Weissmann.at

Weissmann.at

Weissmann.at

A modern WordPress-based multilingual website was developed to replace a custom-built legacy PHP system.
All data was extracted from the old MySQL database and imported into WordPress, enabling full GUI control, multilingual support via Polylang, and on-page SEO optimization using Yoast SEO.
Existing JavaScript animations were preserved and integrated into the new theme through custom code, maintaining the original visual style.

  • eng
  • Wordpress, WooCommerce, XAMPP, VS Code, Polylang, Affinity Photo, Affinity Design
  • web

WordPress-Based Multilingual Website

Customer Requirements

The client commissioned the migration of an outdated, custom-built PHP website (legacy system) to a modern, WordPress-based solution.
The new site was to be fully manageable via a graphical user interface (GUI), support multiple languages, and allow on-page SEO optimization to be performed by an external agency.

Implementation

After a detailed analysis and code review of the existing system, the relevant data was extracted directly from the MySQL database and exported into text files. The import into WordPress was then carried out partly via SQL insert statements directly into the appropriate tables, and partly using the All Import plugin.

The previous custom-built system presented several issues:

  • Hardcoded image paths and CSS instructions that could only be modified by the original developer
  • Instability caused by outdated code (e.g., broken upload functions)
  • Non-SEO-compatible image galleries, implemented entirely in JavaScript and therefore not indexable by search engines
  • Lack of maintainability, as the client could no longer make updates after cooperation with the original developer ended

Following an introduction to the capabilities of WordPress, the client decided to move forward with a complete migration. The requirement for easy control over fonts, image galleries, and drag-and-drop editing was seamlessly achieved through WordPress’s intuitive interface.

Multilingual functionality was implemented using the free Polylang plugin.
The on-page SEO features (such as image descriptions, proper heading hierarchy, and clean “pretty” URLs) were already supported by WordPress and further enhanced using the Yoast SEO plugin.

Additionally, the old site contained JavaScript animations that the client wanted to preserve. These were re-integrated into the new theme through custom code, maintaining the original look and feel.