When creating websites, we often focus on the visual aspect. It is easy to overlook equally important technical and functional issues. However, it is worth devoting a lot of attention to them from the very beginning, which will allow you to better position the page and avoid costly mistakes in the future. So what should you pay attention to in order to properly optimize a website based on the WordPress system?
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WordPress is the most popular CMS (Content Management System) not only in Poland but also in the world. As data from the What CMS portal shows – over 50% of Polish websites on the web are based on this platform.
source: whatcms.org
In turn, according to W3techs calculations, over 42% of websites in the world were created using WordPress.
This is a huge advantage over competitors such as Joomla or Drupal. However, it is worth emphasizing that WordPress is by definition a blogging platform, which, thanks to its very wide possibilities, competes with other CMSs (in the category of web portals) or even e-commerce platforms such as Shoper (DreamCommerce) or PrestaShop. Does popularity indicate quality? This is not always the case, but in this case it can be safely said. WordPress has gained millions of fans thanks to its simplicity and intuitiveness. The continuous development of this platform not only provides new possibilities, but also ensures greater security and support. Thanks to millions of users and thousands of programmers, the knowledge base about WordPress is so huge that anyone, even a less experienced user, is able to create their own website.
Knowledge of website structure and basic issues such as HTML and CSS can help, although the ability to read with understanding will be sufficient for basic optimization of a website based on this content management system. The previously mentioned simplicity and intuitiveness of WordPress allow you to create a simple website. The number of available themes, plugins and all kinds of aids (e.g. page builders) give you really unlimited possibilities. However, when it comes to WordPress add-ons, you have to be careful, but I will get to that topic in the next paragraphs.
It all depends on what we need a website for. Do you want to create a blog, have a company card on the website, create an information portal or a small online store? Then WordPress is definitely for you. A well-optimized website on this platform is a big step towards high positions in search results, but also the speed of the website and convenience during its use.
When thinking about optimizing WordPress, it would be best to start with what the CMS offers itself. To do this, take a close look at the tabs in the Settings panel .
Let's start with the General tab, where the most important for us will be the first 4 fields.
The next tabs are Writing, Reading, and Discussion . They don't have any advanced configurations for site optimization. However, it's worth paying attention to their individual functions.
A checked checkbox will add a noindex meta tag to the code of our website . It will remove our website from search results and prevent it from appearing in the Google search engine. However, activating this option will not work immediately and it may take a long time for our website to disappear. So let's check if the checkbox is empty - as in the graphic above. This function is disabled by default, so if it is checked on your website, it means that someone had to select this option manually.
The most important configuration from the general settings is permalinks . They define how our URLs will look.
In this tab we can choose the appropriate configuration of our addresses. It is worth using the name of the entry, because it is the most friendly option, additionally we can place keywords here. It is also worth making sure that the URL is not too long, it is best to limit it to a few words.
Also read: How to create friendly URLs?
Of course, there is nothing to stop you from creating your own formats or using another of the ones provided. However, remember not to include any parameters or dates in the address. They do not contribute much to the value of the subpage, and they make the address less readable.
Another very important element of optimizing a WordPress page is the graphics that appear on it. When adding photos to the media library, you should pay special attention to several elements.
In the name , avoid Polish characters and special characters (except "-"). Name the files so that we know what is on them. Maybe this will also help the robots know what can be found on them. Definitely avoid names like DSC00505.jpg and other combinations of random numbers and letters.
Let's try to match the graphics to our needs . If we are going to display small graphics on the page, let's add them to the server. Let's send compressed graphics so that they take up as little space as possible.
Read also : Google image positioning – check if you are doing it right
While the title doesn't have much significance for SEO optimization, the alternative text does. It's worth describing briefly what's in the image . If the image has problems loading, the page will display an alternative description, which is also a small hint to Google robots about what the image shows. That's why it's worth including a word related to the phrase we're positioning in the alternative text.
You’ve just learned the basics when it comes to optimizing WordPress with its internal tools. As you can see, there’s not much to it. So what else can you do? Plugins come to the rescue. But do they really help?
Read also: Meta description optimization – how important can a page’s meta description be?
Let's start with what plugins are. They are additions to a website that are designed to expand its functionality or make it easier to configure certain elements . Plugins are incredibly popular and this is one of the main advantages of WordPress over others - the number of free plugins available in it. Their installation is extremely simple. It involves uploading files to the wp-content/plugins/ folder on the FTP server or via the WordPress Administration Panel.
