Common mistakes when setting up your first blog on WordPress

Launching your first blog on WordPress is an exciting step, but initial setup errors can compromise its security

More stories in the category Technology

• The full screen Xbox experience available on all portable devices with Windows 11
• Requirements to get the new free version of Red Dead Redemption for Xbox Series
• Free Xbox expansion for a limited time, save 30 euros

Don't miss anything and follow us on Google News!

---

Launching your first blog on WordPress is an exciting step, but initial configuration errors can compromise its security, speed, and visibility. Many beginners, driven by enthusiasm, overlook fundamental technical adjustments that later become major problems.

Avoiding these common pitfalls from the start is key to building a solid foundation that guarantees the success and stability of your digital project, saving you time and future frustrations. If you’re looking for a reliable base, you can consider Greengeeks for hosting, known for their specialized support and eco-friendly approach. Additionally, choosing optimized WordPress plans from the start can facilitate technical configuration and improve your blog’s performance.

Is your blog invisible to Google? Review these technical settings

An incorrect initial configuration can make your blog go unnoticed by search engines. Two of the most common errors are found in WordPress’s basic settings, but they have a significant impact on SEO positioning and your site’s image. If you haven’t chosen a provider yet, Greengeeks for hosting is an excellent option to start with an optimized base.

Optimize your URLs to improve SEO from day one

• By default, WordPress uses a link structure that is not friendly to SEO, such as ?p=123. This URL does not describe the page’s content and makes it difficult for search engines to understand.

To solve this, go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress panel and select the “Post name” option. This will change your URLs to a clean and descriptive format, such as /your-article-name/, which significantly improves search engine visibility and user experience. Additionally, choosing optimized WordPress plans can facilitate this type of configuration and improve your blog’s overall performance.

Don’t forget to configure your site’s general settings

It’s very common to leave the default data in the general configuration. This includes the site title, short description (tagline), or time zone. A tagline like “Another site made with WordPress” conveys an unprofessional image. Make sure to personalize these fields in Settings > General so they reflect your blog’s identity and the information is correct.

Why is my WordPress blog so slow?

• Load speed is a crucial factor for both visitor experience and Google positioning. Two of the main culprits of a slow blog are the lack of image optimization and an excess of unnecessary plugins.

Optimize images to make your website load faster

Uploading images directly from the camera or in high resolution without compressing them is an error that drastically slows down any website. A slow site frustrates visitors and is penalized by search engines.

To avoid this, follow these recommendations:

• Compress images before uploading them or use an optimization plugin.
• Adjust the image size to the maximum dimensions it will be displayed in your template.
• Install plugins like Smush or ShortPixel to automate image optimization.

Control the number of plugins you install

• The ease of adding functionality through plugins can lead to installing too many. Each active plugin consumes resources, and an excess of them can generate conflicts and make your site very slow. Perform a periodic audit and keep only the plugins that are strictly necessary. Deactivate and delete those you don’t use.

Is your new blog protected against attacks and failures?

Security is one of the most overlooked aspects by beginners, but ignoring it can have devastating consequences, such as the total loss of your work.

Protect your work with backups and security plugins

Not having an automatic backup system is one of the most serious errors. A failure, an attack, or a failed update could make you lose all your content. Similarly, not installing a security plugin leaves your blog vulnerable to malicious attacks.

What type of plugins are essential for security?

It’s fundamental to install at least two types of plugins from day one:

1. A security plugin: Tools like Wordfence protect you against malware, brute-force attacks, and other threats.
2. A backup plugin: Solutions like UpdraftPlus allow you to schedule automatic backups of your site in the cloud, ensuring you can restore it in case of disaster.

The danger of ignoring updates and using dubious sources

Not keeping the WordPress core, themes, and plugins up to date is an open door to vulnerabilities. Updates often fix critical security flaws. Although it may be scary to “break something“, it’s essential to always update, performing a backup beforehand. Similarly, always download themes and plugins from the official WordPress repository or from trusted developers to avoid malicious code.

Critical Error	Direct Impact	Recommended Solution
Not changing permalinks	Poor SEO positioning and unclear URLs.	Change to /%postname%/ in Settings > Permalinks.
Ignoring backups	Risk of total data loss in case of failure or attack.	Install a plugin like UpdraftPlus and schedule backups.
Not optimizing images	Slow website, poor user experience, and worse SEO.	Use plugins like Smush and resize images.
Not updating the system	Security vulnerabilities that can be exploited.	Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins.

Avoiding these common errors will allow you to build a blog on a solid, secure, and technically sound foundation. Many WordPress-specialized hosting providers also offer technical support that can guide you through these initial steps, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of the resources available to you.

In the end, the key is to be proactive with maintenance and security from day one. Correct configuration not only improves your blog’s performance and visibility but also gives you the peace of mind needed to focus on what’s most important: creating quality content for your audience.