Wordpress Tips to Help Beginners
1) When starting out, start out simple. Use Wordpress.com if you don’t know anything about managing a website. This will allow you to migrate to a Wordpress hosted site, with its associated presentation flexibility, when you are ready. If you want to install your own copy on your own host, get a copy of Wordpress and follow the instructions on the Wordpress.org site. I have tried out several hosting sites, my blog is currently hosted on Hostgator.
2) If you’ve installed Wordpress on your own host server, the first think you will want to do is turn on Aksimet. Go to Wordpress.com to get your API Key which is needed to activate Akismet from your Wordpress administration panel. You will need it to activate Wordpress. You don’t actually have to create a Wordpress.com blog, you just need the API Key.
3) Forget about ads while you are trying to create traffic. You’re going to make very little money no matter what, unless you have a very large readership to begin with, and ads may turn off visitors. If you want to eventually place ads on your blog, choose a theme that leaves space at the top or on one of the sidebars for Adsense ads. I have found that it is better to put the ads in the right hand sidebar if you are interested in better search engine optimization (SEO). It is better to put them at the top and the left hand sidebar, if you are looking for better clickthru and ad revenue.
4) Learn how to use Google’s Webmaster tools, and make sure to activate Google’s SiteMap tool. There are instructions on how to do this on the site. If you are using Wordpress, you can use the sitemaptool“>Wordpress Sitemap Generator to automatically generate a sitemap and ping (notify) Google whenever your blog is updated. This plugin and Akismet are probably the two must have plugins for Wordpress.
5) While we are on the subject of plugins, many plugins are not well crafted or maintained, so stick with the more popular plugins that are listed on the Wordpress.org site. Many of the plugins create new columns in the database table and update these columns. These type of plugins may pose security problems if they are not coded correctly. My blog was hacked and my database deleted two weeks after my first install. In order to help prevent new intrusioins, I changed the name of my database and became much more careful of which plugins I use. So make sure that these plugins are well tested and you have validated them. Ask about any plugins you are unsure of on any of the Wordpress forums on the Internet.
6) Remember to backup your database every time you post new blogs. You can do this from your Cpanel if you are managing your own hosting facilities or you can use the Wordpress Backup Plugin that is installed when you initially install Wordpress. Backup your Wordpress directories whenever you make changes to the theme or core PHP scripts. Make sure you understand your web host’s backup/recovery procedures, just in case you ever need to use them.
7) Wordpress themes are easy to install and switch from one another, but very often themes do not behave well, especially with plugins. Test all new themes before you go live and be ready to go back to your original theme if necessary. If you run into problems after installing a new theme, the first thing you should do is turn off all plugins and switch back to the default theme. If the blog is still not working, then you may have to re-install. If it is working, then switch to the theme you would like to use and see if the blog is still working. If it is working, activate the plugins one-by-one until you find the offending plugin.
8 ) If you run into any problems or questions, chances are they have already been answered on the Wordpress Support Forum. Do a search on the appropriate forum before asking the question again.
9) Sign up and learn to use Google Analytics. It is your best friend when it comes to understanding your visitor. Pay particular attention to which blogs attract greater page views and visitation time. Check to see how visitors are finding your site. Don’t be too concerned about high bounce rates. Visitors quite often move on very quickly. Overtime, better content will help to keep visitors on your site longer.
10) Sign up for Feedburner. This makes it easy for Feedburner users add your feed to their favorite newsreader, and also, by using the Feedburner statistics, allows you to watch how users are reacting to different blog posts. Use the Wordpress Feedburner plugin. It is a good way to keep in touch with regular visitors.
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Der Sir
Your post is the most earnest advice for newbies
i have had the good fortune of reading.Whoever adheres to them
will succeed in setting up of blog in any platform,but mostly in word press.
Most write ups like yours focus on telling newbies about moneytising their
web sites and blogs.On the contrary you are an advocate op laying a proper foundation like the deployment of spam checking, data back up and other
fundamental plug inns,followed by working on establishing a following.Only then will the money come.
Thank you very much.Right now i am working on setting up a domain name.
I can feel your spirit and can trust your jugement in these matters.So, if you do not mind i will keep in touch.I believe that some day i should be able to return
return your kindness.
My kindest Regards,
scar.