Do you know how WordPress works? Do you know the best plugins for it and how to make them work? Do you worry a lot about site security? The more appealing your site, the more likely your visitors are to return. Keep reading for a few tips and tricks you can use with WordPress.
Select a unique design when creating your site. You may be tempted to do this because it's a time saver, but your site will just look run of the mill. You need to show your individuality with your site.
Clean up long post titles as you construct the permalink. For instance, "101 Ways for Smart People to Manage Their Children" is way too long for a URL. Be sure to select only the keywords from your long titles to create your permalinks.
Get familiar with the tools on WordPress to help you blog. For instance, clicking on the visible Kitchen Sink button can offer more choices for formatting posts to make them more unique. There is also a Screen Options tab located on the admin pages of your site. You will see many formatting items under your control.
Gain as much knowledge as possible before you start installing WordPress. Adequate planning will save you time in the long run. Find out how to use SEO, how to make interesting content, and how you can use all that WordPress has to offer.
When you are set to post, set a schedule. You can stay motivated when you know how to post. You might want to create posts up to a week ahead of time, then set the posts to upload on a schedule.
Posts are always shown chronologically, until you say otherwise. To rearrange your list, you need to first change the date. In order to do that, open one of your posts and you will be able to see the date at the top right hand corner. Click on date, modify it and save the post so you can change the position.
Write a personalized greeting near the top of your blog. This makes things a bit more personal with readers since you can make a message that shows how others found your site. This is much less robotic, which makes things accessible through the plugin.
Your username should never be "admin" or anything similar. You are risking bot attack if your username is something generic like administrator or admin. This raises the risk in security. Look at the users of your site and delete any names that use admin or administrator. Choose another username.
It is important that you securely store your password. Download reputable plugins to stay safe at all times. You can lose everything on your page if it gets hacked or is affected by malware.
Back your blog up. Backing up your blog frequently is essential. Consider a plugin such as Xcloner to assist you. For added security, use plugins to make backup copies of your blog on several different locations. It would be disastrous to lose your whole blog.
You no longer have to manually approve comments if you don't want to. Aksimet will take care of it all for you. You can have an email sent whenever someone makes a comment, however, it might be best to deselect manual approval for posting. If you don't do that, there really is no point in using Akismet.
Is it challenging to meet self-imposed deadlines for your posts? Write your posts beforehand, and have them automatically posted at a certain time or on a specific day. Future publications are very convenient. Therefore, write away and get everything taken care of ahead of time.
When searching for plugins, check their reviews. Remember that anyone with some programming know-how can build these plugins. You want to avoid downloading a plugin full of flaws and bugs. As well, if you see lots of reviews and downloads, it's likely safe to download.
Does the clutter of WordPress bother you? You can get rid of a few of those boxes that are present. Go to the "Screen Options" menu found at the very top of WordPress. When you click that, a menu will drop down with options to disable certain boxes.
Plan your strategy prior to building your site. Write down what you wish to accomplish with your blog and how you think visitors will want to use it. This gives you some direction on what type of content to include.
You should now know a little bit more about WordPress. From security to plugins, there is a lot to know. This piece has been a useful starting point. Come back to this article in the future for refreshers.