This document summarizes the author's experience with their website over 21 years, from initially building it in 1996 to deciding to migrate it to the WordPress platform in 2017. Some of the pros of migrating included improved security, a responsive theme option, plugins, and an easier admin experience. Cons included WordPress being a bigger target, a learning curve, migration efforts, and potential ego issues. The author outlines concerns about linking, organization, and legacy HTML styles. They provide some site stats and next steps which include SSL, link cleanup, new content, design updates, and monitoring stats. The document encourages building sites that last by owning content and avoiding proprietary changes.

1. My Website is Old
Enough to Vote
Building sites that last
Kris Howard aka @web_goddess

4. 21 frickin’ years

5. ⚠
😵

6. December 1996

7. December 1996

8. 6 months

9. 2 years

10. 3 years

11. 3 years

12. 3 years

13. 3 years

14. 4 years

15. 4.5 years

16. 5 years

17. 5 years

18. 5 years

19. Fast forward 14 years…

20. 19 years

21. So what to do?

22. Pros
• Security - better than what I had
• PHP-based
• Responsive themes
• Plugins!
• Better admin UX - including ACL & versioning
• Less friction to update

23. Cons
• Security - WordPress is a big target
• Learning curve
• Migration effort
• Ego - would using WordPress make me look like
a n00b?

24. Concerns
• How to organise the site? How much of the
cross-referencing to automate?
“This has to be a solved problem, right?”
• 20 years of inbound links and PageRank to
preserve
• Hard-coded HTML styles in the DB to clean up

28. Stats

29. Money Stuff

31. What’s Next
• Set up SSL
• Mop up broken links
• Add new content
• Update design once illustrations
are finished
• Keep an eye on stats & revenue

32. Building Sites that Last
• Own your stuff - but syndicate where needed
• Don’t change your URLs
• Avoid proprietary enhancements - stick with
standards
• PROVIDE GOOD CONTENT

34. Thanks!
@RoaldDahlFans
roalddahlfans.com
Kris Howard
@web_goddess
web-goddess.org

36. yowconference.com.au/yow-wit-2017/