But are plugins as good and effective as we think they are? In order for our site to be well-optimized and secure, we need to remember a few golden rules regarding plugin installation.
Often, however, this requires programming skills, but sometimes it is enough to read the guides available on the web. Each plugin for optimizing WordPress means additional files to load, which burden our server and website. Even plugins that are intended to speed up our website can slow it down. Therefore, before installing each plugin, consider whether you really need it.
This is absolutely essential, not only when installing plugins, but also when performing any action on the site. A backup allows you to restore the site to its previous state on the last day of the save. This can be invaluable in the case of:
Backups should be performed regularly to give you some safety buffer.
If you don't use a particular plugin, remove it. There's no need to take up space on your server with outdated files additionally associated with unused applications.
Only install plugins that already have some reviews (preferably positive) and those that are constantly updated . Plugins very often become targets of massive hacker attacks - that's why it's so important for their creators to constantly update them.
With plugins, it's not enough that someone has created updates for them. Also, update the installed plugins on your site yourself. Some servers have an automatic plugin update feature, which I don't recommend. It's worth spending a few minutes to look at what needs to be updated and do it manually. Uncontrolled updates can harm our site, as can a lack of updates.
Now that you’ve learned the golden rules of plugin installation, I invite you to check out this roundup of useful WordPress plugins you should consider using on your own website.
As I mentioned earlier, a website backup is essential. You can do it manually, but that requires copying the contents of the FTP server and database each time. For less experienced users, this can be problematic. The free UpdraftPlus plugin does a great job with basic backups . You can create them on demand or set the option to create cyclical copies of files and the database. The plugin stores a selected number of copies in a location indicated by us . It also divides them into different categories (themes, files, uploads, database), which allows you to restore only the selected one. Restoring a backup is done with a single click. An alternative to this plugin is BackupBuddy , which has very similar functions.
https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/
When writing about optimizing a WordPress-based website for SEO, one cannot fail to mention Yoast. Its creators claim that the plugin will take care of our SEO in its entirety. Of course, it will not do everything for us, but it will easily allow you to configure many elements related to SEO. The main possibilities of the plugin include:
Yoast also allows you to edit meta tags of pages and files such as robots.txt or .htaccess in bulk. I recommend editing files from FTP so that you don't accidentally lose access to your own site. However, if you are sure of what you are doing, you can safely work through Yoast. This plugin is definitely the most popular among this type of plugin - it is quite intuitive and easy to use. However, it is worth having the previously mentioned backup, because it may happen that a new update or user action will create quite a bit of chaos. An alternative to Yoast is All in One Seo Pack, which also has a very large number of users. However, in our daily work, we stick to Yoast.
https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/
Rank Math offers a lot of features that help increase your site's visibility in search results, improve the quality of your content, and manage the technical aspects of SEO. In many ways, it is similar to the Yoast SEO plugin - their functions overlap to a large extent. For this reason, they are not used at the same time.
Rank Math allows you to optimize text added to a page (e.g. a blog post) with the most important keywords. Rank Math allows you to optimize for multiple keywords (up to 5 per page). This WordPress plugin offers many other options, although it is worth remembering that some of them are only available in the paid version.
A very useful plugin that will take care of our internal linking. It will check if all the links that appear on our site are working – if they do not lead to a404 error page. The plugin can also check our links periodically and send us an email with a summary. In our free time, we can play with additional configurations – check if any links have appeared in the comments or see what alternatives the plugin will suggest to us for broken links in WordPress . It is certainly worth having a plugin of this type – who would like to take care of all the links on the site themselves?
https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/broken-link-checker/
All 3 plugins provide compression of added graphics . This is a very useful element in optimizing the page, especially in terms of its speed. Tests show that the best lossless compression is provided by reSmush.it, although the choice of plugin is more a matter of individual preferences regarding usability and intuitiveness. One thing is for sure - it is worth having one of these plugins so that images do not slow down our page.
https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-smushit/
These are plugins responsible for the cache of our website and file compression . Cache is the browser's cache. Setting it up correctly will help the website load faster. Elements that are not updated on an ongoing basis can be loaded from this memory. Thanks to this, they do not have to be downloaded from the website again. W3 Total Cache is definitely a more advanced plugin with advanced settings. If you do not have experience with websites, it is better to choose WP Super Cache. Remember that regardless of the choice of plugin, it is worth clearing the cache with each significant change on the website so that returning users can see the changes. Otherwise, they may still see the old version of the website.
