sometimes I feel like I’ve seen it all when it comes to WordPress.
After all I’ve been working with this amazing platform for almost two decades now.
But even with all that experience I still encounter the same common mistakes over and over again.
It’s like a recurring theme a cycle of missteps that even seasoned WordPress users sometimes fall into.
The Classic Case of the Forgotten Search Engine Visibility
You’ve got a brand new website or a fresh redesign ready to launch and you’re so excited to show it off to the world.
You’ve spent countless hours perfecting every detail and finally it’s time to unleash your masterpiece.
But before you hit that “publish” button there’s one crucial step you shouldn’t overlook: making sure your site is visible to search engines.
Many website owners in their eagerness to get things live forget to uncheck the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” setting in WordPress.
It’s a common pitfall especially during website redesigns when the focus is on getting the new site up and running.
You’re busy transferring files tweaking code and ensuring everything is in place and then bam! You forget that little checkbox hiding in the settings.
This oversight can be a real pain.
You launch your shiny new website but it’s invisible to Google and other search engines.
No matter how fantastic your content is no one will find it.
Imagine your frustration! You’ve poured your heart and soul into creating a beautiful informative website only to realize that it’s stuck in a digital black hole.
The Fix: It’s simple really. Just double-check your WordPress settings to make sure that “Search Engine Visibility” isn’t disabled. If it is uncheck that box and let the world see your brilliant creation!
The Unforgiving Nature of Unoptimized Permalinks
Speaking of things that can make your website invisible let’s talk about permalinks.
those URL addresses that tell search engines and visitors what your website is about.
The default permalink structure in WordPress? Let’s just say it’s not the most user-friendly or search engine-friendly thing in the world.
It’s a jumble of numbers and cryptic characters that can be a real turn-off for both people and search engines.
You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve seen websites with permalinks like this: “https://www.yourwebsite.com/?p=1234“. Ugh it makes me shudder!
The Fix: Set your permalink structure to “Post Name” so that your URLs are readable and understandable. Imagine this instead: “https://www.yourwebsite.com/your-amazing-blog-post“. Much better right?
But wait there’s a catch! If you’ve already got an existing website and you’re thinking of changing your permalink structure you need to implement 301 redirects to preserve any SEO value you’ve built up.
Otherwise you risk losing all those precious search engine rankings and breaking any existing links pointing to your website.
The Admin Username Conundrum
Ah the joys of a fresh WordPress install! It’s like a blank canvas brimming with potential.
You’re ready to build something amazing and everything seems so simple and straightforward.
But sometimes that simplicity can lead to a very dangerous habit.
Many hosting companies will automatically create an admin user with the username “admin” when you set up a new WordPress website.
Then they’ll ask you to choose a password.
And that’s where things can go terribly wrong.
I’ve seen so many website owners simply type in something like “password123” or “123456” without a second thought.
I know it seems convenient at the time.
But think about it: you’re literally giving hackers a free pass to your website!
Hackers are notorious for targeting these kinds of weak passwords.
They use automated scripts to scan websites for common usernames and passwords and they’re quite adept at finding those who haven’t taken the time to create something truly secure.
The Fix: First change your admin username to something more unique and less obvious. Then make sure your password is a strong one a jumble of letters numbers and symbols. And don’t forget to enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security!
The Plugin Addiction and Its Consequences
WordPress is a fantastic platform and one of its greatest strengths is its vast plugin library.
It’s an amazing resource allowing you to add all sorts of cool features and functionalities to your website.
But here’s the thing: too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Just like with any addiction plugin overuse can have some serious consequences.
Installing too many plugins can significantly slow down your website.
Imagine your website loading so slowly that your visitors start to get impatient and abandon your page before they even see your amazing content.
That’s a recipe for disaster!
The Fix: Be selective about which plugins you install. Choose only the ones you truly need and make sure they’re all updated regularly. You don’t want to have a bunch of outdated plugins lurking in the background creating security vulnerabilities and slowing down your website.
