Built to Speak for the South

Yug.Today is an independent WordPress news portal based in Izmail, covering developments in southern Ukraine. The team set out to build a fast and reliable platform to share important updates in critical conditions. As the region became a target of attacks on port infrastructure, the site turned into a key information source for audiences across the country

Tasks and challenges

The editorial team came to us with an urgent request: to launch a fully functional news website within a week, with a minimal budget. The goal was to start publishing immediately, without delays related to custom WordPress theme development or design from scratch. Later on, new challenges emerged — news site optimization to handle traffic surges of up to 50,000 users per hour, performance limitations of the template, the need for SEO improvement, and future scalability.

Solution

Stage 1: MVP on a ready-made theme — rapid deployment in crisis conditions

To ensure a fast launch under tight deadlines and budget, we chose the most effective approach — deploying WordPress with a commercial theme. This rapid WordPress deployment allowed the team to start publishing news within a few days, with full integration into news aggregators and social media platforms.

Once launched, the site was able to handle sudden traffic spikes (up to 50K users/hour) triggered by military strikes in the region. We quickly optimized the infrastructure to handle load: upgraded hosting, adjusted caching, and restructured the database. This quick response also served as an emergency website launch, helping the team stay online during critical moments.

Stage 2: Migration to a custom theme — scalability and performance

After the editorial team stabilized operations and grew their audience, it became clear that the initial template had reached its limits. We fully rebuilt the site on a lightweight custom WordPress theme:

• preserving the existing news website design with small improvements;
• significantly reducing code size for better speed and SEO;
• implementing scalable architecture to enable future upgrades without disruption.

This transition wasn’t a correction of an error, but a planned evolution step, outlined from the start. We simply adapted the platform to meet the growing needs of the team at the right moment — a natural step in editorial website development.

Total hours:

• Stage 1 — approx. 100 hours
• Stage 2 — ~200 hours
• Integrations and ongoing tech support — additional 100 hours

Process

During the first week, we collected all required inputs from the client, selected an optimal ready-made solution, and deployed the WordPress site. We configured the core structure, key sections, and connected Google Publisher Center, Ukr. net, RSS feeds, and social platforms.

When the platform began receiving major traffic spikes, we quickly migrated it to a higher-performance hosting provider, optimized caching, and restructured the database — all without downtime. That included thorough WordPress template optimization for better speed and stability under high load.

In the second phase, we developed a new custom theme from scratch without external components. All content was migrated while preserving URLs and SEO positions. We also updated the caching logic, automated social media posting, and ensured responsive performance on all devices — laying the groundwork for news website development with long-term sustainability.

Additionally, we preserved visual identity while introducing subtle UX enhancements — a step towards redesign for news websites, ensuring clarity and accessibility. As Yug. Today evolved, the project also benefited from smart branding for publishers, helping the outlet retain authority and recognizability across platforms. This effort contributed to an effective online media rebranding that matched the outlet’s growing role in national information distribution.

Results

Yug. Today is a strong example of how to launch a regional media platform from scratch — starting with an MVP in 7 days and scaling into a full-fledged media ecosystem capable of handling tens of thousands of users per hour. Thanks to a custom theme, strong SEO, smart integrations, and a user-friendly admin interface, the editorial team now operates with stability and efficiency.

The platform continues to grow and scale. The editorial team publishes dozens of news items daily and remains a key voice for southern Ukraine.