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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Welcome to Evolve Systems’ FAQ page, your go-to resource for quick answers to common questions about our web development and marketing services. We’ve created this section to make your experience with us as straightforward as possible. You’ll find it here whether you’re looking for information on our products, services, or pricing. If you need more in-depth support, our expert team is just a message or call away. Thank you for choosing Evolve Systems.

What is WordPress?

WordPress is a popular open-source content management system (CMS) used for creating and managing websites and blogs. It offers a user-friendly interface, extensive customization options through themes and plugins, and is known for its flexibility and SEO-friendliness. WordPress.org

How much does it cost to build a WordPress site?

The cost to build a WordPress site can range from minimal (if you use free resources and do it yourself) to thousands of dollars (for complex, custom-designed sites). It’s essential to outline your specific requirements and budget accordingly. Contact us at info@evolve-systems.com or via our Contact Us page, tell us about your project, and we’ll get back to you to discuss options.

How do I start a Google AdWords campaign?

Please contact us at info@evolve-systems.com and we can discuss a Google AdWords strategy with you as well as get you started with a campaign.

How do I access / edit my Google Analytics or Google My Business account?

What is the difference between a post and a page?

WordPress pages are meant to display permanent content on your website and do not have a publish date. WordPress blog posts are short articles you may publish to communicate with your customers about your company’s work and expertise.

What is a theme?

A theme determines the look of your site. A WordPress theme is a collection of templates and stylesheets used to define the characteristics of a button, menu, header, page layout, etc. on your website.

What is a plugin?

A plugin is additional software installed onto your WordPress website to extend its functionality or to add new up-to-date features. The software version of plugins must be compatible with the current version of your WordPress website.

I have a question about my particular theme.

If you have questions about your specific WordPress theme, you can find detailed information and support in the respective knowledge bases and documentation for popular page builders:

For WPBakery Questions:

If you’re using WPBakery Page Builder, your go-to resource for answers and assistance is the WPBakery Page Builder Knowledge Base. There, you’ll find comprehensive guides and solutions to common queries.

For Elementor Questions:

If your website relies on Elementor as its page builder, head over to the Elementor Help Center. They offer extensive documentation and support to help you with all your Elementor-related questions and issues.

For Divi Questions:

If you’re using the Divi theme, you can access detailed information and guidance from the Divi Theme Documentation provided by Elegant Themes. It’s your one-stop shop for all things Divi.

By referring to these resources, you can quickly find the answers and assistance you need to make the most of your WordPress theme and page builder.

How can I tell if my website has been hacked?

Evolve Systems scans our servers and sites regularly, but if you believe your site is hacked, urgently reach out to us through our help desk ticketing system. Learn more about the importance of securing your WordPress site and maintaining its safety features.

How do I protect my WordPress site from hackers?

We at Evolve Systems scan our servers and sites regularly and also provide Wordfence Security for our clients utilizing our TWS plan.

How often should I update my password?

We recommend you regularly change your password every 3 – 6 months, especially for sensitive accounts. To create a strong password, use a combination of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid easily guessable information like birthdays or common words, and opt for unique, random combinations to enhance security.

Where do I log into my website?

There are multiple URLs to access the login page of your WordPress website. To login to your WordPress website and access the dashboard, you can add any of the following URL paths at the end of your website’s URL:

  • /login
  • /wp-admin
  • /admin
  • /wp-login.php

For example:
http://yourdomain.com/wp-login.php

I can’t access my website. What should I do?

Try connecting to your website on your phone. Try connecting to your website from a different Wi-Fi spot. Try connecting to your website from a different browser like Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari. If you still can’t access your website, then please contact us for support.

What should I do if I am locked out of my WordPress admin area?

If you are locked out of the admin area of your WordPress website, please reach out to us through our Client Portal.

How do I back up my WordPress website?

