We have had a new design completed for us using figma. We would like to build the new site using Wordpress and Woocommerce. The site should be efficient both the user, us, and in technical terms such as SEO, etc.
Currently, we are using an outdated Opencart version for our ecommerce site and wodpress with the genesis framework for our blog. These two sites run technically independent from one another. The wordpress site is just in a subfolder.
Should we be using a framework such as genesis as before, or should we have the developer just work without a framework and develop the site and functionalities from scratch? The site will have customized features and we would need advise as to whether it will make sense to be confined by a framework and the not-needed extra features it comes with.
Are there any planning or procedural steps you would recommend in going about this transition that we should discuss with the developer we hire?
We have had a new design completed for us using figma. We would like to build the new site using Wordpress and Woocommerce. The site should be efficient both the user, us, and in technical terms such as SEO, etc.
Currently, we are using an outdated Opencart version for our ecommerce site and wodpress with the genesis framework for our blog. These two sites run technically independent from one another. The wordpress site is just in a subfolder.
Should we be using a framework such as genesis as before, or should we have the developer just work without a framework and develop the site and functionalities from scratch? The site will have customized features and we would need advise as to whether it will make sense to be confined by a framework and the not-needed extra features it comes with.
Are there any planning or procedural steps you would recommend in going about this transition that we should discuss with the developer we hire?
A custom-built theme (without relying on a heavier framework like Genesis) would definitely give you more flexibility, especially if you're planning to add customized features and want to keep the site as lean and fast as possible for SEO and performance. Frameworks can sometimes add a lot of extra code and limitations that you end up working around rather than benefiting from.
As for planning the transition, I usually recommend setting up a clear roadmap from the beginning — things like reviewing all current site functionality, mapping out new custom features, planning the content migration, and making sure SEO elements (like redirects, metadata, and URL structures) are handled carefully so you don't lose any search rankings during the move...your chosen dev will also need to know this up front to help them choose the best solution for your transition.
