First Things To Do After Installing WordPress: Basic Setup, Plugins, Theme, Pages, Navigation, And Settings

Are you new to WordPress? Follow these simple steps to set up your website, install essential , customize your , create essential pages, configure your navigation menu and , and secure your site with backup and SEO plugins.

Basic Setup

Congratulations on setting up your new website! Now it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of configuring it for optimal performance. In this section, we’ll cover the essential steps you need to take to get your website up and running.

Setting Permalinks

Permalinks are the permanent URLs for your website’s pages and posts. They are important because they help search engines and visitors to understand the structure of your website. By default, WordPress uses a permalink structure that isn’t very user-friendly, so it’s essential to configure them correctly.

To set your permalinks, go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can choose from a variety of permalink structures or create a custom one. We recommend using the “Post Name” option, which is the most search engine-friendly and easiest to read for visitors.

Setting Up Email

Setting up email is an essential step for any website owner. It’s important to use a professional email address that matches your domain name. This will make your website look more credible and trustworthy to visitors.

To set up email, you’ll need to purchase a domain name and hosting package that includes email. Once you have these, you can create an email account through your hosting provider or use a third-party email service like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365.

Cleaning Up Default Content

When you first install WordPress, it comes with some default content that you’ll want to remove or update. This includes the “Hello World” post and the “Sample Page” that are automatically created.

To clean up your default content, go to Posts > All Posts and delete the “Hello World” post. Then, go to Pages > All Pages and delete the “Sample Page”. You can also create new pages and posts to replace them with your own content.

It’s important to clean up your default content because it can affect your website’s search engine rankings. Google prefers websites with unique and high-quality content, so make sure to remove any default content that doesn’t add value to your website.

That’s it for the basic setup of your website. In the next section, we’ll cover how to install essential plugins to enhance your website’s functionality and security.

*Note: The “Custom Structure” option allows you to create your own permalink structure using variables like %category%, %postname%, and %author%.

Install Essential Plugins

Installing essential is a crucial task when setting up your website. Plugins are software components that add specific features and functionality to your website. They can help you improve the security, search engine optimization (SEO), and backup of your website. In this section, we will discuss the three most important types of plugins you should install on your website: security plugins, SEO plugins, and backup plugins.

Security Plugins

Security plugins are essential for protecting your website from malicious attacks, such as hacking attempts or malware infections. These can monitor your website for any suspicious activity and help you prevent potential security breaches. Here are some of the best security plugins you can install on your website:

Wordfence Security: Wordfence Security is a popular security plugin that can help you protect your website from various threats. It features a firewall that can block malicious traffic, a malware scanner that can detect any infections, and login that can prevent brute force attacks.
Sucuri Security: Sucuri Security is another powerful security plugin that can protect your website from various types of attacks. It features a website firewall that can block malicious traffic, a malware scanner that can detect any infections, and a security activity audit that can monitor any suspicious activity.
iThemes Security: iThemes Security is a comprehensive security plugin that can help you secure your website in multiple ways. It features a malware scanner, a brute force protection system, and a two-factor authentication system that can add an extra layer of to your website.

SEO Plugins

SEO plugins can help you improve the visibility of your website on search engines like Google. These can analyze your website’s content and structure, and provide you with recommendations on how to optimize it for search engines. Here are some of the best SEO plugins you can install on your website:

Yoast SEO: Yoast SEO is a popular SEO plugin that can help you optimize your website for search engines. It features a content analysis tool that can analyze your content and provide you with recommendations on how to improve it. It also features a meta description and title editor that can help you optimize your website’s meta tags.
All in One SEO Pack: All in One SEO Pack is another powerful SEO plugin that can help you optimize your website for search engines. It features an XML sitemap generator, a meta tag editor, and a social media integration tool that can help you improve your website’s visibility on social media.
Rank Math: Rank Math is a newer SEO plugin that has gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface and advanced features. It can help you optimize your website’s content, structure, and meta tags for search engines. It also features a schema markup tool that can help you improve your website’s visibility in search results.

Backup Plugins

Backup can help you protect your website from data loss due to various reasons, such as server crashes, malware infections, or accidental deletion. These plugins can automatically backup your website’s data and store it in a secure location. Here are some of the best backup plugins you can install on your website:

UpdraftPlus: UpdraftPlus is a popular backup plugin that can help you backup your website’s data to various cloud storage services, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3. It features a scheduling system that can automatically your website’s data at regular intervals.
BackupBuddy: BackupBuddy is a comprehensive backup plugin that can help you backup your website’s data to various locations, such as local storage, cloud storage, or email. It features a migration tool that can help you move your website to a new server or domain.
Jetpack Backup: Jetpack Backup is a backup plugin that is included in the Jetpack plugin suite. It can help you backup your website’s data to the cloud and restore it in case of data loss. It also features a security scanning tool that can monitor your website for any security threats.

