The case for change

Why we're moving to a new build process

Every item on the left is something we've encountered on real client sites. Every item on the right is how the new platform resolves it — through architecture, not workarounds.

Current WordPress + Bricks Builder
  • Security & maintenance
  • Plugin updates have taken entire sites offline — a white screen mid-campaign with no instant recovery; tracing the conflict can take hours
  • Monthly security patches are a permanent line item — every update is a risk, every missed patch is an open vulnerability
  • Performance
  • HubSpot, GTM, and tracking scripts slow the site — each integration competes at render time and scores drop after every new tool added
  • Lighthouse scores require constant re-optimization — a plugin update, new form integration, or hosting change can silently tank performance
  • Content & editing
  • Clients editing in Bricks after launch regularly break the site — misaligned sections, overridden breakpoints, and off-brand design decisions made without agency involvement
  • Full builder access means full liability — once a client can edit layout, the polished design we delivered is one bad session away from looking completely different
  • Delivery speed
  • Bricks templates reduce build time but don't eliminate layout work — each new page still requires builder configuration, field setup, and breakpoint testing before it's ready
  • Stack complexity
  • 6+ separate paid tools to reach baseline — WP Engine, NitroPack, security plugin, image optimization, SEO plugin, and caching layer all billed and managed independently
  • Hours of engineering just to reach a starting point — deferred script loading, manual font subsetting, ACF workarounds, and custom caching logic before any client-facing work begins
Cost WP Engine + Bricks Builder + ACF Pro + image optimization + SEO plugin — five separate paid tools on every build, each with its own license, renewal date, and update cycle to manage
New platform Storyblok + Astro
  • Security & maintenance
  • No plugins means no update-caused outages — there is nothing to conflict, nothing to patch, and no emergency call when something breaks overnight
  • Static HTML — no PHP or database to exploit — the attack surface that requires monthly patching simply does not exist in this architecture
  • Performance
  • Third-party scripts load in isolation — Astro's island architecture contains each integration so HubSpot and analytics can't block render or fight for bandwidth
  • 90+ Lighthouse scores by default — performance is structural, not a number we re-earn after every change or guard against new integrations breaking
  • Content & editing
  • Clients edit content, not structure — every word, image, and CTA is fully editable, but layouts are locked inside components; the design we built stays intact
  • Brand integrity enforced by the system — no amount of editing in Storyblok can override the design system; the visual identity is protected by architecture
  • Delivery speed
  • New pages assembled from pre-built components — layout decisions are already made — adding a page means filling in content, not configuring layouts or testing breakpoints
  • Stack simplicity
  • Two tools replace six — Storyblok includes image optimization, SEO metadata, scheduling, and CDN delivery; Netlify handles performance and deployment; no separate subscriptions needed
  • Zero engineering overhead before client work begins — no deferred loading hacks, no caching layer configuration, no plugin conflict debugging; the architecture handles it
Cost Storyblok Growth (~$99/mo) + Netlify free tier — comparable monthly spend to a WordPress stack, but as a single unified platform with no surprise add-ons, no license renewals, and no maintenance overhead