What to do first after installing WordPress?
After installing WordPress, there are several important steps you should take to set up your site properly. Here are some key actions to consider:
- Familiarize Yourself with the Dashboard: Take a tour of the WordPress dashboard to understand where everything is located.
- Change Site Title, Tagline, and Time zone: Go to Settings > General to update these basic settings.
- Set Up Permalinks: Configure your permalink structure under Settings > Permalinks to make your URLs SEO-friendly.
- Install a Theme: Choose and install a theme that suits your website’s purpose. You can find themes under Appearance > Themes.
- Install Essential Plugins: Some must-have plugins include:
- SEO Plugin (e.g., Yoast SEO or All in One SEO)
- Google Analytics (e.g., Monster Insights)
- Caching Plugin (e.g., WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache)
- Security Plugin (e.g., Word fence)
- Backup Plugin (e.g., Updraft Plus)
- Create Essential Pages: Set up important pages like About, Contact, Privacy Policy, and any other pages relevant to your site.
- Set Up a Contact Form: Use a plugin like WPForms to add a contact form to your site.
- Optimize for SEO: Configure your SEO settings and submit your site to Google Search Console.
- Configure Comments Settings: Adjust your discussion settings to manage how comments are handled on your site.
- Delete Default Content: Remove the default posts, pages, and comments that come with the WordPress installation.