Bullet-Proof QA: The Non-Coder’s Guide to Testing Your WordPress Site
Ralph Sanchez
Bullet-Proof QA: The Non-Coder's Guide to Testing Your WordPress Site
Your Pre-Flight QA Checklist: Getting Organized
Using a Staging Site for Safe Testing
Creating a Testing Spreadsheet
Functional Testing: Does It Actually Work?
Testing All Forms
Checking All Links and Navigation
Testing User-Specific Roles (If Applicable)
Cross-Browser and Cross-Device Testing
Why Your Site Looks Different on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox
Simulating Mobile and Tablet Views
Content and Visual Review
The Final Proofread for Typos and Grammar
Checking Images, Videos, and Media
How to Report Bugs Effectively
Title: Short and Descriptive
Steps to Reproduce
Expected vs. Actual Result
Provide a Screenshot or Video
Conclusion
References
Bullet-Proof QA: The Non-Coder's Guide to Testing Your WordPress Site
Before your new WordPress site goes live, it needs a thorough quality assurance (QA) check. This isn't just a task for developers; as the client or project owner, your involvement is crucial to ensure the site works exactly as you envisioned. This guide provides a comprehensive, non-coder's checklist for testing your site, from functionality to design.
Following a structured QA process ensures you catch issues early, which is far more efficient than trying to troubleshoot bugs after launch. When you work with an expert WordPress developer, your role in QA becomes even more important. You're the one who knows exactly how the site should function for your users. This process relies on effective communication with your developer to report findings clearly.
Think of QA testing like a pre-flight checklist for pilots. You wouldn't want to discover a problem at 30,000 feet, right? The same goes for your website. Finding issues before launch saves time, money, and prevents frustrated users from bouncing off your site.
Your Pre-Flight QA Checklist: Getting Organized
Before you dive into clicking every button on your site, let's get organized. A structured approach to testing makes the difference between catching every issue and missing critical problems. You don't need technical skills here - just a methodical mindset and the right setup.
Using a Staging Site for Safe Testing
A staging site is basically a clone of your website that lives in a private space. Think of it as your practice field where you can test everything without worrying about breaking the live site. Your developer should set this up for you as part of the project.
Here's why staging sites are essential:
Safety first: You can click, test, and even break things without affecting your actual website. If something goes wrong during testing, no visitors will see it.
Real-world conditions: A staging site mimics your live environment. This means you're testing exactly what your users will experience, not some watered-down version.
Peace of mind: You can take your time testing without the pressure of working on a live site. Need to test that contact form 10 times? Go for it.
Most WordPress hosting providers offer staging sites as a built-in feature. If yours doesn't, your developer can create one using plugins or manual methods. The key is having this sandbox environment ready before you start your QA process.
Creating a Testing Spreadsheet
You might think spreadsheets are overkill for testing a website. Trust me, they're not. A simple tracking system saves hours of confusion and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Here's a basic structure that works:
Page/URL: List every page on your site. Don't forget about less obvious pages like your privacy policy or 404 error page.
Feature to Test: Be specific. Instead of "test contact form," write "submit contact form with all fields filled" and "submit contact form with email field empty."
Expected Result: What should happen? For that contact form, you might expect "Success message appears and email notification received."
Actual Result: What actually happened when you tested it?
Status: Simple pass or fail. Some people like using colors here - green for pass, red for fail.
Notes: Any additional observations or screenshots references go here.
Start with your homepage and work systematically through each page. Group similar features together - all forms in one section, all navigation elements in another. This organization helps you spot patterns in issues.
Functional Testing: Does It Actually Work?
Now comes the fun part - actually testing your site. Functional testing is about making sure every interactive element works as intended. You're not looking at design here; you're checking if buttons click, forms submit, and pages load.
Testing All Forms
Forms are often the primary way visitors interact with your site. A broken contact form means lost leads. A glitchy checkout form means lost sales. Here's how to test them thoroughly:
Test with valid data first: Fill out every field correctly. Use a real email address (yours) so you can verify that notifications arrive. Submit the form and check:
Does a success message appear?
Do you receive the email notification?
Is the data stored correctly (if applicable)?
Now break it on purpose: This is where you channel your inner troublemaker. Try submitting forms with:
Empty required fields
Invalid email formats (like "notanemail" or "test@")
Phone numbers with letters
Extremely long text in fields
Special characters and emojis
Check the user experience: When errors occur, are the messages helpful? "Please enter a valid email" beats "Error 422" every time. Make sure error messages appear near the relevant field, not just at the top of the form.
Test confirmation emails: If your forms send automatic responses, check that these arrive promptly and contain the correct information. Nothing damages credibility like a confirmation email full of placeholder text.
