Education series · Week

Week 5 — Converting to WordPress (when it makes sense)

WordPress isn't the enemy. The enemy is using the wrong tool.

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What you'll walk away with

A scene-by-scene walkthrough of every beat in the video. Plain English. Real numbers. Real workflow.

The walkthrough

  1. WordPress isn't the enemy. The enemy is using the wrong tool.
  2. Education Series · Module 5 · WordPress When It Makes Sense
  3. YES WP if: existing customer with WP · plugin ecosystem needed · non-technical content editor · NO WP if: new build · marketing site only · single-developer project
  4. WP wins: content management UI · 60K+ plugins · cheap third-party themes
  5. WP loses: plugin bloat · monthly maintenance · security patches · slower than static
  6. Static: 60ms · WordPress: 800ms (typical)
  7. Static: $15/yr · WP self-hosted: $60-120/yr (hosting + plugins) · WP managed: $300-1200/yr
  8. Customer: roofing business with existing WP site, wants new design + same admin
  9. Local · download · install · new site button
  10. Site name · admin user · PHP version 8.2 · MySQL
  11. Folder structure: themes/ · └── lmd-roofing/
  12. style.css (with header) · index.php · functions.php · header.php · footer.php
  13. / Theme Name: LMD Roofing ... /
  14. Cutting the head + nav into header.php with <?php wp_head(); ?>
  15. page.php · single.php · front-page.php
  16. if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ... endwhile; endif;
  17. Convert this static site to a WordPress theme — preserve CSS, use the Loop.
  18. All five files in the editor
  19. WP admin · Appearance · Themes · Activate
  20. Adding a [lmd_contact_form] shortcode
  21. add_shortcode('lmd_contact_form', function() { ... });
  22. Use plugin: WooCommerce · backup · SEO · forms · Custom code: business logic · integrations · branded blocks
  23. Wordfence · Yoast SEO · UpdraftPlus · WP Super Cache
  24. wp plugin install yoast --activate
  25. Tools · Export · WXR file · Import on new site
  26. SFTP via FileZilla or wp-content sync
  27. 70-85 typical Performance score · acceptable
  28. Hide login URL · disable XML-RPC · 2FA · keep WP + plugins updated
  29. Site is broken · plugins outdated 5+ years · custom theme nobody knows
  30. Static site: 1 day work · WP migration: 3-5 days · charge accordingly
  31. WordPress is the right tool when content velocity matters more than page speed.
  32. Static · WP · Hosted SaaS — 8 dimensions side-by-side
  33. $15/yr static · $60/yr WP self-host · $400/yr Wix Pro
  34. HOMEWORK: Convert ONE of your static pages to a WP theme locally. Don't deploy. Just prove you can.
  35. NEXT WEEK: Real backend — FastAPI + SQLite for form submissions and contacts

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← Week 4 — Making it dynamic (drop-in JavaScript) Week 6 — Real backend (FastAPI + SQLite) →

— Jake Morris · Oklahoma veteran · localmodeldojo.com