WordPress is a highly flexible platform that offers many customization options to create the website or blog you need quickly and easily.

Because it is an open source platform that offers plugins, themes, and constant development, there is a lot tips, tricks, and advice out there, and not all of it is useful.

WordPress has simplified the task of having a website built for business. It is easy to update and maintain, which is a great advantage for many webmasters. Here are some quick tips that will be helpful in running your WordPress website.

1. Choose quality web hosting

Having a suitable hosting service is the equivalent of building with quality materials and a solid foundation. If poor quality building materials are used, the building will suffer and perhaps collapse.

The same applies to a Web page. If you are using poor Web hosting or are on a server without proper support, your website will suffer. When choosing a hosting service, make a list of the requirements you need (memory, bandwidth, email, etc.) and what hosting would give you optimal performance.

If you need more resources as your website grows, most hosting providers offer VPS hosting or dedicated servers. Sometime when you try to save money, you may end up paying more in the end. Finding a good Web host is not where you want to skimp on cost. The right Web host will set you up for success each time.

2. Install only the plugins you need

The fewer plugins, the better. Do not just install plugins for the sake of it. It is possible that some plugins may come with the WordPress installation. However, you should delete every plugin that is not serving a specific purpose. Having many plugins installed may slow down page’s loading speed, and users not be patient.

No matter how many plugins you install, what matters is the quality. Inactive or unused plugins can give hackers an easy way to attack your website.

Always use plugins with the highest possible quality. This is an important tip to all WordPress users. This will help keep you and your site safe.

3. Protect your website from SPAM

SPAM found in blog comments is something that happens every day. If nothing is done, your inbox and comment section will be quickly invaded by junk and unwanted comments. SPAM will only annoy your users, and they won’t bother coming back.

To avoid this, install the Akismet plugin to eliminate and combat SPAM. It is an excellent plugin that comes pre-installed with some hosting providers like HostGator. It is also easy to configure and use.

4. Use an extra layer of security

You can prevent hackers from trying to gain access to your WordPress website by adding an extra layer of security when logging in to your account. This is especially true if you have multiple registered users who log on to your site regularly.

When you install the plugin, it will help you to restrict access to your website. While you may not be able to always hold off hackers, it helps to not take unnecessary risks when it’s so easy to protect yourself.

5. Protects files from your Dashboard

To ensure that no one has access to your dashboard you can add this simple code to the .htaccess file:

• order deny, allow
• Deny from all
• Allow from xx.xxx.xxx.xxx (changes the exes to your IP Address)

Your WordPress security should not be taken with lightly, especially if your business is operating through it.

6. Disqus comments

Although WordPress offers a very good feedback system, a more advanced and social way to interact with your readers is to install Disqus, a plugin to add comments, sync with social networks, and improve discussions within blog posts. It is easy to set up and within minutes you can be getting the first comment on your entries.

It also offers a promotion system so that your content is promoted on other blogs where Disqus has been installed.

7. Use shortcodes

Shortcodes are small codes that are written in brackets [like this] to change the way your WordPress site looks.

Depending on the theme that you use, you can access different shortcodes. Check which ones you should use in the WordPress editor!

To add more shortcodes, install the plugin called Shortcodes Ultimate. It offers over 30 different shortcodes that will improve the appearance and readability of your site.

8. Use a responsive theme

Most of web traffic these days is from mobile devices. If your website or blog is not mobile responsive, you are leaving a lot of money on the table. It is essential to optimize navigation for users on phones or tablets that run on Android or iOs

Responsive design refers sites that automatically adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. Most providers now offer automatic responsive design for an added cost, and you should take them up on that offer.

9. SEO Optimization

SEO is one of the main ways to generate traffic to your WordPress blog or site. We can divide the SEO into two main parts:

• On-page SEO (Internal Search Engine Optimization)
• Off-page SEO (External SEO: links and authority)

Posting quality content and getting links is the most important part of SEO, but it is also crucial to have your WordPress site optimized. You cannot get the attention of search engines if your website is not optimized. Search engine traffic is free, but getting search engines to crawl your websites regularly takes effort.

10. Automate your social networks with Buffer

Publishing on social networks is one of the best ways to generate traffic and increase your presence on the web. However, trying to do this alone will take a lot of time, and there is a possibility that you just wind up distracted by being on those major social networks. To save time and to be more effective, a great option is to automate your social sharing. You can schedule posts on Facebook and Twitter.

A very good tool for doing this is Bufferapp. It will also give you analytics and feedback to optimize your social networking strategy.

11. Use a popup to capture more subscribers

Email marketing is one of the best strategies to generate traffic, presence, and authority in any niche. To make the most of your email marketing, an autoresponder is needed. This is software that allows you to capture email addresses of your readers and clients, send messages, and manage the various lists that are available. The most common autoresponders include Aweber and Mailchimp.

If you want to get more subscribers with WordPress, use a plugin that displays a pop-up to subscribe. The pop-up will help you to develop a client list much faster.

There are different plugins you can use to put different types of pop-ups on your WordPress blog or site. SumoMe is one of the best tools out there, and the free version has a lot of features. You can also use it to put social sharing buttons on the different side of your blog.

12. Google Webmaster and Analytics

Optimization and page ranking are something that every Webmaster and WordPress user should keep in mind. If the performance of a blog or website is not known, it is impossible to know how much progress is being made.

To measure and optimize your site, Google offers two tools with many functions:

• Google Analytics
• Google Webmaster Tools

Google Analytics tells you many visitors you have, where they come from, how long they stay on the site, what devices they use, and much more. All this information helps you to measure your site performance and users’ behavior.

With Google Webmaster Tools, you can follow up on the current status of your site concerning security and indexing. You’ll also know which keywords you are positioned with, which is a great way to improve your SEO strategy.

Conclusion

It is true that WordPress is one of the most used open source Content Management System. But you have to use these tips to make the most out of your WordPress website. Since it is popular, it is more open to attacks and vulnerability. With these quick tips, you can use your WordPress website to maximize profits and have greater stability.