About Anders Johansson
You have likely heard a lot about organizing your WordPress site. I’m sure you’ve read some WordPress tips, too. Everybody tells you what to do with your WordPress site. Do that, and it is good to change this setting – you need to get this plugin. All people know what to do – but what about the mistakes to avoid?
In this post, I highlight 12 common mistakes WordPress beginners make. I hope you like and share this article.
Does anyone have had any issues with WordPress? Or has anyone ever made common WordPress mistakes to avoid but wish to share them? Yes, of course.
For this reason, I’ve created a list of the 12 common mistakes WordPress beginners.
1. Installs site in the sub-folder
The WordPress zip file has all the core files in the WordPress folder. Beginners often upload the entire folder of WordPress. And rather than the files and folders inside.
If you upload the parent folder, your site will be yoursite.com/wordpress instead of yoursite.com. You can install WordPress in any catalog. But it’s usually easier to install WordPress in the default folder. That’s often in the root of your domain, under public_html, or in a sub-folder named blog.
2. Ignores permalinks
I don’t know why many users ignore their permalinks. First of all, I never remember that URL. I know I can bookmark a website, though I usually don’t. So, I have to trust my memory. Bookmarked or not, if I can keep in mind a URL, I am more likely to visit that web page again.
Besides, it helps in the various search engines. I am not sure how much value the search engines give to key phrases added in the URL, but there is no doubt that it is a factor.
Permalinks are such an easy factor to handle. You go to Settings » Permalinks within your WordPress dashboard. Pick your new permalink structure, and you are all set. Do not skip such a simple and vital step.
3. Posts incomplete pages
Do you publish incomplete pages? Then, your visitors get a clear message. “Hello, I’m a WordPress beginner running this website.” That is one of the common mistakes WordPress beginners make.
They often start their site before it’s ready to go “live.” A good rule is that you should not be linking to a page that isn’t complete. If you do so, it gives people the feeling that you’re not serious about your website.
Hence, it’s good to wait until your site is complete before you start it. Once you create your site, you may install a WordPress maintenance mode plugin. That can keep interested people updated about your website start date.
4. Adds many plugins
Once people discover plugins, they have to test them all. WordPress plugins are fascinating, efficient, and available. So, after all, humans love them. I do know that there are some plugins you should have. Yet, be careful and avoid using too many plugins.
Do you have active plugins that you don’t plan to use? Make sure to deactivate and uninstall them. It likely speeds up your site.
WordPress beginners tend to make that mistake over and over. They add new plugins and don’t deactivate them. It’s not rare that WordPress newbies add dozens of plugins, even if they never use them.
So, don’t get caught in the trap of adding widgets you’re not using. Avoid statistical plugins that you will not check daily.
They can achieve all you wish but can make your site slower. And may cause incompatibility issues between software more likely. Also, ensure you never use multiple plugins that perform the same tasks.
Below, read about three common mistakes WordPress beginners make in the security area.
5. Ignores updates
Ignoring updates can leave your site vulnerable to hackers. Do you run regular updates of WordPress software, themes, and plugins? Great! That helps a lot to protect your website from cyberattacks.
Updates often come with bug fixes. Think of bugs as errors in the software. If you update your website often, it will work better. As a result, updates can make your site faster and more efficient. And improve your site’s performance.
The latest updates may bring cool new features. You can do more with your site, and it becomes more fun.
If you use the WordPress.org version, you have to handle all updates. WordPress always informs you when your website is ready for an update.
Usually, it takes only one click to update, so there’s no need to worry. Before you update, make sure you back up all your content. Better safe than sorry.
You can use a great WordPress plugin like Easy Updates Manager. This plugin helps you run all sorts of updates needed.
Do you never run updates? Your site may be incompatible with newer devices, for example, smartphones and tablets.
So, don’t ignore those updates! Keeping your WordPress software, themes, and plugins up-to-date is like taking care of your online home. It keeps it safe, fast, and full of exciting features.
6. Not using a strong password
A strong password can protect you from brute-force attacks and hackers. Never use admin as your main account username.
By default, WordPress helps you create strong passwords. Go to your User Profile. Scroll down to the Account Management section and press Generate Password. Finally, click Update Profile at the bottom of the page. That’s it.
Don’t forget to write down your new password. Instead, you can use a password manager like LastPass. It remembers the password for you.
Do you want to make your WordPress site login page safer? Thus, you can install a plugin, such as WP 2FA. It enables you to create a 2-step verification.
This plugin adds an extra layer of security to your login page and its users. It prevents users from using weak passwords. Further, to stop automated password guessing and brute force attacks.
