This post is going to benefit you when you are using the CMS. It will point out x of the common WordPress mistakes that users make. You should avoid them at any cost for your business website. Follow the tips offered in this article instead.
1. Spending money on extra unnecessary features
Let’s start with the basics. To start any website, you need a domain name and a web hosting service. However, you don’t have to spend on features that you will not use.
Don’t blindly fall for the pitches. You won’t require all the add-ons early on in your business, such as additional email accounts or enhanced privacy.
It will also help if you look for the right WordPress plan for your needs. If you are a small business, you don’t have to pay higher fees to obtain an e-commerce plan just because you are planning to sell something in the future. You can upgrade at the right time.
2. Not implementing WordPress backup plugins
As per a study, every 39 seconds, a website gets attacked on the internet. And in each attack, 75 records are stolen every second. Another study reveals that WordPress websites are attacked at least 90,000 times per minute.
In order to defend against these threats, what you need is automated backups. When you don’t back up your data, you could end up losing all your data, and it would sometimes be impossible to recover them.
There are WordPress backup plugins that can help you to backup your website. Once set up, the plugins will automatically create backups for you.
Also, many web admins don’t store their backup files in remote locations. Instead, they are stored on their web hosting server.
This is a drastic mistake!
Note that when you lose your website data, you will also end up losing your backups.
You can use cloud storage services such as Google Drive or Dropbox to store your backups. You can automate this process using backup plugins such as UpdraftPlus.
Also Read: Secure WordPress website
3. Picking wrong themes
48% of users say that website design is the most important factor when you judge a business’s credibility. And 38% of visitors will stop browsing a site because of the unattractive layout.
Your web design is going to play a significant role in the success of your business website. Many beginners have difficulty selecting the right theme when designing a website. They can’t be blamed as there are a plethora of WordPress themes out there.
While it is good to have many options, it can be confusing, especially for beginners.
Consider these elements to make sure that you choose the right theme for your WordPress site:
- Aim for simplicity.
- Choose responsive themes.
- Consider browser compatibility.
- Ensure that the theme supports all popular plugins.
- See that the themes are translation-ready.
- Consider SEO friendliness.
- Buy themes that are sold with popularly used page builder plugins.
- Look for theme developers that offer support options.
- See ratings and reviews.
Only when you are fully satisfied and all of the above boxes are getting ticked, then only should you go for the theme.
4. Not implementing analytics
To scale your business, you have to find out how people find and use your site. Many businesses fail to do that. Using Google Analytics can help you in this matter.
It can also monitor the effectiveness of your marketing strategies and content, among others. You can use the information to enhance your website.
WordPress Google Analytics plugins, such as MonsterInsights, are easy to use and will show you the needed stats in your WordPress dashboard itself.
You can also use a WordPress performance optimization service to increase your site speed. It can lower your bounce rate, create a seamless user experience, and increase your traffic and leads, which will result in higher conversions.
5. Not updating WordPress
Even veteran WordPress users make the mistake of not installing updates on their site.
If you find this “Update Now” button on your WordPress dashboard, you know it’s time to update your site.
There is a misconception that updating WordPress will cause errors and break the site. That is far from the truth. You can safely update the CMS without breaking your site.
In fact, when you don’t update WordPress, you are leaving the door open for invaders to attack your site while using outdated software. If you look at the statistics, 44% of hacking can be attributed to outdated WordPress sites alone.
It’s not only WordPress that needs to be updated. You will also need to update your themes and plugins regularly.
6. Using posts instead of pages or vice versa
Many new website owners don’t know the functionality of posts and pages. When creating content, many beginners use posts to create crucial pages.
The posts and pages behave differently when it comes to website architecture.
If you fail to differentiate them from the start, things will get confusing for you later on. You can use pages to create content that doesn’t need to be changed frequently, such as the Contact page, About us page, Pricing, Privacy policy, and Services.
Conversely, posts can be used for creating content like articles, blogs, and news updates.
Knowing when to use a page or a post is essential for SEO purposes.
7. Keeping site public while designing
If you make your website available for public access when you are building it, visitors will view you as unprofessional and hurt the site’s reputation. Still, many WordPress users make this mistake.
Also, Google will crawl and index your site even if it is under construction if you keep your website live. You should avoid this and keep your WordPress site in maintenance mode while building it.
Wrap-up
There you have it! Seven common mistakes that WordPress users make. Though WordPress is user-friendly and a great CMS to use, you can also easily make mistakes while using it.
Avoid the common mistakes mentioned in this article at all costs while building and managing your WordPress business website. You can use this guide before you start building your WordPress site and refer back to it to make sure that you are avoiding these errors.