Hosted by Evolve Systems:

  • If your website is hosted with Evolve Systems, then your website is automatically backed up each day. If you would like to back up the site yourself, contact us via the Client Portal to request access to your site portal. Once you have access to your site portal, you can click on “Backup Points” to create a backup.

Not hosted by Evolve Systems:

  • If your website is not hosted by Evolve Systems, it may have UpdraftPlus or a similar backup plugin installed. If UpdraftPlus is installed on your site, click on UpdraftPlus in the top navigation menu. From there, click on “Backup Now” and follow the prompts. You can add UpdraftPlus by searching for it under the plugins section.

How do I edit my navigation menu?

To edit your navigation menu on your WordPress website you need to be logged into the site. From there, go to Appearance > Menus. Then select the menu you wish to edit.

How do I view my XML Sitemap?

Directly type into your browser’s search bar:
“yourwebsite.com/sitemap.xml” or “yourwebsite.com/sitemap/”

Our WordPress websites come with the Yoast SEO plugin pre-installed. You can easily view your sitemap by accessing Yoast SEO from the dashboard.

My website slowed down. What do I do?

  • First, check to see if your internet connection is slow. This can be checked using https://www.speedtest.net/
  • Second, did you recently add a large image to the page you are trying to view? If so, make the image smaller by (see Content Management tab).
  • Third, did you add a new plugin? If so, that might be what is slowing it down.

If you still are having trouble identifying why your website is slow, then please reach out to us and we can troubleshoot the issue for you.

How do I test the speed and load-up time of my website?

We use tools like these, listed in order of preference:

  1. Google Pagespeed Insights
  2. GTmetrix
  3. Pingdom
  4. UptimeRobot

How do I edit pages / blog posts on my website?

Log into your website’s admin by adding the suffix “/wp-login” to your site’s URL in the address bar at the top of the browser. Go to “Pages” or “Posts” in the dashboard to the left of the screen. From the list of pages, find the page you want to edit, hover over it and click on “Edit” when it appears. You will be taken to a different screen where you can change the page’s text, images, and metadata. Make sure you save your changes afterward.

Edit Pages and Posts on WordPress

I accidentally deleted a page on my website. Can I get it back?

If your website is on WordPress, then you can restore a page by finding it in the Trash, clicking on the checkbox next to it, selecting Restore from the Bulk Actions dropdown, and then hitting the “Apply” button.

Restore Pages or Posts from Trash on WordPress

How do I embed videos in WordPress?

Copy and paste onto your page the video URL from websites like YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, and others. WordPress comes with a feature called auto-embeds which allows your website to automatically get the embed code from popular video hosting services like YouTube by simply pasting the video URL into the WordPress editor.

How do I add a link to text on my website? (email, phone number, website, URL)

In WordPress, highlight the text you want to link, click on the “Insert/edit link” button, paste the URL you wish to link to or type to search for the link on your website, and click on the “Apply” button.

How do I find royalty-free images for my WordPress site?

There are websites that have free stock images you can download and use on your website:

You may also explore the WordPress Media Library for free images, or you may consider Creative Commons-licensed images on Flickr with proper attribution. Always check and respect the image’s licensing terms to ensure proper usage.

How do I resize images?

You can resize images using a free online tool like Web Resizer

Canva is another great tool to change images to a specific size.

Alternatively, you can edit your image on your Windows or Mac computer with the built-in Preview tool by selecting “Adjust Size” under the Tools dropdown.

How do I add an alt tag to an image?

Alternative Text (alt tag) can be added via the Media Library by clicking on the media piece and then filling in the Alternative Text. It can also be added by clicking on the media in your post or page and then filling in the Alternative Text.

How do I edit metadata?

Metadata can be edited via a WordPress plugin such as All in One SEO Pack or Yoast SEO. It can also be edited in your Media Library by clicking on the media piece and then filling in the Alternative Text, Title, Caption, and Description. Another way to edit metadata is to click on the media in your post or page and then fill in the data there.

