WordPress is a powerful platform for building websites. It’s also one of the most popular CMS platforms out there. WordPress has been around since 2003, yet it continues to innovate and improve. In this blog post I’ll be going over 20 WordPress tips and tricks that will help take your site to the next level!
Tip #01: Use a WordPress Theme that is Optimized for Speed
One of the best ways to speed up your WordPress site is by using a theme that is optimized for speed. There are many great themes out there that are designed with speed in mind, and companies (like ours) that create custom themes so be sure to do your research before you choose one.
Tip #02: Use a Cache Plugin
Another great way to speed up your WordPress site is by using a cache plugin. A cache plugin will store a copy of your website’s static files (such as CSS and JavaScript files) on the user’s computer, which will then be served to them instead of having to generate those files each time they visit your site. This can result in a significant decrease in page load time.
Tip #03: Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A content delivery network, or CDN, is a service that hosts copies of your website’s static files on multiple servers around the world. This will help ensure that your site loads quickly no matter where the user is located.
Tip #04: Minimize the Use of Plugins
While plugins are a great way to add extra functionality to your WordPress site, using too many of them can slow it down. Try to only use plugins that are absolutely necessary, and remove any that you don’t use regularly.
Tip #05: Optimize Your Images
If you’re not optimizing your images before uploading them to your WordPress site, you’re doing it wrong. Optimizing your images can significantly reduce the size of your files, which will in turn improve page load times. There are many ways to optimize images, but my favorite is by using a plugin called WP Smush.
Tip #06: Use a Good Hosting Provider
A good hosting provider is essential for a fast and reliable WordPress site. I recommend using a host that specializes in WordPress hosting, such as our cloud hosting offerings.
Tip #07: Use a Performance Monitoring Tool
A performance monitoring tool is a great way to keep an eye on your WordPress site’s performance and identify any areas that need improvement.
Tip #08: Enable Gzip Compression
Gzip compression is a technique that can be used to reduce the size of files sent to the user’s browser. Enabling Gzip compression can significantly improve page load times.
Tip #09: Use a Lazy Loading Plugin
Lazy loading is a technique that delays the loading of images and other assets until they are needed. This can help improve page load times by avoiding the need to load all of your site’s assets at once.
Tip #10: Add an Expires Header
An expires header is a response header that tells the user’s browser how long to store a copy of the file. This can be used to improve page load times by preventing the need for the browser to download files that it has already cached.
Tip #11: Minimize DNS Lookups
DNS lookups are when the browser has to lookup the IP address of a domain name. By minimizing the number of DNS lookups, you can improve page load times.
Tip #12: Optimize Your Homepage
Your homepage is one of the most important pages on your site, so it’s important to make sure that it’s optimized for speed. Try to keep the number of assets on your homepage to a minimum, and use a caching plugin to store a copy of it on the user’s computer.
Tip #13: Optimize Your Database
Over time, your WordPress database will grow in size as you add more and more content to your site. This can slow down your site significantly. To optimize your database, use a plugin like WP-Optimize to remove unnecessary data and defragment the tables.
Tip #14: Disable Unused Plugins and Themes
If you’re not using a plugin or theme, disable it. This will free up resources and improve page load times.
Tip #16: Enable Compression
Compression is a technique that can be used to reduce the size of files sent to the user. Enabling compression can significantly improve page load times.
Tip #17: Secure Your Site with SSL
SSL is a security protocol that helps protect your site from hackers. By enabling SSL, you can help keep your site safe and secure.
Tip #18: Malware Scanning
Malware scanning is the process of scanning your site for malware and removing it if found. By using a malware scanner, you can help protect your site from hackers and keep it safe and secure.
Tip #19: Take Daily Backups
It’s important to take backups of your WordPress site on a regular basis. This will help you protect your data in the event of a disaster.
Tip #20: Limit Administrator Access
It’s a good idea to limit administrator access to only those who need it. This will help protect your site from hackers.
Update from October 2022:
2022 is almost over! We felt it necessary to share some additional key tips and tricks that will help your WordPress site stand out in the new year of 2023. Whether you’re looking to improve your website design, streamline content creation processes, or increase user engagement, these additional 10 tips and tricks will surely help you achieve your goals.
1. Invest in good web design. Your website says a lot about your brand, so it’s important to make sure that it looks professional and is easy to navigate. Consider working with a web designer who has experience with WordPress to create a clean, streamlined website that reflects your brand’s style and goals.
2. Optimize your site for search engines. Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential if you want your site to rank well in search results and attract more visitors. Pay attention to things like metadata, page titles, image descriptions, word count, and other factors that can impact your site’s search engine rankings.
3. Create engaging content. Content is arguably the most important factor when it comes to building a successful website in 2022. To keep visitors coming back again and again, invest time into creating high-quality blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, and other content that your audience will find useful and engaging.
4. Use social media to connect with your audience. Social media is a powerful tool for building relationships with potential customers and increasing brand awareness, so make sure that you include social sharing buttons on your website and share relevant content on your own pages. You can also consider running paid advertising campaigns on popular platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reach a wider audience.
5. Incorporate user-friendly features. Think about the different ways that you can make your website more enjoyable for visitors, whether it’s through interactive elements like polls and surveys or sleek designs like scrolling animations that draw users’ attention. By adding these types of engaging features to your site, you can help keep visitors coming back for more.
6. Pay attention to analytics and metrics. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) like page views, bounce rates, and time on site can help you identify what’s working on your website and where you might need to make improvements in the future. Make it a point to regularly check your analytics to see how your site is performing and what changes you can make to boost engagement.
7. Collaborate with other professionals. Whether you’re working with a web designer, developer, marketing agency, or another professional, it’s important to build strong relationships with the people that you work with. By collaborating closely with your team and keeping communication channels open, you can ensure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals for your website.
8. Be proactive about security. As more websites are being targeted by hackers and cybercriminals in 2022, it’s crucial to make sure that your site is protected from vulnerabilities and threats from the get-go. Work with a security expert to ensure that you have the right tools and systems in place to protect your site from potential threats, whether it’s regular backups, anti-virus software, or other measures.
9. Offer customer support. Whether it’s through an FAQ page or live chat on your website, make sure that you’re providing your visitors with the help they need when they have questions or run into issues. By offering reliable customer support and resolving problems in a timely manner, you can build trust with your audience and keep them coming back for more.
10. Stay up-to-date on WordPress trends. The WordPress landscape is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with the latest trends in website design, development, and marketing. Whether you’re reading industry blogs or attending webinars on a regular basis, make sure that you’re staying informed about what’s new in WordPress so you can stay competitive in 2022.
That’s all for now! I’ll be back soon with more WordPress tips and tricks. In the meantime, be sure to check out our other blog posts on WordPress optimization and security. Thanks for reading!
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