I’ve been working with WordPress for years now and I still see the same mistakes pop up again and again.
It’s like a bad habit that’s hard to break! But don’t worry these common mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
Let’s dive in shall we?
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The “Search Engine Visibility” Trap
🔥 Tired of WordPress headaches? 😫
You’re not alone. But there’s a way to escape the struggle. 💪 Join a managed WordPress hosting provider, and let them handle the heavy lifting.
Remember that time you were building a new website and wanted to make sure everything was perfect before unleashing it on the world? It’s tempting to hide your website from search engines until it’s ready.
just to keep those pesky crawlers away until things are looking ship-shape.
But hey sometimes we forget to flip the switch back on! I’ve done it myself – it’s easy to forget about that little setting in WordPress that blocks search engines.
Now you’re probably thinking “What’s the big deal? It’s just a little setting.” But think about it this way.
You’ve spent all this time building a great website putting in all that hard work and then you leave it buried under wraps.
It’s like having a fantastic restaurant but keeping the doors locked! You need to make sure that search engines know your site exists so they can find it and show it to potential visitors.
So check that “Search Engine Visibility” setting in your WordPress dashboard and make sure it’s enabled.
It’s simple and it could make a huge difference for your website’s visibility!
The “Permalink” Peril
You know how those complicated URLs full of question marks and random numbers can look a bit well messy? It’s not just about aesthetics either – those clunky URLs can actually hurt your website’s performance.
It’s important to have clean readable URLs that tell search engines exactly what your website is about.
WordPress gives you the flexibility to customize your permalinks and the “Post name” structure is usually the best choice.
This means your URLs will include actual words that make sense to both humans and search engines.
So instead of something like yoursite.com/?p=123 you’ll have a URL like yoursite.com/my-amazing-blog-post. Much nicer right?
And if you already have a website with old URLs don’t worry! You can change your permalink structure but you’ll need to set up 301 redirects to make sure that those old URLs still lead people to the right pages.
It’s a little bit of extra work but it’s important to keep all your website’s links working properly.
The “Admin” Account Achilles’ Heel
Here’s a big one: Don’t use the default “admin” username! It’s like leaving your front door unlocked and inviting every burglar in the neighborhood to drop by.
Hackers know that lots of people use the default admin account and they’re always looking for easy targets.
You’ve probably heard all those horror stories about websites getting hacked.
It’s not fun trust me.
It can be a nightmare to clean up the mess and get your website back to normal.
So do yourself a favor and ditch that default admin account.
Create a new administrator user with a strong unique username and password.
Don’t be lazy – put some effort into making it a strong password! And while you’re at it use a different password for your website than you use for other accounts.
It’s a good idea to have a separate password manager to keep track of all your passwords.
The “Plugin Overload” Problem
I know I know WordPress has thousands of amazing plugins! It’s tempting to install them all but hold on a minute! Too many plugins can actually slow down your website.
It’s like having a bunch of people trying to squeeze into a tiny car – it just doesn’t work very well.
Plus plugins can sometimes conflict with each other and cause all sorts of weird problems.
Before you install any plugin do your research.
Make sure it’s well-maintained and updated regularly.
And if you’re not using a plugin anymore uninstall it.
Your website will thank you!
The “Orphan Plugin” Nightmare
Speaking of plugins watch out for orphan plugins! These are plugins that haven’t been updated in ages.
It’s like finding a dusty old book in the attic.
You might love it but it’s probably not safe to touch.
Orphan plugins can be a security risk because they might have vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
It’s like leaving a window open in your house.
So make sure you only use plugins that are actively maintained by their developers.
Check the plugin’s update history on the WordPress plugin repository or the developer’s website.
The “Cheap Hosting” Conundrum
We all love a good deal but when it comes to website hosting cheap isn’t always best.
Remember you get what you pay for.
If you’re using a free or super cheap hosting provider you might get slow website speeds downtime limited storage and poor customer support.
It’s like trying to build a house on a foundation of sand.
Invest in a reputable hosting provider that offers good features and support.
It’s worth the extra cost to make sure your website is running smoothly and securely.
The “Backup” Blunder
This is one mistake that could cost you dearly! If something happens to your website – maybe your server crashes or you accidentally delete something – you need a backup to restore your site.
It’s like having a spare key for your house – you never know when you might need it.
There are lots of great WordPress backup plugins available.
Just make sure you choose one that automatically backs up your website regularly.
You can also consider using a managed WordPress hosting provider that includes automatic backups as part of their service.
The “Update Delay” Disaster
We’ve all been there.
You get that notification that there’s a new WordPress update available and you think “I’ll do it later.” But don’t put it off! WordPress updates are essential for keeping your website secure and up-to-date.
Outdated software is like a worn-out car tire.
It’s a security risk and it could lead to problems down the road.
So keep your WordPress core software and plugins updated as soon as possible.
The “Tag & Category” Tangle
You know those categories and tags that you use to organize your blog posts? It’s easy to get carried away and add too many of them.
But think about it this way: too many categories and tags can confuse search engines and make your content less relevant.
It’s like trying to fit all your clothes into one tiny drawer – things start to get messy!
Focus on creating clear well-defined categories and tags that accurately describe your content.
You don’t need to use every single category or tag that you can think of.
Just stick to the most important ones.
The “Image Optimization” Oversight
Images are essential for a website but they can also slow down your website if they’re not optimized.
You need to find the right balance between quality and size.
Before you upload any images make sure you optimize them.
Compress them without sacrificing too much quality.
Use a tool like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to compress images and save precious bandwidth.
Wrapping Up
Those are some of the most common mistakes that WordPress users make.
Remember even the most experienced WordPress developers make mistakes from time to time.
The important thing is to learn from them and make sure you’re not repeating them!
If you’re looking for a way to avoid these common mistakes consider using a managed WordPress hosting provider.
They take care of all the technical details so you can focus on creating amazing content.
It’s a good idea to always be learning and growing.
Join online communities read blogs and attend workshops to stay up-to-date with the latest WordPress best practices.
The WordPress community is a fantastic resource and there’s always something new to learn.
I hope this helps and remember we’re all in this together! Keep building great websites!
🔥 Tired of WordPress headaches? 😫
You’re not alone. But there’s a way to escape the struggle. 💪 Join a managed WordPress hosting provider, and let them handle the heavy lifting.