WordPress is a global platform for beginners to start their own website. It is a free platform without any barriers to entry that allows anyone to start a website with just basic knowledge regarding web development. Since it is an extremely easy to use content management system some beginners make very common mistakes when utilizing WordPress.
In this post, I will focus on the five most common mistakes beginners make when using WordPress. In order to have an error free and less frustrating life, you would want to avoid making these mistakes.
1- Don’t choose a theme with coding errors
There are hundreds and thousands of themes available for WordPress. Each theme has its own distinguish features that attract buyers. People often make a huge mistake by choosing a theme only because it looks beautiful, but they don’t realize that there might massive coding errors in it.
This usually happens when you choose a theme from a relatively new seller with low reviews and no in-depth information regarding the theme. It is often recommended to choose a theme from a well-established seller because he has a lot of experience in building WordPress themes and you will find minimal errors in them. There are tons of free themes available as well but those are not carefully made because there is no revenue motive behind them. If you want to choose a free theme then always choose one from WordPress approved list of developers.
The best way to go is spend a few bucks and buy a premium theme which will give you the best result. It will be designed for all platforms and free from any coding errors. People also find cracked versions of premium themes but they might have malware or errors in coding so always purchase a theme.
2- Don’t forget to change the default login information
When you first install WordPress for your site, you have to enter a username and password. People often choose passwords which are relatively easy to remember but in this case it can be very harmful. Websites are always under attack by hackers and if you have a simple password then your website is vulnerable to hacks. Always choose a complex password that includes alphanumeric, uppercase and lowercase letters and symbols. This will protect your website from being hacked.
You can take help from password generators available to make a complex password and if you are afraid of forgetting your password then use a password manager. LastPass is an excellent option that generates complex passwords as well stores your login information.
3- Make sure that your website is complete
When completing your website do not focus on all the cool things instead complete the list of basic things first. Beginners usually add too much eye-catching stuff on their website that they forget the essentials. For example, a website is incomplete without an About Us and a Contact Us page. These two pages are deemed necessary for every website. Also, it is recommended that you add a privacy policy for your content as well.
Without an “About Us” page visitors will not know what the website is about and without a “Contact Us” page they will not be able to contact you for any queries. An attractive website is important, but these essentials things should be given the utmost priority.
4- Not changing the default permalinks
When you make your website on WordPress and install a new theme, there are several other things to be taken care of. WordPress allows a default permalink to your website’s URL which consists of numbers and symbols. You should always change this permalink to something custom and related to your website.
This will help give a more personalized feel to your URL and help in search ranking. Changing permalinks is extremely easy, all you have to do is navigate to settings > Permalinks. Change the default permalink and you are good to go.
5- Not installing a SEO plugin
A website relies on SEO because higher the search ranking the more visitors will drop by. Most beginners fail to install a SEO plugin which seriously effects their website. Each post and content should be optimized for SEO so Google and other search engines find your website when a user searches for keywords related to your content.
There are dozens of SEO plugins available for WordPress and installing those takes less than 5 minutes. The most recommended SEO plugin is SEO by Yoast and it is used by millions of users. Just search for SEO plugins on WordPress and you will get all the options, follow the provided guide and you will be done in no time. Once installed, you can easily optimize your posts for search engines and generate good traffic.
WordPress is an easy to use platform that helps you develop a website of your liking. By avoiding the mistakes mentioned above you can enjoy a hassle-free experience for a long time.
