cause
Ultimately, consistent maintenance is paramount for the longevity of any website. It is estimated that 90% of WordPress users neglect routine updates and optimisations, which remains the primary cause of the problems we see today.
To help keep your site secure and fast, we offer several WordPress maintenance plans tailored to your needs. Alternatively, if you prefer not to be tied down to a long-term agreement, we also provide one-off fixes to get your site back on track whenever issues arise.