Avoid These 10 WordPress Mistakes
We often hear from clients that they tried to create a website themselves which is great for startups and companies on a strict budget. Here are some mistakes people often make when trying to create their own website in WordPress. These are just some of the standard best practices that are used when you purchase a professional website.
1. Not Changing Default Username For Admin– Admin used to be the standard username with each new WordPress install, this is a huge security compromise. Usernames and passwords must be complex.
2. Forgetting Optimization For Images – you must add descriptive alt text for each image
3. Mistaking A Self-Hosted WordPress With a Free One – A self hosted WordPress website will use the platform available at wordpress.org.
4. Forgetting to Create Backups – this is essential to set up automated backups- be familiar with back up retrieval
5. Not Being Careful When Downloading Free WordPress Themes – You must use a reputable, supported theme provider with proper coding. Check for ratings and support history. Make sure coding is current ie. don’t use a theme coded with PHP 5.2 or 5.3 which is deprecated. Choosing a pretty theme is not the way to decide to use it.
6. Not Installing a Plugin For Caching – Caching will help speed up the site for the viewer
7. Avoiding Comment Moderation– moderation allows you approve the comments that are posted on your website, without it you will find loads of spam posts and junk links.
8. Leaving Out a Contact Form – A contact form ensures the email gets to you from any device. Check functionality on a monthly basis with a test message.
9. Not Paying Attention to Security – Security is important for the longevity of the site. Enable: Brute Force Protection, Strong Password Enforcement, 404 Detectionm Malware scanning and more
10. Ignoring Updates From WordPress – Regular maintenance is essential to keep the functionality of your website. Like a car, you need to change the oil. Same with your website, you need to do the updates so your website will last.