7. Skip backing up your website
What is one of the most common mistakes WordPress beginners make? They skip and run regular backups.
Think of backups like insurance for your site. Compare it with paying for your car insurance to protect against accidents. In the same way, you need website backups to safeguard your site in case something goes wrong.
Sometimes, you see even mistakes advanced WordPress developers make. After all, they are only humans. Assume you are working on your site. An accident takes place, and you delete some crucial data by mistake. It’s like having an undo button if you have backups. Good news! You can go back to the state of your website before the mistake.
Do you write many blog posts or have an online store? You would suffer giant troubles if you lost your content. Thus, backups make sure you do not fail to keep all your work.
Making backups of your WordPress site is the same as having the shield of a superhero. It is there to rescue your website from issues and save the day once things get tough.
You realize the value of making WordPress backups when you lose all your hard work at once. If it occurs, you need a backup to restore each item to how it was before. So, I urge you to run manual or automatic backups of your WordPress site often.
Lots of WordPress plugins make backups easy to do. UpdraftPlus is one of the leading plugins for backup. The plugin offers a simple and secure backup solution. You can download UpdraftPlus for free.
Do you want to store backups in more locations, or do you need to adapt your backups further? Hence, you can always upgrade to UpdraftPlus Premium. It’s also possible for you to buy the addon Multiple Storage Destinations.
» Watch the short video below – 7 Mistakes Beginner WordPress Users Make
8. Adds many widgets to the sidebar
Sure, sidebars rule. With all these nice widgets, you can do all you want. Though you CAN do everything – don’t try to do it all in your sidebar.
Some love to drag many widgets into the sidebar, even if the sidebar gets much longer than the content. At the bottom of your content, I would not scroll much further down on that page.
It only makes your web page layout look terrible. Most visitors won’t scroll to the end of your sidebar, so it’s wasted space. To enter 150 websites in your widget for hyperlinks does not help you either.
Try to use your sidebar with creativity. Do you run out of sidebar space? Show the most valuable data. Check if any widgets show data you can present in another way.
9. Choosing the wrong WordPress platform
WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress.org? Which one is the best?
WordPress beginners usually get confused about which platform to select. It’s one of the common mistakes WordPress beginners make.
You have to know the difference between them. That is important. Why? Then, you first know which platform is the right choice for your site.
Both platforms have pros and cons. WordPress.org is for you who prefer total control over your sites.
10. Ignores changing the tagline
A tagline describes what your site is about in a few words. WordPress adds the “Just another WordPress site” tagline to each WordPress installation by default.
Beginners often forget to change the tagline, so it becomes indexed by Google. That’s a bad strategy.
Make your tagline unique and related to your website’s content. You change your tagline in Settings » General of the WordPress dashboard. Remove the default sample page, too.
11. Picks the wrong theme
Picking the perfect theme is a critical thing that decides the fate of your WordPress site. You can find plenty of free and premium themes on the web.
Despite how good some look, which theme should you pick? Choose one created by a well-known and trusted WordPress developer.
It may cost you some dollars. But you pay for search engine ranking, security, support, usability, and more. Using free things from unknown developers can cost you time and money later.
There are four vital things to remember when you choose a theme.
It should be:
- user-friendly
- responsive
- affordable
- well-supported by a trusted company.
Are you searching for a free WordPress theme? Check out the WordPress Theme Directory, or do you want to buy a premium WordPress theme? Then I encourage you to try one of these reliable theme companies:
12. Don’t do image optimization
What is one of the worst common mistakes WordPress beginners make? It is to optimize images before posting a new article. Many don’t care about it at all.
Do you want your WordPress site to load faster? Thus, ensure image optimization is your number one priority.
Using HD images can have a massive impact on your site speed. Yet optimized images enhance your site’s performance a lot. So, never skip to optimize your images before adding them to your site.
Common Mistakes WordPress Beginners Trap: Conclusion
We all make common mistakes as WordPress beginners. That isn’t strange. But keep a close eye on your site and how you manage it. That it’s worth the effort you’ve put in to build it.
Mastering WordPress is a long and exciting journey. Which result do you get if you avoid these 12 common mistakes WordPress beginners make?
You’ve got a clear advantage over many WordPress users. Keep these mistakes in mind when you build your WordPress website, and avoid them!
What happens when you learn more about WordPress and manage your website? You see that every site you create will become much better.
Have you made some WordPress mistakes in the past? Feel free to share them by leaving your comments below. As a result, we can learn and avoid common mistakes WordPress beginners make.
You can also read the article How to Backup a WordPress Site for Free. This article is about how to back up a WordPress site step by step.
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12 Common Mistakes WordPress Beginners Trap
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