Hi there all! I'm reaching out for some guidance as I embark on a website project for a business owner. Aside from simple web updates on the backend, my experience with web development is pretty limited. Extent of it is probably MySpace coding and designing mockups on Canva, so would deeply appreciate any insight here.
I was given access to the site, and the backend is just a catastrophe with errors left and right. Plug-ins are outdated and the current website is running on PHP 5.6.4 (released in May 2021), and site itself is marked "not secure." I know it’s vulnerable to security risks, and to be honest, the code is all over the place. It's hosted on GoDaddy, and I've been given some vague directions on how to proceed.
Given that the redesign is quite simple (just an overview of the business owner, his ventures, and some articles/publications) I’m wondering if it would be more beneficial to rebuild from scratch with the latest versions of WordPress and PHP, or should just clean out redesign the existing site.
I’m also curious about the SEO implications of either option. Since the website hasn’t been utilized in years, not sure which route would make the most sense.
Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate any advice you can share!
Why do you want to start fresh? This will harm SEO and will lose traffic. Focus on redesigning. Php can be upgraded and so the plugins can be updated but first you will need to update wordpress itself.