Need help to update WP

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Looking at your site, it’s not all that complex and it’s something you could probably update yourself. Start, of course, with a full backup.

The biggest change would be moving to the block editor — that’s a change for your authors and you might want to introduce them to one of the gutenberg (block editor) tutorial sites before going to version 5.x of WordPress. for example,
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-use-the-new-wordpress-block-editor/
https://wpengine.com/blog/gutenberg-for-beginners-a-basic-tutorial/

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Steven Stern (sterndata).

I’ll check it out. Thank you.

I actually have two blogs that are in this desperate situation. The other one, I’m told, needs to have the php file updated. I haven’t a clue on how to do this, and chances are they will both have the same problem.

See https://www.ads-software.com/support/update-php/ and follow the links for your hosting provider.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Steven Stern (sterndata).

Can you state how you were “told” you need to update PHP? If your site is working fine at the moment then the PHP version you are using is fine. Yes, updating at some point will have to be done but if it’s not a problem at the moment then leave it till later. Updating it now may cause problems as some Plugins do not work correctly with newer PHP versions.

@website-rob These websites (2 in fact) are three years overdue an upgrade. The webmaster recommended by a friend let me know that the php was preventing us from being able to upgrade the website(s) to a more recent version of WP.

It is a fact that a higher PHP version can cause problems with some plugins although upgrading WordPress & Plugins with an older version of PHP will cause few, if any, problems.

I know this because I’ve run into this same problem with other sites. Perhaps chatting more with this other person you mention, they can help/guide you with doing what needs to be done.