Whether you’re a WordPress beginner or seasoned in WordPress development, some website management mistakes are very easy to make. They’re also very easy to fix and we’re here to tell you how.
Not Creating Backups
Backing up your WordPress site could save you from disaster in the event that something goes wrong and you have to set up your WordPress site again from scratch. If you don’t have a WordPress backup system in place already, the easiest way to back everything up is to set automatic backups. There are many different plugins that you can use for this. Some of the most popular are Jetpack and VaultPress which are also good for WordPress security.
Additionally, backups are something that you should be getting from your managed hosting provider. For example, Pressable has automated daily site backups and hourly database backups built into each one of its WordPress hosting plans. Additionally, Pressable also offers free Jetpack Security on all plans $25/month and over. Jetpack provides additional redundant backups, as well as a variety of other WordPress security tools.
Ignoring Updates
Sometimes a reminder to update pops up at an inconvenient time and it just seems easier to put it off. This is one of the most common WordPress mistakes. Never ignore those critical WordPress updates. Updating to the latest version only requires a couple of clicks. Any lapse in WordPress updates can result in compromised security, opening your WordPress site up to threats from malware or hackers. Regular updates also ensure that your WordPress performance monitoring for stability, and compatibility with the latest devices. Learn how Pressable handles hacking.
Updating WordPress core is another common WordPress site management task that can be handled by a managed WordPress hosting provider. Using Pressable as an example again; we how to automatically update all WordPress sites on our platform to the latest version once it is officially launched. This ensures the safety and optimal performance of your site, as well as the overall security of our hosting platform.
Listing Too Many Different Product/Service Categories
If you have tons of different product and/or service categories, it tends to make your WordPress site more difficult for visitors to navigate, not to mention harder for you to manage. Try to stick with just a few basic categories to make things simpler, and branch out into subcategories only if you really need to.
Setting the Wrong Type of Permalinks
The default permalink structure in WordPress is not very search engine friendly. If you want to make your posts more appealing to those search engine bots, use the permalink structure “Post Name” – this type of linking structure allows the bots to see the keywords in your post’s name and has no odd characters that a bot might not recognize. It’s also a much better linking type to attract visitors to your posts, since it doesn’t display the date your content was posted, making older posts still appealing.
Accidentally Blocking Search Indexing
WordPress has a setting to block search engines from crawling your site. Many will turn this on while the site is still under construction to prevent pages from being indexed before they are ready, but forget to turn if off again – one of the more common WordPress mistakes. Take a look at your settings to check that “Search Engine Visibility” is not disabled, so your posts can be indexed by the search engines.
Final Thoughts
You now know a couple WordPress mistakes to avoid. Do a little checkup of your WordPress site to make sure you’re not unknowingly sabotaging your site with these easy-to-miss mistakes. They only take a few minutes to fix but can save you hours of frustration down the road. Make sure to check your WordPress theme as well. Some WordPress themes are built better that others and can make life easier/harder for WordPress users.
If you have a WordPress website and struggle to find the time to create site backups or perform WordPress core updates, Pressable can take care of all that and more.
In addition to the benefits stated above, Pressable offers free migration of your website to our platform performed by the Pressable support team, free SSL certificates powered by Let’s Encrypt, and free Jetpack to provide an added layer of safety and protection for your WordPress websites.
Have questions about how Pressable’s WordPress hosting plans can help keep your site safe? Interested in seeing our managed WordPress hosting platform in action? Schedule a demonstration today!
Jessica Frick
Jessica is a driving force behind the company’s mission to deliver the best managed WordPress hosting experience. Her dedication is rooted in her extensive experience with WordPress hosting, spanning over a decade. Since 2008, she has immersed herself in the WordPress ecosystem, holding various WordPress-centric roles since 2010. Her expertise extends beyond technical proficiency to encompass a deep understanding of the WordPress community and its needs. When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, serving her community, watching hilarious dog videos online, and drinking a lot of iced tea.