Checking All Links and Navigation
Broken links frustrate users and hurt your SEO. Testing every link sounds tedious, but it's worth it. Here's your systematic approach:
Start with your main navigation: Click every menu item. Do they go where expected? Check dropdown menus too - hover over them and click each sub-item.
Test your footer links: These often get overlooked but are frequently used by visitors looking for specific information like privacy policies or contact details.
Check in-content links: Read through your pages and click every link in the body text. This includes:
Links to other pages on your site
Links to external websites (do they open in new tabs?)
Links to PDFs or downloads (do files actually download?)
Email links (do they open the user's email client?)
Don't forget the logo: Your site logo should link back to the homepage from every page. It's a standard user expectation.
Test your 404 page: Deliberately type in a wrong URL to see your 404 error page. Is it helpful? Does it guide users back to working pages?
Testing User-Specific Roles (If Applicable)
If your WordPress site has membership features, customer accounts, or different user roles, each needs testing. This ensures everyone gets the right access - no more, no less.
Create test accounts: Set up at least one account for each user role. Common roles include:
Subscriber (basic registered user)
Customer (for e-commerce sites)
Member (for membership sites)
Contributor or Author (for multi-author blogs)
Test permissions systematically: Log in as each user type and verify:
Can they access their designated areas?
Are restricted areas properly blocked?
Do user dashboards show the right information?
Can they edit only what they should?
Check the registration process: If users can sign up themselves, test this flow:
Does the registration form work?
Do welcome emails arrive?
Can new users log in immediately?
Is email verification working (if enabled)?
Test password resets: Every user will eventually forget their password. Make sure the "Forgot Password" link works and sends reset emails promptly.
Cross-Browser and Cross-Device Testing
Your beautiful website might look perfect on your computer but completely broken on your client's phone. Cross-browser and device testing ensures everyone gets a great experience, regardless of how they access your site.
Why Your Site Looks Different on Chrome, Safari, and Firefox
Browsers are like different brands of TVs - they all show the same content but might display it slightly differently. Each browser uses its own "rendering engine" to interpret your website's code.
The big players to test:
Chrome (used by about 65% of people)
Safari (especially important for iPhone/Mac users)
Firefox (still holds about 10% market share)
Edge (Microsoft's browser, gaining popularity)
What to look for:
Do all design elements appear correctly?
Are fonts rendering properly?
Do animations and transitions work?
Are forms styled consistently?
Do videos and audio play?
Quick testing tip: You don't need to install every browser. Start with what you have, then ask friends or colleagues to check on their preferred browsers. For thorough testing, free online tools can show your site in different browsers.
Simulating Mobile and Tablet Views
Over half of web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site doesn't work on phones, you're losing visitors. Here's how to test without buying every device:
Use your browser's built-in tools: Right-click anywhere on your site and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element." Look for a phone/tablet icon in the developer tools. This lets you preview your site at different screen sizes.
Key sizes to test:
iPhone (375px wide)
Android phones (360px wide)
iPad (768px wide)
Desktop (1920px wide)
What to check on mobile:
Is text readable without zooming?
Are buttons large enough to tap easily?
Do images resize properly?
Does horizontal scrolling appear (it shouldn't)?
Are forms easy to fill out on a small screen?
Test actual touch interactions: If possible, check your staging site on a real phone or tablet. Some issues only appear with actual touch interactions, like dropdown menus that won't open or buttons too close together.
Content and Visual Review
After confirming everything works, it's time to polish the details. This phase focuses on the actual content and visual presentation. Even small typos or misaligned images can make your site look unprofessional.
The Final Proofread for Typos and Grammar
Nothing undermines credibility faster than spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Here's how to catch them all:
Read everything out loud: This technique catches errors your eyes skip over. When you read aloud, awkward phrasing and run-on sentences become obvious. Your brain can't autocorrect as easily when you're speaking.
Check every page systematically: Start with your homepage and work through every page. Don't skip the small stuff:
Page titles and headings
Button text
Form labels and error messages
Footer text
Meta descriptions (visible in search results)
Watch for common mistakes:
Their/there/they're
Your/you're
Its/it's
Inconsistent capitalization
Missing periods or commas
Double spaces
Verify consistency: Make sure you're using the same style throughout. If you write "e-mail" on one page, don't switch to "email" on another. Pick one and stick with it.
Check placeholder text: Search for "Lorem ipsum" or any obvious placeholder content. It's embarrassingly common for fake text to make it to launch.
Checking Images, Videos, and Media
Visual content often makes the first impression. Broken images or poor-quality media can instantly turn visitors away. Here's your media checklist:
Image quality checks:
Do all images load properly?
