Stop Fighting with Elementor. Start Converting with Code.

When I built my first website, I headed straight for WordPress. It was the only name I knew, so I assumed it was the best.

I spent two weeks fighting against the theme I’d downloaded. The colours and fonts I’d chosen weren’t applying, and the header, navigation bar, and footer all seemed to be competing with each other.

At the time, I didn’t even know about page builders like Elementor, so I was battling with the default Gutenberg editor. I spent months fidgeting with it. When I finally did install Elementor, it immediately broke everything I had already built.

I ended up offline, stuck in ‘Maintenance Mode’, realising that the months I’d spent tweaking were completely wasted.

The “Drag and Drop” Myth

We are all sold this idea that building a website will be like using Canva; easy, creative, and fun.

The reality? It looked great on my laptop, but it was a total mess on my phone.

The most frustrating part was that I already knew how to code. I knew that a few lines of CSS could fix the design issues. But I quickly found that while I could use code to make WordPress look better, I couldn’t fix the underlying engine. The more I added, the slower it got. It failed on load times and performance, no matter how pretty I made it.

You Didn’t Start a Business to Become a Web Developer

Here is the reality check: You built a website to promote what you do. Unless you are opening a web design agency, your job isn’t to build websites.

You are a Virtual Assistant, a Plumber, a Consultant, or a Baker. You started your business to do that.

Every hour you spend watching YouTube tutorials on “How to fix Elementor padding” is an hour you aren’t spending on your clients. It is an hour you aren’t earning money. Your website should be an asset that works for you, not a second job that demands your attention every weekend.

Why I Left WordPress for Astro

I realised I was trying to turn a minivan into a race car. So, I stopped using WordPress and moved to Astro.

Astro is a modern web framework that is rapidly becoming the gold standard for developers who care about performance. Unlike the older platforms, it doesn’t force your user to download massive files just to read a paragraph of text.

Here is why that switch matters for your business:

1. Speed (The “Zero Bloat” Policy) WordPress generates a lot of “junk code” in the background. Astro strips all that away. It delivers the absolute minimum code required to load your page.

• Result: Your site loads instantly. Google loves this for SEO, and customers love it because they don’t have to wait.

2. Security by Default Because I’m not relying on 20 different plugins to make the site function, there are fewer “backdoors” for hackers to exploit.

• Result: You don’t need to panic every time a security update is released. Your site is solid.

3. True Customisation Remember my battle with the headers and footers? With Astro, I build the architecture from scratch.

• Result: If you want a specific design element, I code it. We don’t have to compromise because “the theme doesn’t allow that.”

You Don’t Rent My Sites, You Own Them

A lot of agencies love WordPress because it traps you. It requires constant maintenance, security patches, and PHP updates. They often charge you a monthly retainer just to “keep the lights on” basically, you are paying them to fix the things that the software breaks.

I believe in building things properly the first time.

Because my sites are static and secure by design, they don’t break the moment you look away. You aren’t tied into an expensive “repair contract” for life just to stop your website from disappearing.

“So, what does the £99/month cover?” I offer a management package, but it is completely different from the typical “WordPress repair bill.” It’s about adding value, not just patching holes.

• 1 Hour of Updates: Need to change a price, swap a photo, or add a testimonial? You get one hour of my time every month to keep your content fresh. You just email me and it’s done within a few days.
• Silent Security: I handle all the technical updates in the background. You won’t get spam emails about “blocked IPs” or “plugin conflicts.” You just see a site that works.

The Verdict

There is nothing wrong with WordPress if you are just starting out and want to tinker. But if you are serious about your business, you don’t have time to fight with themes or worry about mobile responsiveness.

I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

Ready to ditch the “Maintenance Mode” screen? Let’s build a platform that works.