Common WordPress Development Mistakes

WordPress is a content management system that has earned a reputation as reliable, flexible, and easy to use. As a result, it is a popular choice among website owners who want to enjoy a low-cost but high-quality online space for their businesses. At the same time, however, WordPress development still requires a certain level of ability and thoughtfulness in order to be accomplished successfully. And, there are many mistakes that beginners make that can hinder the overall effectiveness of their WordPress development. Following are a few of the most common WordPress development mistakes and some suggestions for repairing them.

Failure to Back Up the Site During WordPress Development

The first and most important step you need to take when doing WordPress development (or setting up any website, for that matter) is to back up your site. Yet, many people forget about this fundamental step because they become engrossed in the details of the WordPress development itself. The consequences of failing to back up your website can be severe: You can lose the customization you implemented, lose your updated content, or lose any recent changes. You may even have a hard time getting your website back at all and have to start over from scratch. If a problem arises during WordPress development, however, and you have been regularly backing up your site, you simply implement the backed-up version and continue with your project. Your web host should be able to provide regular and automatic updates to your site. However, using an external backup as well can provide an extra layer of security. Plus, you will need to back up your site before you implement WordPress updates in order to protect yourself against any problems that arise during the update. By doing so, you lower the chance of losing critical website information and can handle any problems that come up during your WordPress development with much more ease.

Use of Untested Plugins During WordPress Development

One of WordPress’s strengths is the fact that it offers thousands of plug-ins for your website. These plug-ins allow you to customize your theme and implement a huge array of features that can improve the functionality and appearance of your site. Many people, excited by the selection and functionality of these plug-ins, make heavy use of them during their WordPress development. Unfortunately, they often also use these plug-ins during WordPress development without giving much thought to the quality or reliability of the plug-in. As a result, they suffer from security problems, quality problems, or performance problems from plug-ins that are unreliable or that do not work properly on their version of WordPress. The best way to avoid these problems is to research the plug-ins you use carefully. Make sure they have been tested on your version of WordPress, come with support, and have a reputation for reliability in order to enjoy the best, most useful plug-ins available.

Failure to Change Default Settings during WordPress Development

WordPress themes come with a number of default settings. This means that there are a number of elements of the website that will remain a certain way unless you specifically change them. While these default settings may seem minor, they can actually affect your website in significant ways. Failing to change them when you do your WordPress development can hamper your site’s security and effectiveness. For example, WordPress will automatically set your username to “admin.” This predictable username makes it easier for hackers to get into your site. Blogs will use the tagline “just another blog,” which can make your creative, engaging content immediately feel less so to visitors. And, the default permalinks provide little information regarding where they lead. Solve this problem by choosing a different username, changing the tagline on your blog to something engaging, and updating your permalinks with clear and simple keywords. By updating these default settings during WordPress development, you can create a more customized, friendly, and effective site.

Failure to Optimize for SEO During WordPress Development

Search engine optimization is an important element of any website. When you are engaging in WordPress development, therefore, it is important to optimize for SEO whenever you can. Unfortunately, many people fail to consider search engine optimization when they are setting up their WordPress websites. As a result, they end up with a site that is not equipped to drive qualified traffic through visibility in the search results. When you are engaging in WordPress development, take every opportunity to optimize the site for SEO. For instance, use an SEO WordPress plug-in, optimize your permalinks, and use themes that are SEO-friendly. You may also want to consult SEO experts during your WordPress development in order to make sure that you are taking full advantage of all of the SEO opportunities WordPress provides.

SEE ALSO: 4 Signs Your Website Could Use the Support of SEO Experts

Failure to Consult an Expert During WordPress Development

Finally, many website owners make the mistake of not consulting an expert when they are doing their WordPress development. This CMS is billed as easy to use and simple to set up within 5 minutes. As a result, many people use WordPress to set up their sites by themselves. However, while it may be fast to set up a basic WordPress theme, there are many other elements of WordPress development that may require some expert support. For example, customizing your WordPress development might require help from a web development company. These professionals can navigate the WordPress development process in order to implement the custom features and functionality you want for your site. Their support will help your website to look unique instead of looking like other websites on the Internet. You might also need expert support to maintain your site, maximize your security, refresh your content, manage your search engine optimization, and more. WordPress development, when done right, can leave you with a powerful and appealing space for your visitors. However, there are some mistakes you need to avoid. By backing up your site, avoiding untested plug-ins, changing default settings, optimizing for SEO, and consulting web development experts, you can enjoy a greater level of customization and effectiveness in your WordPress website.