WordPress Audit Methodology

A comprehensive, systematic approach to auditing and optimizing over-engineered WordPress installations, with focus on Elementor/page-builder cleanup and long-term maintainability.

🎯 What This Is

This repository contains a battle-tested methodology and toolset for conducting thorough WordPress technical audits, specifically designed for:

• Over-engineered WordPress sites (excessive plugins, complex page builders, template chaos)
• Non-profit organizations (budget-conscious, maintainability-focused)
• Elementor/Crocoblock cleanup projects (template consolidation, performance optimization)
• Team empowerment (making WordPress manageable for non-technical content editors)

🔍 What's Included

1. Comprehensive Audit Checklist

• 840-line detailed checklist covering all aspects of WordPress technical health
• Environment setup, plugin analysis, template mapping, performance baseline
• Custom post type inventory, design system analysis
• Prioritization framework (impact/effort matrix)
• Bilingual approach (Dutch explanations, English technical terms)

2. Automated Audit Scripts

• wp-inventory.php - Comprehensive JSON export of WordPress installation

  • Plugins, themes, custom post types, Elementor templates
  • Database statistics, media library analysis
  • Version information and environment details

• wp-cli-audit.sh - WP-CLI based automated analysis

  • Plugin update status and health checks
  • Database optimization opportunities
  • Autoload analysis and cleanup recommendations

3. Documentation Templates

• Audit findings template
• Strategic decision framework
• Client communication templates

📋 Use Cases

This methodology is designed for:

Primary Use Case: WordPress Cleanup Projects

• Sites with 30+ plugins that need rationalization
• Elementor/page builder installations with template conflicts
• Performance issues (slow editor, frontend performance)
• Team struggles with CMS complexity
• Technical debt accumulated over years

Secondary Use Cases

• Pre-migration audits (assessing effort for platform switches)
• Ongoing maintenance audits (yearly health checks)
• Consultant onboarding (understanding inherited WordPress sites)
• Client education (demonstrating technical issues transparently)

🚀 Quick Start

Phase 1: Environment Setup (30 min)

1. Verify WordPress admin access
2. Create full backup
3. Confirm staging environment availability
4. Check WP-CLI installation: wp --version

Phase 2: Run Automated Scripts (1-2 hours)

Option A: wp-inventory.php (recommended)

# Upload script to WordPress root via FTP/SSH
# Change WP_INVENTORY_SECRET in script before use

# Via WP-CLI (most secure)
wp eval-file wp-inventory.php > audit-data/wp-inventory.json

# Via browser (use secret key)
# https://yoursite.com/wp-inventory.php?key=your-secret-key

# DELETE script after use for security

Option B: wp-cli-audit.sh (if WP-CLI available)

chmod +x wp-cli-audit.sh
./wp-cli-audit.sh > audit-data/cli-audit-output.txt

Phase 3: Manual Audit (6-12 hours)

Follow the AUDIT-CHECKLIST.md systematically:

• Plugin inventory and analysis
• Template mapping (Elementor/page builder)
• Design system consistency check
• Performance baseline measurements
• Custom post type review

Phase 4: Synthesis & Reporting (4-6 hours)

• Prioritize findings (impact/effort matrix)
• Document in findings template
• Create client-facing audit report
• Provide cleanup recommendations

📊 Expected Outcomes

After completing this audit methodology, you'll have:

• ✅ Complete technical inventory (plugins, themes, CPTs, templates)
• ✅ Performance baseline metrics (PageSpeed, database size, load times)
• ✅ Prioritized fix list (quick wins vs. major projects)
• ✅ Plugin rationalization recommendations (30-50% reduction typical)
• ✅ Template consolidation plan (40-70% reduction typical)
• ✅ Design system specification (colors, typography, spacing)
• ✅ Clear decision framework (cleanup vs. rebuild vs. migrate)
• ✅ Transparent cost/effort estimates for Phase 2 implementation

🛠️ Technical Stack

This methodology is optimized for:

• WordPress 5.0+ (Gutenberg-era)
• Elementor Pro + Crocoblock (primary focus, but adaptable)
• WP-CLI (optional but recommended for automation)
• PHP 7.4+ (script compatibility)
• Modern hosting (support for staging environments)

Also applicable to:

• Other page builders (Divi, Beaver Builder, Oxygen)
• Classic editor sites (pre-Gutenberg)
• Multisite installations (with modifications)