Customize Theme

When it comes to customizing your website, choosing the right theme is crucial. Your theme will determine the overall look and feel of your site, and can even impact its functionality. There are a few things to consider when choosing a theme for your website.

Choosing a Theme

First and foremost, you want to make sure that the theme you choose is responsive. This means that it will look great and function properly on all devices, from desktop computers to smartphones. A responsive will ensure that your website is accessible to as many people as possible, which is important for both user experience and SEO.

Another factor to consider is the overall design of the . You want to choose a theme that aligns with your brand and the message you want to convey. If you’re a photographer, for example, you may want to choose a theme with a large, visually striking homepage that showcases your work. On the other hand, if you’re running a blog, you may want to choose a theme with a clean, minimalist design that puts the focus on your content.

There are many places where you can find WordPress themes, including the official WordPress Theme Directory, ThemeForest, and Elegant Themes. Take some time to browse through different themes and read reviews from other users to get a sense of what each theme has to offer.

Customizing Header and Footer

Once you’ve chosen a theme, the next step is to customize it to fit your needs. One of the first things you’ll want to customize is the header and . Your is the top section of your website, which typically includes your logo, menu, and maybe a call to action. Your footer, on the other hand, is the bottom section of your website, which can include things like your contact information, social media links, and copyright information.

To customize your header and , you’ll need to navigate to your ‘s . Depending on the theme you’ve chosen, this may be located in different places. Look for a section called “Customize” or “Theme Options.”

Once you’ve found the settings, you can start making changes to your and footer. You may be able to upload a logo and adjust the menu items in your , as well as add widgets to your footer. Some themes may also allow you to change the background color or add a background image to your header or footer.

Adding Widgets

Widgets are small, self-contained blocks of content that can be added to different areas of your website, such as your sidebar or . They’re a great way to add extra functionality to your site without having to write any code.

To add a widget, go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to “Appearance” > “Widgets.” From there, you can drag and drop different widgets into the areas where you want them to appear on your site.

There are many different to choose from, depending on the theme you’re using and the functionality you want to add to your site. Some popular widgets include:

Social media icons: This widget will add icons that link to your social media profiles.
Recent posts: This widget will display a list of your most recent blog posts.
Search bar: This widget will add a search bar to your site, allowing visitors to search for specific content.
Categories: This widget will display a list of the categories on your site, making it easy for visitors to navigate your content.

Create Essential Pages

As you embark on the journey of building your website, there are some essential pages that you need to create. These pages not only provide important information to your visitors but also help establish your online presence. In this section, we will discuss the three most important pages that you should create – About Us, Contact Us, and Privacy Policy.

About Us

The About Us page is where you can tell your visitors who you are and what your website is all about. This page is an opportunity to create a connection with your audience and show them the personality behind your brand. Here are some key elements that you should include in your About Us page:

Introduction: Start with a brief introduction of yourself or your company. This can be a few sentences or a short paragraph.
Vision and Mission: Explain your website’s vision and mission. What inspired you to start this website, and what are your goals?
Team Members: Introduce your team members, if you have any. This is a great way to humanize your brand and show the people behind the scenes.
Achievements: Highlight any achievements or awards that your website has received. This can help establish your credibility and expertise.
Call to Action: End your About Us page with a call to action. This can be an invitation to sign up for your newsletter, follow you on social media, or contact you for more information.

Contact Us

The Contact Us page is where your visitors can reach out to you with any questions or feedback. It is important to make it easy for your visitors to contact you, as this can help improve their experience on your website. Here are some key elements that you should include in your Contact Us page:

Contact Form: Include a contact form that your visitors can fill out to get in touch with you. This form should include fields for their name, email address, and message.
Email Address: If you prefer to receive emails directly, include your email address on your Contact Us page.
Phone Number: If you have a business phone number, include it on your Contact Us page.
Address: If you have a physical location, include your address on your Contact Us page. This can help visitors find you if they want to visit you in person.
Social Media: Include links to your social media profiles, so visitors can connect with you on other platforms.

Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy page is where you can inform your visitors about how you collect, use, and protect their personal information. This page is required by law in many jurisdictions, so it is important to include one on your website. Here are some key elements that you should include in your Privacy Policy page:

Personal Information: Explain what personal information you collect from your visitors. This can include their name, email address, phone number, and any other information that you collect.
Use of Information: Explain how you use the personal information that you collect. Do you use it to improve your website, send newsletters, or market your products and services?
Cookies: Explain what cookies you use on your website and how they are used.
Third-Party Services: If you use any third-party services on your website, such as Google Analytics, explain how they collect and use personal information.
Data Protection: Explain how you protect the personal information that you collect. Do you use encryption or other security measures to protect your visitors’ data?
Contact Information: Include your contact information so visitors can reach out to you with any questions or concerns about their personal information.

Create Navigation Menu

Creating a navigation menu is an essential part of building a website. It allows users to easily navigate through the pages of your website, making it a crucial element for providing a good user experience. In this section, we will discuss the different aspects of creating a navigation menu, including adding to the menu, creating dropdown menus, and customizing the menu appearance.

Adding Pages to Menu

To add pages to your navigation menu, you need to first create the pages that you want to add. Once you have created the pages, follow these steps:

Go to Appearance > Menus in your WordPress dashboard.
Select the menu that you want to edit or create a new one.
Click on the “Pages” tab to view a list of all the pages on your website.
Check the box next to the pages that you want to add to the menu.
Click on the “Add to Menu” button.
Drag and drop the pages to arrange them in the order that you want.
Click on the “Save Menu” button to save your changes.

Creating Dropdown Menus

Dropdown menus are a great way to organize your navigation menu and provide users with a more hierarchical view of your website. To create a dropdown menu, follow these steps:

Follow the steps above to add the parent pages to your navigation menu.
Drag the child page under the parent page that you want to create the dropdown menu for.
Drag the child page slightly to the right so that it is indented under the parent page.
Click on the “Save Menu” button to save your changes.

You can repeat these steps to create multiple levels of dropdown menus.

Customizing Menu Appearance

Customizing the appearance of your navigation menu can help you to make your website more visually appealing and user-friendly. To customize the menu appearance, follow these steps:

Go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.
Click on the “Menus” tab.
Select the menu that you want to edit.
Click on the “Menu Locations” tab to select the location where you want to display the menu on your website.
Click on the “Menu Settings” tab to customize the menu appearance.
You can change the font, font size, background color, and other aspects of the menu appearance.
Click on the “Save & Publish” button to save your changes.

Overall, creating a navigation menu is an important step in building a website. By following the steps above, you can create a well-organized menu that is easy for users to navigate. Don’t forget to customize the menu appearance to make it visually appealing and user-friendly.

Configure Settings

When it comes to setting up your website, one of the most important steps is configuring your . This ensures that your website is optimized for your particular needs, and that everything is running smoothly. There are three main areas to focus on when configuring your : General Settings, Discussion Settings, and Media Settings.

General Settings

The General Settings area is where you’ll set up basic information about your website, such as the site title and tagline, as well as the URL structure. This is also where you can choose whether or not to allow user registration on your site, and set options for how dates and times are displayed.

One important setting to pay attention to is the Site Language option. This will determine the language of your website, and can have an impact on your SEO efforts. Be sure to choose the appropriate language for your target audience.

Another setting to consider is the Reading Settings. This is where you can choose whether your homepage displays your latest posts or a static page, and also set the number of posts to display on each page. This can have an impact on user experience, so be sure to choose the right options for your site.

Discussion Settings

The Discussion Settings area is where you’ll set up options for comments and other user-generated content on your site. You can choose whether or not to allow comments on your posts, and also set options for how comments are moderated.

One important setting to consider here is the Comment Moderation option. This allows you to set keywords that, when included in a comment, will automatically send the comment to the moderation queue. This can help prevent spam comments from appearing on your site.

Another setting to pay attention to is the Avatars option. This allows users to upload their own avatar images, which can add a personal touch to your site. You can also choose to use Gravatars, which are globally recognized avatars that are associated with a user’s email address.

Media Settings

The Media Settings area is where you’ll set options for how media files are handled on your site. This includes options for image sizes and how they’re displayed, as well as options for the default media file location.

One important setting to consider here is the Thumbnail Size option. This determines the size of the thumbnail images that are displayed on your site, and can have an impact on page load times. Be sure to choose a size that works well with your and overall design.

Another setting to pay attention to is the Uploading Files option. This allows you to choose the default location for media files when they’re uploaded to your site. You can choose to store files in the default location, or specify a custom location if you prefer.

In conclusion, configuring your is an essential step in setting up your website. By paying attention to the General Settings, Discussion Settings, and Media Settings areas, you can ensure that your site is optimized for your particular needs, and that everything is running smoothly. Be sure to choose the right options for your site, and keep an eye on how your choices impact your overall user experience and SEO efforts.