Easy Blogging

This is a part 2 of the 22 important steps to optimize your WordPress blog. series. To find out more about part 1, click the link above.

12. Use Unique Admin Username
For your own security, it is advisable to change the default ‘admin’ username and use your own personalized one to avoid hackers login to your site just easily.

13. Use Essential & SEO Optimise Plugins
Plugins enhance the features of your WordPress website, so choose the plugins that helps you customizes your blog and optimizes your SEO such as All-in-One-SEO-Pack.

14. Create Custom 404 Page (Advance Users)
A 404 page is what will appear whenever a non-existing page is being search in your blog. Instead of the default “404 error-page not found” you can customized it and create a link that will lead back to your homepage.  From your wp-admin go to Appearance>Editor, click on 404.php and edit.

15. Decide Want To Use Comment Function Or Not
Comment function allows your readers to comment on your blog and reply to them. It creates a certain bond towards you and your visitors so it helps when you have it, though the choice is yours.

16. Remove Test Post & Comment
To start blogging, you need to remove or edit the default test post that says “Hello World! Welcome to WordPress…” and replace your own posts.

17. Re-format Sidebar Content
Personalize your sidebar content by changing it according to your needs and preference. You can make widgets to appear your categories, latest posts, and everything you like, even advertisements.

18. Remove Blogroll Links
Remove your blogroll list or try to keep it as short as possible to give way to other more important links on your post and pages.

19. Use Gravatar
Gravatar ( Globally Recognized Avatars) is the image that makes a visual representation of you in replacement of your picture. It becomes your virtual identity card and appears beside your name every time you make comments on other blogs.

20. Setup Anti-spam
Spammers are everywhere in the web. To protect yourself and your WordPress website, it is a must that you install an anti-spam protection. Most common and one of the best anti-spams is the Akismet and it comes with the package. All you need to do is activate it with WordPress API key.

21. Change Blog Display
A blog is not a blog without contents. Therefore it is necessary to write blogs now and then to keep your readers coming back to your website to learn something new. It also keeps your website fresh and updated. Don’t create a website and just let it lie. Posting new blogs will boost your SEO optimization.

22. Add Categories
Categorizing your posts allows your readers to easily find what they are looking by merely looking at the specific category. It helps you organize your website and avoid clatter that your visitor may find annoying and leaves your site faster than you think.