Have you just started using WordPress but are still determining why your efforts are not yielding results? You may have made some of the most common WordPress mistakes.
WordPress is a famous and powerful website-building tool used by millions of businesses and web developers around the world. However, despite its user-friendly interface, mistakes can negatively impact website performance, security, and user experience and complicate the design transition from Figma to WordPress.
For today’s article, we have created this comprehensive guide to help you empower your WordPress journey and prevent you from making the most common mistakes.
1. Installing too many WordPress plugins
Plugins are an excellent tool for adding functionality to your website. However, overusing them can be a terrible mistake, like anything used in excess.
As you discover the plugin land, I’m sure each one is captivating and compelling to try on; you want to install them all and make your website a marvelous piece. Nonetheless, too many plugins can slow down your website speed, decreasing its overall performance.
Before you install a new plugin, a helpful tip is to examine your functions and website structure and ask yourself if you really need that plugin.
If the plugging you are considering is what you need and perfectly matches your needs, go for it! But if it does not enhance your website, we recommend you move on and leave it out of your project.
2. Ignoring updates for plugins and themes
Sometimes, when the website structure has many plugins and themes, it can be challenging to seek out updates and remember to do them. If everything works correctly, we tend to forget about updates.
Whatever plugin, theme, or other ad-ons you use, regular updates are crucial to keeping it updated to the latest version. Usually, when a website is underperforming or presenting issues, it’s because it’s running on an old WordPress version or doesn’t have the proper updates it needs.
Developers are always recommended to monitor future updates and maintenance checkups to ensure that everything’s running smoothly and that websites are safe.
3. Using a weak password
As you can see, WordPress is a very famous and widely used platform worldwide. Millions of people use WordPress on a daily basis. Considering these facts, there should also be concern for possible attacks. Users must pick a strong password, avoiding the typical ones like “1234.” Opt for something difficult or something only you know about.
4. Neglecting your website address
Whenever you create a website with WordPress, the platform gives you a free subdomain. If you opt for a paid plan, you also get a free custom domain name for the first year.
We highly suggest that when picking the name, choose something that reflects your brand identity, like your site’s name, business name, or product name. Setting the correct name from the beginning is much easier than trying to change it to another in the future.
5. Not using permalinks
Permalinks are permanent URL links pointing to your site’s content. Because of a lack of opposition, WordPress generates permalinks that are not exactly user-friendly and do not provide relevant information about the page’s content.
Custom permalinks can help your site achieve an SEO approach and make your URLs more intuitive for users to navigate.
Additionally, an extra helpful practice is tracking your SEO efforts. Paying attention to your site’s traffic can give you a clear picture of the permalinks you’re using.
6. Overcrowding the page
We get it. You want your visitors and audience to know everything about you and your business. That’s why you put all the relevant information on the home page. But did you know there’s less chance they will read endless paragraphs of information?
It’s been shown that people spend less than 6 minutes reading all the information centered on the home page. That’s why you should try to include only the essential and central information and make it short and straightforward. The same goes for the image; this one says a lot about you and your business, so pick one that’s relevant and matches your brand.
Final Thoughts
Avoiding common WordPress mistakes is crucial for maintaining a secure, efficient, and user-friendly website. By staying vigilant, keeping your site updated, and following best practices, you can ensure a positive experience for both visitors and administrators alike. Take the time to address the issues, and you’ll be well on your way to maximizing the potential of your WordPress-powered website.