Common Website Problems and How to Solve Them

Last updated on September 10th, 2025 at 11:55 am

If you’re a website owner, you know how frustrating it can be when your site breaks.

Running a website isn’t always smooth sailing. If you’ve ever faced a broken page, a slow site, or a scary “critical error” message, you know how stressful it can be. The good news? Most website problems have straightforward solutions.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common website issues, why they happen, and how to fix them—so your website stays healthy, secure, and user-friendly.

How to Solve Website Problems

1. Broken Links

Why it matters:

• Visitors lose trust when they click a link and land on a 404 error page.

• Search engines use link signals to understand content relevance. Broken links disrupt that ecosystem, negatively affecting SEO.

How to fix it:

• Run a scan with tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs to find broken links.

• Update, redirect, or remove links pointing to non-existent pages.

• Create a custom 404 page to keep visitors engaged if they land on a broken link.

Broken links can make it hard for visitors to find information on your website. Search engines such as Google use link signals as one way of determining how relevant certain pages are to a user’s search query. Think about it this way: if all of the related topics are linked together properly, then Google knows that they’re all related.

However, if there are broken links on the page (or throughout the website), then each individual page becomes less relevant because it doesn’t fit into its own ecosystem very well anymore—and this could impact its SEO performance negatively!

Contact your SEO or website dev and ask them to sort it out ASAP! Work on fixing the broken links by redirecting them, updating them or deleting them.

2. Pages That Load Too Slowly

Why it matters:

• Google prioritises fast websites in rankings (site speed is a ranking factor).

• Slow pages increase bounce rates and frustrate visitors.

How to fix it:

• Compress and optimise images (use WebP format where possible).

• Minimise plugin bloat by deactivating & removing unnecessary plugins.

• Prioritise fast hosting or a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

• Use caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache.

Site speed is a common problem that can be solved! A page that takes too long to load means a user has to wait for their browser to load the resources needed to display the content. If you have a lot of images or other multimedia elements on your website, this can slow down loading times significantly.

3. Mobile-Unfriendly Pages

Why it matters:

• More than 60% of internet traffic comes from mobile.

• Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, your rankings will drop.

How to fix it:

• Use a responsive theme that adapts to any screen size.

• Ensure buttons, text, and images show well on smaller screens.

Mobile-friendly websites are an important part of Google’s search algorithm, and they’re also a good way to improve your site’s user experience (UX). A website that’s not optimized for mobile can hurt your ranking and drive away visitors.

If your website is not mobile-friendly, I suggest you get it optimized as soon as possible!

4. Outdated Plugins or Themes

Why it matters:

• Outdated plugins and themes are one of the top causes of broken or hacked websites.

• Old plugins can conflict with new WordPress or PHP versions, leading to functionality errors.

How to fix it:

• Regularly update all plugins, themes, and WordPress core.

• Before updating, create a backup of your site.

• Remove unused plugins to reduce vulnerabilities.

• Use a security plugin like Wordfence or Really Simple Security to scan for plugin issues

If you’re using an outdated version of a plugin or theme, it can cause all kinds of issues for your site. These include security vulnerabilities, broken functionality, slow loading times and more!

The first step to solving this problem is checking for any outdated plugins or themes on your site by visiting the Plugins menu in WordPress. Here you can see all of the plugins installed on your website. Scan your site with a security plugin to check if any plugins have been abandoned or no longer supported, and make sure that you replace or remove these.

If your plugins do need updating, then follow these steps: First, make a backup of your website. Next, make sure that the plugin is compatible with your version of WordPress. You can check by clicking the “View details” option to see when it was last updated.

5. Security Issues

Why it matters:
A compromised website damages your reputation, risks customer data, and can even get your site blacklisted by Google.

How to fix it:

• Install an SSL certificate (https://).

• Use security plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri.

• Enforce strong passwords and limit login attempts.

• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for admin accounts.

• Make sure all of the software on your site is up-to-date and patched.

Security issues are important to think about not only for your business but also for the people who use your site. If you have security problems on your site, it can be dangerous for users and customers alike. Rather, avoid a hacked website & malware by securing your site.

6. No SEO Optimization

Why it matters:
Without SEO, your website won’t attract organic traffic—even if it looks amazing.

How to fix it:

• Optimise metadata (titles, meta descriptions, alt text).

• Publish fresh, valuable content consistently.

• Implement internal linking for better site structure.

• Add structured data/schema markup for rich snippets and AI visibility.

Keep in mind that SEO is an ongoing process. You can’t just optimise your site, then forget about it and expect things to stay the same forever. If you want your content to rank higher and get more traffic, then you need to keep working on SEO optimization by adding new content, updating existing pages and making sure that Google indexes all links quickly.

Google updates its algorithms constantly, so there will always be something new to learn about optimizing sites for search engines.

7. Critical Errors and WordPress Errors

Why it matters:
That dreaded “There has been a critical error on your website” message often sends site owners into panic mode.

Common causes:

• Outdated themes or plugins after a WordPress/PHP update.

• Conflicts between plugins.

• Hosting server updates (e.g., PHP version upgrades).

How to fix it:

• Revert recent changes.

• Roll back your PHP version if necessary.

• Update WordPress core, theme, and plugins.

• Always keep backups ready so you can restore your site quickly.

There’s nothing worse than being emailed or phoned by a customer and being told that your website is broken! Over time, website plugins and themes receive regular updates. However, some people tend to forget that WordPress needs to stay updated too! If your website theme hasn’t been updated in years, and there’s a big WordPress update or PHP changes on your hosting server, you may get the dreaded critical error.

Conclusion: How to Solve Common Website Problems

There are a few common website problems that can be solved without much hassle. These include things like slow loading times, broken links and errors which can cause your visitors to leave in droves or even worse, never return at all!

Website problems happen to everyone—but they don’t have to become disasters. By being proactive with updates, backups, and SEO, you’ll keep your site running smoothly, secure, and visible in search engines.

💡 If you’re not confident fixing technical issues yourself, it’s best to work with a website maintenance professional.

👉 Contact us to discuss your website health and maintenance needs.

And if we can’t help you, we will let you know! We won’t mess around and break things further. 😅

FAQs About Website Problems

1. How do I check for broken links on my website?
You can use tools like Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console to scan your site for 404 errors and broken internal links.

2. How often should I update WordPress plugins and themes?
Check for updates at least once a week. Always back up your website before applying updates.

3. What’s the best way to secure a WordPress site?
Install an SSL certificate, use security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri), enable two-factor authentication, and keep all software updated.

4. Why is site speed important for SEO?
Google considers site speed a ranking factor. Faster websites improve user experience and increase the chance of ranking higher.

5. What should I do if I get a “critical error” on WordPress?
Start by deactivating plugins, reverting recent changes, or rolling back your PHP version. If unsure, contact your hosting provider or a web developer.

6. Why does mobile-friendliness matter?
Google uses mobile-first indexing, so if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll lose visibility in search results and frustrate mobile users.

7. Can I solve these website problems on my own?
Yes, some issues like broken links or image optimisation can be done yourself. For bigger issues (security, WordPress errors), it’s safer to work with professionals.