Your current knowledge is your current level of power. This couldn’t be more true regarding successful websites. To learn more about the wonders of WordPress, stay right where you are. The information included here is a great place to begin. Keep a copy of this article handy so you can refer to it in the future.
Don’t choose a design that’s identical to what others that have a WordPress website use. While copying someone else’s design is quick, it doesn’t make a good impression. You want to show how your site is different from everyone else.
If your post has a long title, clean up its permalink. For instance, if you have a long phrase in a URL, that can seem very long. Instead, try making the permalink “tips-parents-uncontrollable-children” or something comparable based on the SEO keywords.
Become familiar with the tools available to use with WordPress. Use the Kitchen Sink icon to see all the extra things you can do with your blog. Use this for many formatting options.
Be sure to make use of Title and Alt. Use both title and alternate text when uploading your images to your site. This area is going to let you put in some great SEO keywords within your content, and they also let viewers see what you have on the site when they can’t access images.
Learn about WordPress before you install it. If you plan ahead, things will flow better once you get started. Familiarize yourself with search engine optimization, learn how to create content that’s effective and to maximize WordPress’s usage to ensure everything runs smoothly when you start working.
Video blogging is a snap with WordPress. While you may need to prepare a little more, that makes things worth it. Many online users are visual. One powerful tool is video because it can convey messages more clearly than the written word.
Create a posting schedule for yourself. A schedule helps you keep your eye on the deadline; so as the deadline approaches, it may give you more incentive to write that piece. In fact, to save even more time, you can create a week’s worth of posts at once, then schedule WordPress to upload them for you automatically.
Gather as much information as you can before installing WordPress. The more planning you do ahead of time, the better off you will be when you begin. Research SEO, WordPress and content generation before starting to develop your site.
Get rid of extraneous characters from URLs. They can make it hard for search engines to “spider” and should be removed. You also need to abbreviate URLs so they do not overwhelm readers.
Special Characters
You can up your rank with the search engines by taking a bit of time with your pictures during upload sessions. Always remember to add alternative text and title tags. If your image goes on Pinterest, you will get more exposure.
You want no special characters visible within your URLs. Special characters make it more difficult for search engines to index your site. Attempt to keep your URLs simple for visitors as well.
Your username should never be “admin” or anything similar. Doing so subjects your blog to bots. This poses a real threat to security. Any user names on your users page that are “administrator” or “admin” should be removed. Choose something that is more difficult.
Ensure that your readers can send content to an e-mail as they please. Additionally, make it easy for your users to share with their Facebook and Twitter friends. The WP-Email plugin is great for this.
Keep your plugins updated. These are great for adding one-of-a-kind power to your site. However, as with any other software, there are updates. Your plugin might stop working or not work as well as it can if you stop updating it.
Security is something a WordPress site needs, and that’s why you need to keep passwords secret. In addition, be careful which plugins you download; you don’t want to inadvertently harm your computer. If you have a site that has malware or one that gets hacked, you may lose all of your data.
Keep your WordPress updated. Updates usually contain patches that solve security issues and get rid of vulnerabilities. Malware is often able to infiltrate WordPress sites that do not have the latest updates. Always make sure to install the updates supplied by WordPress to keep your site secure.
Don’t install more plugins than you need. Some are enjoyable, but each ones adds to your site’s load time. This can impact how your site ranks on search engines. Slower sites don’t usually rank as well as those that are faster.
Always back your files up! This must be a regular process for you. In WordPress, you can use a plugin for this, such as Xcloner. Utilize any plugin or site you wish for the purpose of backing up your blog. Just be certain to have a back up in multiple locations. It would be very unfortunate if you lost your blog.
Always use the newest version of WordPress. With each update, new security patches are rolled out. Older versions of WordPress leave you vulnerable to attack by malware. Thus, make a point to install WordPress updates as soon as they are available.
Think about scheduling post publishing in advance by using WordPress. You can have a post added to your blog at any time, and you don’t even need to be near your computer. The option to publish now or later is available under the edit screen in WordPress. There should be an option for immediate publication. Select the time and date you want it to be published. Pick OK. You will see SCHEDULE FOR. If the schedule presented is correct, check it and click SCHEDULE.
Back your blog up. It’s important to make sure you don’t lose any valuable information. In WordPress, you can use a plugin for this, such as Xcloner. Be sure to back your blog up in multiple spots. It would be terrible to lose your whole blog.