📖 Methodology Philosophy

Core Principles

1. Subtract, Don't Add

   • Default action is removal, not addition
   • Every plugin must justify its existence
   • Complexity is the enemy

2. Data-Driven Decisions

   • Measure first, act second
   • No assumptions without verification
   • Baseline metrics guide all changes

3. Team Empowerment

   • Audits should educate, not just document
   • Focus on long-term maintainability
   • Non-technical teams must understand outcomes

4. Reversibility & Safety

   • All changes must be reversible
   • Staging-first approach
   • Comprehensive backups at every phase

5. Transparency

   • Clear documentation of all findings
   • No technical jargon without explanation
   • Honest about effort and costs

What Makes This Different

Typical WordPress Developer Approach:

• Add plugins to solve problems
• Quick fixes without systemic thinking
• Little focus on maintainability
• Team training often forgotten

This Methodology:

• ✅ Systematic reduction of complexity
• ✅ Root cause analysis (why did this happen?)
• ✅ Sustainability focus (can the team maintain this?)
• ✅ Training and documentation as core deliverables

📁 Repository Structure

wordpress-audit-methodology/
├── README.md                          # This file
├── AUDIT-CHECKLIST.md                 # 840-line comprehensive checklist
├── scripts/
│   ├── README.md                      # Script usage guide
│   ├── wp-inventory.php               # Automated WordPress inventory
│   └── wp-cli-audit.sh                # WP-CLI based audit script
├── docs/
│   └── templates/
│       ├── FINDINGS-TEMPLATE.md       # Audit findings documentation
│       ├── STRATEGY-TEMPLATE.md       # Strategic decision framework
│       └── ACTION-PLAN-TEMPLATE.md    # Phased implementation plan
└── .gitignore

🔒 Security Considerations

IMPORTANT:

• Change WP_INVENTORY_SECRET in wp-inventory.php before use
• Delete audit scripts from server after data collection
• Don't commit actual client data to version control
• Audit outputs contain sensitive site structure information
• Use staging environments when possible
• Always take backups before running scripts

💡 Common Findings

Based on 10+ WordPress cleanup projects, typical issues include:

Plugin Chaos (Almost Always)

• 40-60 plugins installed (target: <15-20)
• Multiple plugins doing similar things
• Abandoned/outdated plugins still active
• Plugin settings conflicts

Template Complexity (Elementor/Page Builders)

• 20-30+ templates (target: <10)
• Inconsistent header/footer usage
• Missing "Post Content" widgets (critical bug)
• Complex nesting (sections > columns > widgets > more sections)

Design Inconsistencies

• 8-12 colors used (should be 3-5)
• Multiple font families mixed (serif/sans chaos)
• Spacing inconsistencies (margins/padding random)
• No global styles/design tokens

Performance Issues

• PageSpeed scores 30-50 (target: >70)
• Editor load times 8-15 seconds (target: <3s)
• Database bloat (revisions, transients)
• Unoptimized images/assets

Custom Post Types

• Overly complex CPT structures
• JetEngine query loops inefficiency
• Duplicate CPTs for similar content
• Poor taxonomy organization

📚 Additional Resources

WordPress Performance

• PageSpeed Insights: https://pagespeed.web.dev/
• Query Monitor plugin (debugging)
• New Relic (if available)

WP-CLI

• Official docs: https://wp-cli.org/
• Common commands cheat sheet
• Server requirements

Elementor/Crocoblock

• Elementor template hierarchy
• Crocoblock plugin matrix
• JetEngine documentation

🤝 Contributing

This methodology is open for community improvement. Contributions welcome for:

• Additional audit checklist items
• New automated scripts
• Translation improvements (currently NL/EN bilingual)
• Case studies and findings patterns
• Alternative page builder adaptations

📄 License

MIT License - Free to use, modify, and distribute.

⚠️ Disclaimer

This methodology and scripts are provided as-is. Always:

• Test on staging first
• Maintain backups
• Understand what scripts do before running
• Verify compatibility with your WordPress version
• Consider hiring a professional for complex cleanups

🙋 Questions?

This methodology was developed through real-world WordPress cleanup projects for non-profit organizations and content-heavy websites. For questions, improvements, or professional WordPress cleanup services, open an issue or reach out.

---

Version: 1.0 Last Updated: December 2024 Maintained by: Jasper Frumau

---

Making WordPress manageable again, one audit at a time. ✨