How do I install plugins in WordPress?

Available plugins can be viewed by navigating to Plugins > Add New. Back up your website before adding any additional plugins. If you have any questions about adding plugins or would like Evolve Systems to handle this for you, please contact us for support.

Which WordPress plugins should I install on my website?

Which plugins you need depends on what functionality you are seeking to add to your website. With Evolve System’s TWS program, we will find the best and most accurate plugin to serve your purpose. If you’d like to do it yourself, search for what you need from the vast collection of WordPress Plugins to choose from.

How do I update plugins on my WordPress website?

To preserve a great user experience for your customers on your website, it’s very important to keep your plugins up-to-date.

  • If you’re on Evolve System’s WordPress support service (TWS), we will take care of the plugin updates for you by making sure all updates are compatible with your site and provide replacements if your plugin is in need of replacement.
  • If not, we recommend you back up your website first. Once the site is backed up, plugins can be updated by clicking on “Plugins” from the WordPress dashboard and then clicking on “Update Now” for the plugins you want to update.

Update Outdated WordPress Plugins

How do I change the theme on my website?

Content on your website is designed specifically for your currently selected theme. Changing your theme may affect the content and its layout, and we don’t recommend doing it on your own unless you’re versed in using WordPress’s admin. Please contact our support to discuss options and additional information.

Where can I find my contact form submissions?

Many of our websites include a tool called Database for Contact Form 7, which saves all contact form submissions along with emailing the responses to you. These can be checked by navigating to “Contact Form” from the WordPress dashboard.

Another popular plugin we use is Gravity Forms. Gravity Form submissions will be located under Forms > Entries in the sidebar area.

I’m not receiving any contact form submissions to my email. What do I do?

Check your spam folder first, and then check if the correct recipient email address is listed in the forms plugin settings. If you don’t see it, then please contact us for support.

How do I add a contact form in WordPress?

We are here to help if you require assistance in adding a form to your website. There are various plugins we can add to implement contact forms. Here are a few options we like:

How do I add an online store in WordPress?

We have a blog post that outlines a few options: How to Add Ecommerce to WordPress – WooCommerce, Shopify, Ecwid, and BigCommerce
If you would like to discuss options, please reach out to us at info@evolve-sytems.com.

How do I deal with comment spam?

  1. If you are able to, turn off the commenting feature altogether on your website.
  2. If you’re not able to turn off the commenting feature, this can also be done site-wide by adding the Disable Comments WordPress plugin.

How do I add an email subscription to my WordPress website?

Besides increased web traffic, one way to get more email subscribers is to add an email subscription plugin to your WordPress. You can add a plugin to your WordPress website. Here are a few options: 12 Best WordPress Mailing List Plugins For 2023 (Comparison)

When does my domain expire on Evolve Domains?

To view when your domain expires, visit the Whois Domain Lookup and enter your domain name: Whois Domain Lookup – it will display your domain expiration date.

Can I change the URL of my website?

Yes. If you have a different URL you would like to use for your website, please contact us and we can update the URL for you.

How do I renew my domain on Evolve Domains?

To renew your domain with Evolve Domains, follow these instructions provided by GoDaddy: Renew my domains | Domains – GoDaddy Help US

How do I add an email to my Evolve Domains account?

To create a new email inbox with your Evolve Domains account, please follow these instructions provided by GoDaddy: Create my Workspace Email account

How do I forward a domain?

To forward your domain on Evolve Domains, please view these instructions provided by GoDaddy: Forward my GoDaddy domain

How do I purchase a domain?

You can purchase a domain by visiting Evolve Domains and entering your prospective domain name in the search field.

How do I renew / install my SSL certificate?

Your SSL certificate may be supplied by multiple providers and installed on the server level. It is best to reach out to us through our help desk ticketing system in order to know the proper way to renew your SSL certificate. To learn more about SSL certificates, visit our blog post about SSL and what it means for you.