Are they crisp and clear (not pixelated)?
Do they display at the right size?
Are they aligned correctly with text?
Test image behavior:
On mobile, do images resize appropriately?
Do gallery features work (lightboxes, sliders)?
Are decorative images consistent in style?
Verify alt text: Right-click on images and inspect them. Every image should have descriptive alt text for two reasons:
Accessibility (screen readers use this for visually impaired users)
SEO (search engines read alt text)
Video and audio testing:
Do embedded videos play?
Is the volume at a reasonable level?
Do player controls work?
On mobile, do videos resize properly?
Check loading times: Large media files can slow your site. If images take forever to load, ask your developer about optimization. Users won't wait for slow-loading content.
How to Report Bugs Effectively
Finding bugs is only half the battle. Reporting them clearly helps your developer fix issues quickly. Poor bug reports lead to confusion, delays, and frustration on both sides.
Title: Short and Descriptive
Your bug title is like a newspaper headline - it should tell the whole story in one line. Good titles help developers prioritize and understand issues at a glance.
Good examples:
"Contact form submit button not working on About page"
"Mobile menu won't close after clicking link"
"Newsletter signup form shows error despite valid email"
Bad examples:
"Form broken"
"Problem with website"
"URGENT!!! HELP!!!"
Include three key elements in every title:
What is broken (contact form, menu, image)
Where it's broken (which page or section)
How it's broken (won't submit, displays incorrectly)
Steps to Reproduce
This is the most critical part of your bug report. If a developer can't reproduce the issue, they can't fix it. Think like you're writing a recipe - every step matters.
Format your steps clearly:
Go to www.yoursite.com/contact
Fill in all form fields with valid information
Click the "Submit" button
Observe that nothing happens (no success message, no error)
Include important details:
Which browser you used
If you were logged in or not
Any specific data you entered
The exact sequence of actions
Be specific about data: Instead of "filled out the form," say "entered 'John Smith' in name field, 'john@email.com' in email field, and 'Test message' in message field."
Expected vs. Actual Result
Clear expectations help developers understand not just what's broken, but what success looks like. This section prevents misunderstandings about how features should work.
Expected result: "After clicking submit, a success message should appear saying 'Thank you for your message. We'll respond within 24 hours.' The form fields should clear, and I should receive a confirmation email."
Actual result: "After clicking submit, nothing happens. The button appears to click (changes color briefly) but no message appears, form fields retain their data, and no email is received."
Why both matter: Sometimes what you expect might not be what was programmed. This clarity helps developers determine if it's a bug or a misunderstanding about functionality.
Provide a Screenshot or Video
A picture really is worth a thousand words when reporting bugs. Visual evidence eliminates confusion and shows exactly what you're experiencing.
When to use screenshots:
Visual issues (misaligned elements, wrong colors)
Error messages
Incorrect content display
Missing elements
When to use video:
Multi-step processes
Intermittent issues
Animation or interaction problems
Issues that are hard to describe
Screenshot tips:
Capture the entire browser window
Include the URL bar
Highlight the problem area with arrows or circles
Use tools like Lightshot or your operating system's built-in screenshot features
Video recording tips:
Keep it short (under 60 seconds if possible)
Narrate what you're doing
Move your mouse slowly and deliberately
Use free tools like Loom or your computer's built-in recorder
Remember, your developer isn't sitting next to you. The more visual context you provide, the faster they can understand and fix the issue.
Conclusion
Quality assurance testing might seem overwhelming at first, but it's your best investment in a successful website launch. By following this systematic approach, you'll catch issues before they impact real users.
Remember these key takeaways:
Start with organization: Use a staging site and tracking spreadsheet. This foundation makes everything else easier.
Test methodically: Work through each section systematically rather than randomly clicking around.
Think like a user: Test not just if things work, but if they're easy and intuitive to use.
Communicate clearly: Good bug reports save time and frustration for everyone involved.
Don't rush: Thorough testing takes time, but it's faster than fixing problems after launch.
Your role in QA is invaluable. You know your audience and goals better than anyone. Your developer can ensure technical functionality, but you're the expert on whether the site truly serves its purpose.
Take pride in being thorough. Every bug you catch is a problem your users won't experience. Every typo you fix is one less thing to undermine your credibility. This attention to detail is what separates professional websites from amateur ones.
Now grab a coffee, open that spreadsheet, and start testing. Your future self (and your website visitors) will thank you.
References
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Posted Jul 6, 2025
Don't launch a buggy website. Our non-coder's guide to WordPress QA shows you exactly what to test and how, ensuring a flawless user experience.