Approving comments manually is very outdated. Let Akismet handle that task for you. Don’t bother with manual approval. You won’t save yourself time.
Connect your posts with a plugin that internally links, so that your readers see more information to read on your website. This type of plugin adds lists of posts at the end of every post. These are selected based on tag relevance.
Is it hard for you to post on a schedule? You can write something in advance and schedule it to publish at the time and date of your choosing. On the new post screen, you’ll notice that you can set it up to post on a later date. This means you should get started on everything ahead of schedule.
Make sure that you write your blogs in advance. For posts already written, you can set them up to post on different days and times, even if you aren’t near your computer. Just have a look at your EDIT screen. Here you will see the PUBLISH box. Beneath that, there will be an option labeled: Publish Immediately. Use military time to input the times, days, months and years you want your content published. Just click on OK. Check the “Schedule For” page and then hit “Schedule”.
If you’d like to choose a header, avoid a drop-down menu. Use keyboard shortcuts instead. You can press the CTRL button and then a number from 1 to 6 to choose between the various options. This has the potential to save you lots of time if you make heavy use of headers.
Is it hard for you to post on a schedule? You can write something in advance and schedule it to publish at the time and date of your choosing. When you start making a new post, you have the option to schedule a future publication. Write when you’re in the mood and take care of future posts.
Read user reviews prior to installing a plugin. Remember, anyone who can program is able to create a plugin. You don’t want to install a problematic plugin. Plugins that have been downloaded in great volumes are generally safe.
Do not use the drop-down menu to find a post header. Rather, you can use keyboard-based shortcuts. A variety of options are available by holding down the CTRL button, then choosing a number between 1 and 6. This is a much quicker way of doing things.
Is WordPress clutter getting you down? Toggle off the homepage boxes you don’t need. Look for your “Screen Options” at the very top of the page. Click it and you’ll get a drop-down menu which allows you to click off (or on) the boxes that you want.
Read user reviews of any plugin before you download it. Keep in mind that anyone with coding ability, good or bad, can make a plugin. Avoid using plugins that are widely reported to have flaws and bugs. The best thing to do is to use those that have high ratings and many downloads since this signals that they are safe.
If you’re seeking a hosting company for you WordPress site, select one that has tools for easy installation. This will prevent the need to create a separate database. Pushing just one button will allow you to get both your domain and database set up.
If you are searching for a WordPress host, select one that has a user-friendly control panel with a one-click install of WordPress. This will prevent the need to create a separate database. A single click could mean the host creates both your blog domain and your database associated with it.
Try a wide variety of tools for authoring blogs. Do you dislike the dashboard for WordPress? Consider using a blog writing program such as Windows Live Writer. There are several WordPress compatible tools that can help you out. Give them a test run, and feel out which one works for you.
Blog authoring tools are very valuable. What’s your opinion of the WordPress dashboard? Try a program such as Windows Live Writer. WordPress is compatible with a variety of tools that make it more efficient. Try several before deciding which ones to use.
Write a tentative plan before starting your WordPress blog. Write down everything you want your site to do and what you want to convey to readers. This will allow you to plan in advance.
Make a plan for your WordPress site before you make it. List all the things you’re wanting to accomplish with your website and think about what people will want to get from it. This allows you to shape your website around your plans.
Be sure to add images to your sites. Pictures are more appealing than words. Your site will be 10 times more attractive. Also use alternate text and title tags when describing the pictures to help search engines crawl your site.
Incorporate a “read more” link if you want to save space. Nobody wants to see a page full of text that can be hard to read. Visitors can click “Read More” if they choose. Not doing this could cause the blog to appear messy and overwhelming.
Keep a second folder for tests made to your site before putting them out for others to see. This keeps those changes from potentially damaging your entire site causing lost sales.
Learn where to go if you run into difficulties with your site. When searching for help, make sure to check out Facebook groups, forums and blogs specializing in WordPress. Regardless of your question, you can find someone with advice and answers.
If you’ve got post that you aren’t ready to publish, keep them in unpublished mode. This enables you to continue to make changes until it’s ready for the public eye. Only publish a post when you are completely satisfied with how it appears.
After reading this piece, you should know a good deal more about WordPress. Make use of it on your site right away. Doing so can really make a big difference. Before long, your traffic will dramatically increase. Work hard and those visitors will return again and again.
If you want to make your pages shorter, use the option for a “Read More” link. Insert this link at a spot where you think a reader would be interesting in learning more. If your visitors have an incentive to click on the link, they will browse your website a little longer.