And remember sometimes you can achieve the same results with a well-chosen theme that offers the features you need without requiring any extra plugins.
The Danger of Orphaned Plugins and Themes
You’re eager to build your dream website and you’re excited to find all these amazing plugins and themes to help you realize your vision.
But before you jump into the plugin library and start clicking on everything that looks cool take a moment to think about the source.
The world of WordPress is full of amazing developers who create incredible plugins and themes but unfortunately not all developers are created equal.
Some developers are dedicated to providing high-quality well-maintained products and they’re constantly updating their plugins and themes to fix bugs improve performance and enhance security.
But there are also some developers who create plugins or themes and then simply abandon them.
They stop updating them and that means that these plugins or themes become vulnerable to security breaches and compatibility issues.
The Fix: Be mindful of the source of your plugins and themes. Do your research and choose ones that are developed by reputable companies or individuals who are actively updating their products.
And before you install any plugin or theme take a look at the reviews and ratings to see what others are saying about it.
The Allure of Free or Cheap Hosting
We all love a good deal right? And who wouldn’t be tempted by the promise of free or super cheap WordPress hosting? It sounds like a dream come true especially if you’re just starting out and you’re on a tight budget.
But free or cheap hosting is often too good to be true.
You might get lured in by those low prices but you’ll likely end up paying for it in the long run.
The Fix: Look for a reputable hosting provider that offers a solid reliable platform even if it costs a bit more. You’ll get better performance more security and better support. And in the long run it’s a much better investment.
The Unimportance of Backing Up Your Website
I know it seems like a chore but backing up your website is one of the most crucial things you can do.
It’s like having a life insurance policy for your website protecting you from disaster.
Imagine your website suddenly goes down and you lose all your data.
You’re devastated! You’ve lost all your precious content your images your customer data and your entire website’s history.
The Fix: Make sure you’re backing up your WordPress website regularly. You can use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or Jetpack to automate the process. And consider having backups stored in multiple locations to ensure redundancy.
The Tempting Neglect of Updates
It’s easy to ignore those annoying pop-up messages reminding you to update your WordPress core software and plugins.
They can be so persistent especially when you’re in the middle of something else.
But believe me ignoring those updates is a recipe for disaster.
Out-of-date software is a huge security risk.
It’s like leaving your front door unlocked inviting hackers to walk in and take whatever they want.
The Fix: Make sure you’re updating your WordPress core software and plugins regularly. It’s the best way to keep your website secure and ensure that it’s running smoothly.
The Category and Tag Overkill
WordPress gives you the flexibility to categorize and tag your blog posts making it easier for visitors to find the content they’re looking for.
But too many categories and tags can actually hurt your website’s search engine rankings and make it difficult for people to find what they need.
Think of it like this: Imagine going into a library with thousands of books but there’s no system for organizing them.
You’d be overwhelmed and you’d probably give up trying to find the book you’re looking for.
The Fix: Choose a limited number of categories and tags that make sense for your website’s content. Be thoughtful about how you use them and try to avoid using too many on a single post.
The Unoptimized Image Curse
Images are essential for any website.
They can make your content more engaging and visually appealing but they can also slow down your website if they’re not properly optimized.
Imagine your website loading so slowly that your visitors start to lose patience and click away.
It’s frustrating for everyone involved and it’s definitely not good for your website’s SEO rankings.
The Fix: Make sure you’re optimizing your images for size and quality before uploading them to your website. You can use tools like Photoshop or online image optimizers to reduce the file size of your images without sacrificing quality.
The Final Word
WordPress is an incredible platform but it’s important to be aware of these common mistakes and to take steps to avoid them.
By following these tips you can help ensure that your website is secure fast and user-friendly.
And that’s a recipe for success.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of managing all of these details consider using a managed WordPress hosting provider like Pressable.
We can take care of all the technical details so you can focus on creating amazing content.
You can learn more about Pressable and how we can help you achieve your WordPress goals.