WordPress has become a popular tool for creating websites due to its simplicity. However, taking a deeper look at WordPress, especially for beginners, may seem rather confusing. In this post, we will cover the basics that will make it easier to create your new website.
WordPress.com WordPress.org
Many people do not know how to make the right decision. First of all, answer whether you want to start a personal blog or a standard website.
Have you opted for a blog? In that case, I recommend WordPress.com. It’s free, but you’ll have to pay for a domain. The biggest advantage is that this platform is located on an external server. What does this mean for you? WordPress will simply take care of the web hosting and maintenance of the site. However, themes on WordPress.com are not as flexible. They are designed so that they cannot be interfered with very much. So think twice.
Do you want an e-shop or a standard website? The choice is clear. Head to WordPress.org. It provides more flexibility.
Read more about the differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org in Post 5 Differences between WordPress.com & WordPress.org .
2. Do not use “admin” as the username
During the first installation, WordPress prompts you to set the administrator name and password. Save time by making a more complicated change in the database and set your name and password right from the start. At the same time, you will secure your site against hacker attacks. If you keep the name “admin”, hackers only need to try a number of different passwords, until it happens that one thing is right. Also, do not use anything that has anything to do with the site name as the admin name. The Password Generator will help you generate a secure password.
3.Allocate only the appropriate permissions to users
If multiple users have access to your site, make sure that each user gets access only where necessary. This will reduce the chance that hackers will come to your site or that someone will make a mistake with negative consequences.
4. Set your permalines
This setting should not be underestimated.
Permalink is the way you name lines, especially for www.mysite.com/permalinks
You set them as follows:
dashboard → settings → permalinks / permalinks
Permalink can take three forms:
• random numbers
• date + title of the article / post / contribution
• title of the article / post / contribution
I personally recommend using the third option. It is the shortest and also contains important information about SEO. You can also edit the permals and insert your own text in them. Just click on the part you want to edit. But remember that you should not change the permalines. Once a link is active on a site or social network, if you change it, it won’t work and you may lose traffic.
5. The difference between pages and posts
WordPress uses two ways to categorize content. Pages and Posts. Each of them has its own section in the main panel. So what’s the main difference? The post is the total content part of the page. The pages are the main sections (“about us”, “contact”, …). They are often marked as static because they do not change much. Conversely, blog posts change more frequently and also have a shorter lifespan.
6. Add a basic “menu” to the page
Simply add any links, topics, offers.
Pages → post categories → custom links / hocikam do menu.
You can also create or edit menus via the bulletin board.
Appearance → Menu
From the menu you can edit, select, categorize all pages. You can also create menu / sub-menus subcategories. (Drag the menu item slightly to the top right. Gray boxes will appear telling you if you are still in the menu or have already created another level).
7. Blog and homepage settings
Some have a blog set as their homepage, others want to give each site a specific placement. How to do it?
Board / dashboard → settings → Reading
From here you will see both Front Page (can be Home Page) and Post Page (can be Blog). From the drop-down list, you can assign one of the pages you have chosen, either as a homepage or a blogpage. However, make sure that the site does have one of these features.
These 7 simple tips will help you clarify the basic settings on your WordPress site. These are all things that may seem trivial, but should not be underestimated. You may feel a little lost at first, but it only takes time.
Do you still know some basic settings that people don’t pay that much attention to and are important? 🙂
