Unraveling the Mysteries of WordPress Site Testing

WordPress, a well-known content management system that has won the hearts of website owners globally, is an excellent platform for creating and managing websites. However, even with its popularity, there are critical considerations to make before going live, starting with thoroughly testing the WordPress site.

1. Test on Multiple Browsers and Devices

The first perplexing step in testing your WordPress site is to test it on multiple browsers and devices. Different browsers, with their flurry of versions, can render websites differently, while different gadgets with varying resolutions and sizes can affect the site’s appearance. Test your site on a plethora of browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer, while also testing on various devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Such diverse testing ensures a well-rounded, responsive website with seamless consistency regardless of the viewing device or browser.

2. Test Site’s Performance

The performance of your website is a critical aspect of user experience, with a substantial impact on your search engine rankings. To optimize your site’s performance, use toolkits like GTmetrix, Pingdom, and Google PageSpeed Insights to obtain suggestions for optimizing performance. Ensure your site loads quickly and efficiently, attracting more traffic and enhancing the user experience.

3. Test Site’s Responsiveness

Users access the internet from various devices today, requiring your website to be responsive to all gadget screen sizes. Use tools like Am I Responsive, Responsinator, and Screenfly to ascertain if the site adjusts appropriately to different screen sizes and resolutions. Such testing allows for flexing user experience across a myriad of devices, eliminating any obstructions impeding consistent web interaction.

4. Test Site’s Navigation

Users expect seamless navigation while exploring websites, making Navigation a critical component of user experience. Test your site’s primary navigation menu to ensure its ease of use and operation, including all the links and sublinks. Additionally, check internal navigation links to ascertain their proper functioning, optimizing the user experience and site navigation.

5. Test Site Forms

Forms are a crucial website element that collects user information or allows users to contact you. Therefore, testing for correct form operating procedures is crucial to optimize user experience. Use Formidable Forms or Gravity Forms to create complex forms for thorough testing to ascertain its proper functioning, both on the front and back end. Additionally, test form validation and submission to ensure seamless form operations.

6. Test Site’s Security

Website owners face the constant risk of breaches and other vulnerabilities, necessitating testing for website security. Install security plugins like iThemes Security, Wordfence Security, and Sucuri Security, among others, to identify and fix potential vulnerabilities; additionally, carry out scans with tools like Nessus and WPScan.

7. Test Site’s SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) drives website visibility and is essential when optimizing your site for search engines. Optimize SEO elements within your website through Yoast SEO or All in One SEO pack plugins, titling tags and meta descriptions likely to improve SEO, amongst other optimizations. Google Analytics or Google Search Console tools can monitor website traffic for further optimizations.

8. Test Site’s Accessibility

Amongst the final testing steps is ensuring that your website is accessible to all users, regardless of their disabilities. Use tools like JAWS and ChromeVox to simulate disabled users on your site, detecting any page elements that may pose a challenge to users with disabilities. Optimizing your site through accessibility testing optimizes user experience, attracting and retaining more traffic to your site.

Conclusion

Testing your WordPress site ensures it’s functioning correctly, with a top-notch user experience. Test thoroughly on multiple devices and browsers, check your site’s performance, navigation, forms, security, SEO, and Accessibility. Testing every aspect of your site boosts its quality and functionality, ultimately earning beneficial user traffic.