We've built hundreds of WordPress websites for clients across Wales. It's reliable, flexible, and perfect for most businesses. So why did we rebuild our own site with Next.js?
It wasn't a decision we made lightly. WordPress powers our WordPress website service, and we know it inside out. But for Web Cardiff, we needed something different.
Here's the honest story of our switch, what went right, what went wrong, and what we learned.
Why We Considered Moving Away from WordPress
Don't get me wrong - WordPress is brilliant. We still recommend it for most of our clients. But our old WordPress site had some issues we couldn't shake:
Speed was inconsistent. Despite all our optimisation efforts - caching, CDNs, image compression - page speeds fluctuated. Some days it was lightning fast. Other days, not so much.
Plugin conflicts were annoying. Every plugin update felt like Russian roulette. Would the contact form still work? Would the SEO plugin play nicely with the security plugin?
Hosting costs were climbing. To get the performance we wanted, we needed expensive managed WordPress hosting. The bills were adding up.
We wanted to practise what we preach. If we're going to offer Next.js websites to clients, we should understand the platform completely.
The Next.js Decision
Next.js caught our attention for three main reasons:
Performance by default. Next.js websites are fast out of the box. No plugins needed. No complicated caching rules. Just fast.
Better security. Static sites have fewer attack vectors than dynamic WordPress sites. No database to hack. No login page to brute force.
Future-proofing. Web development is moving towards faster, more secure solutions. We wanted to stay ahead of the curve.
The decision wasn't just technical. It was strategic. We needed to understand Next.js deeply if we were going to recommend it to clients.
The Migration Process
Moving from WordPress to Next.js wasn't simple. Here's what we had to tackle:
Content migration. We had years of blog posts, case studies, and service pages. Each piece needed converting from WordPress to markdown format.
SEO preservation. Every URL, every meta tag, every piece of structured data had to transfer perfectly. Losing search rankings wasn't an option.
Functionality recreation. Contact forms, analytics, search functionality - everything needed rebuilding from scratch.
Design decisions. This was our chance to improve the user experience, not just copy the old site.
The whole process took about six weeks of evening and weekend work. We kept the WordPress site running until everything was perfect.
What We Got Right
Speed improvements were dramatic. Our website trust score jumped significantly. Page load times dropped from 3-4 seconds to under 1 second consistently.
Development became enjoyable. No more plugin conflicts. No more update anxiety. Changes deploy in seconds, not minutes.
Hosting costs plummeted. We went from £50+ per month for managed WordPress hosting to £10 per month for static hosting.
SEO stayed strong. All our rankings transferred successfully. Some pages even improved in search results.
The Challenges We Faced
Content management is harder. With WordPress, anyone can update content easily. With Next.js, you need technical knowledge or a separate CMS solution.
Learning curve was steep. Even as web developers, Next.js required significant learning. The concepts are different from traditional web development.
Tool recreation took time. Our free website audit tool and other interactive features needed complete rebuilds.
Client education increased. We now spend more time explaining the differences between WordPress and Next.js to potential clients.
Real Performance Numbers
The speed improvements weren't just noticeable - they were measurable:
- First Contentful Paint: From 2.8s to 0.9s
- Largest Contentful Paint: From 4.2s to 1.3s
- Time to Interactive: From 5.1s to 1.8s
- Mobile PageSpeed Score: From 72 to 98
These aren't vanity metrics. Faster sites convert better, rank higher, and provide better user experiences.
What We Learned About Client Needs
Building our own Next.js site taught us valuable lessons about when to recommend it:
Content-heavy sites might struggle. If you're publishing multiple blog posts per week, WordPress is still easier to manage.
E-commerce integration is complex. WordPress + WooCommerce is simpler than Next.js + headless e-commerce for most businesses.
Non-technical clients need WordPress. Unless you enjoy calling your web developer to change a phone number, stick with WordPress.
High-traffic sites benefit most. If your site gets thousands of visitors daily, Next.js performance gains are worth the complexity.
Would We Do It Again?
Absolutely. For Web Cardiff, Next.js was the right choice. Our site is faster, more secure, and cheaper to run.
But we're web developers who enjoy technical challenges. Most businesses should stick with WordPress.
Should You Consider Next.js?
Next.js makes sense if you:
- Need maximum performance (under 1-second load times)
- Have high traffic volumes
- Want minimal security concerns
- Have technical resources for content management
- Run a relatively simple site structure
Stick with WordPress if you:
- Update content frequently
- Need multiple content editors
- Want extensive plugin functionality
- Prefer point-and-click management
- Have complex content relationships
Check our website pricing guide to understand the cost implications of different technologies.
The Bottom Line
Our Next.js rebuild was successful, but it wasn't easy. The performance gains are real. The security benefits are tangible. The development experience is excellent.
But WordPress remains the best choice for most businesses. It's user-friendly, well-supported, and incredibly flexible.
The key is choosing the right tool for your specific needs, not following the latest trends.
If you're considering a website rebuild or want to understand which technology suits your business, get in touch. We work with both WordPress and Next.js, and we'll give you honest advice about which is right for you.
No sales pitch. No technical jargon. Just straight answers based on real experience with both platforms.