Here are the 10 common mistakes WordPress website owners make
- Not keeping WordPress and its plugins/themes up-to-date
- Choosing a poorly coded or outdated theme/plugin
- Neglecting website backups and disaster recovery plan
- Failing to optimize website images and other media
- Ignoring website security and not using SSL
- Not using a caching plugin to improve website speed
- Not optimizing the website for search engines (SEO)
- Installing too many unnecessary plugins
- Using weak passwords or not enabling two-factor authentication
- Not providing a clear call-to-action on the website
1. Not keeping WordPress and its plugins/themes up-to-date
Imagine using WordPress and its plugins and themes to run an online store, but not updating them for months. A hacker takes advantage of a weakness in an old plugin, which causes your website to crash. This means you lose sales and customers’ trust.
2. Choosing a poorly coded or outdated theme/plugin
Installing an old or poorly coded theme or plugin can cause a website to crash, load slowly, and give users a bad experience. For example, a poorly coded plugin can cause a problem that makes your website inaccessible. To fix the problem, you might need to hire a developer.
3. Neglecting website backups and disaster recovery plan:
Imagine that you spent years building up a blog, but you didn’t back up your website’s data. Your web host’s server crashes, and all of your site’s information is lost. You could lose many years of hard work and the trust of your customers.
4. Failing to optimize website images and other media:
Large images can make your website load slowly, making it hard for people to use. For example, if a user goes to your website and has to wait a few seconds for an image to load, they won’t like it and are more likely to leave.
5. Ignoring website security and not using SSL:
Imagine that you run an e-commerce site that collects customer information like credit card numbers but doesn’t use SSL. A hacker can get the information, which can hurt sales and hurt customers’ trust.
6. Not using a caching plugin to improve website speed:
Imagine that a user goes to your website and has to wait a few seconds for the page to load. The user gets annoyed and leaves, giving you a high “bounce rate.” Using a caching plugin can help your website load faster and make it better for your users.
7. Not optimizing the website for search engines (SEO):
Imagine running a website that offers a unique service but isn’t optimized for search engines. Your website won’t do well in search results, which means less traffic and fewer potential customers.
8. Installing too many unnecessary plugins:
Imagine that you have too many plugins on your site. It can slow down your website and make it not work well with other websites. For instance, a plugin might not work well with another plugin, which would cause your website to crash.
9. Using weak passwords or not enabling two-factor authentication:
Imagine that you use a weak password like “123456” for your website. A hacker can easily figure out what it is and get into your website that way. Enabling two-factor authentication can help keep people from getting into your website without your permission.
10. Failing to provide a mobile-friendly website design:
Imagine a user visiting your website from a mobile device, but your site isn’t made for mobile devices. The user has to zoom in and out to read the content, which makes the experience bad and makes people leave the site quickly. To reach more people and make your website work better, you need a design that works well on mobile devices.
Avoiding these common WordPress mistakes can help your website be successful and last a long time. Each of these 10 mistakes can have a big effect on your website’s performance, user experience, and security. For example, keeping WordPress and its plugins/themes up-to-date and making sure your website is mobile-friendly are just two examples. By taking the time to deal with these problems and put best practices into place, you can make your website work better, get more visitors, and build trust with your customers. Make sure to put maintenance, security, and optimization at the top of your list if you want your website to be a valuable asset for years to come.