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https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/
A plugin that allows you to mark up structured data on our site. It is quite simple and intuitive. It allows you to mark up your structured data easily. There are plenty of guides online on how to do this, so it shouldn't be a big problem for you.
https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/all-in-one-schemaorg-rich-snippets/
Not all plugins are the same, just like all pages are the same. There is no golden mean that will work for every page in the same way. That is why it is important to check its operation after each plugin installation – whether everything on the page is working properly and whether the page speed has not dropped . You can check this using PageSpeed Insights, GTMetrix or Pingdom.
https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
There is probably no plugin that has only positive opinions. There will always be someone who prefers another or knows a better one, and there is nothing wrong with that. The whole magic of WordPress is precisely this accessibility of solutions. Do you know a better alternative to the above-mentioned plugins? Be sure to let us know in the comments, we will be happy to check it out.
When I think of WordPress optimization plugins, I also think of some controversial ones in the SEO industry. They are helpful, but most of the features they offer can be done without installing a plugin.
As the name suggests – this is a “very simple SSL”. If we have purchased an SSL certificate, all we need to do is enable the plugin, click “activate” and our website will be displayed with the https:// protocol. This plugin can replace links in internal linking and file and image paths, as well as create the necessary redirects. Personally, I have not encountered any major problems with this plugin, although it is another add-on, and I told you to limit them. All we need to do is change the website address in the WordPress configuration and perform a redirect in .htaccess and… the problem is solved! Really Simple SSL should be left for less advanced or slightly lazy people.
If you are experiencing an SSL connection error on your website, please read our article: What does the SSL connection error mean and how can I fix it?
This is a plugin for creating redirects. We enter the address A and B, click "save" and page A is redirected to B. Fast, easy and pleasant. 😊 A big plus of this plugin is that it works on both Apache-based servers and Nginx. However, this is a plugin and if we decide to add e.g. 1000 redirects to it, then in case of problems with the plugin, it will cause a little chaos on the page.
If possible, let's introduce 301 and other redirects directly to .htaccess (for Apache) or server-side (for Nginx).
The plugin in theory provides security, but in practice? It has several interesting functions.
There are many configurations and with the right settings this plugin can be really good. However, due to its popularity it often becomes the target of hacker attacks, so a plugin that theoretically provides security exposes us to... danger. You won't need it if you properly secure the site. How to do it?
However, if you have a few things to keep an eye on on your website or if you don’t have time – use Wordfence Security.
The plugin finds a given word on the page and links to the page of our choice. On the one hand – a very good option for building internal linking . On the other – do we really want our links to be added anywhere and anyhow? It is better to plan linking well than to do it automatically. SEO Internal Links appears in many posts about the best plugins. However, you use it at your own risk – I do not recommend such a solution.
Everything set up in WordPress? Plugins installed and configured? So what's next? What else is worth paying attention to? More and more people are deciding to use all kinds of page builders like Elementor, WP Bakery or Divi.
These are additional plugins for WordPress that allow you to create pages without knowing any programming languages. That's why they are so popular. Thanks to them, anyone can create a page that looks like it was designed by a graphic designer and coded by a web developer. But is such a page optimized? It varies. Many builders generate very large amounts of code that could easily be replaced by a few lines of hand-written code. Improperly placing elements using the "drag and drag" principle often causes empty code tags to accumulate. These pages have lower optimization and speed results. However, this does not mean that builders are the worst evil and should be avoided at all costs. The principle of using them is simple and has already been mentioned. If you don't have to, don't install them. If you have some skills, try your hand at it. Maybe you know a web developer who can help you or you have the right budget to commission a professional agency to create a page? Sometimes it's worth considering all possibilities so that you don't spend many hours on the technical optimization of the page later.
If you have tested several themes (it doesn't matter if they are free or paid), choose the one that works for you and get rid of the rest. Unused themes take up space on your server, but they can also pose a security risk to your site. Just because a theme is not active doesn't mean you can't access its files.
Updates are a very important part of running your own website. What can they involve?
All of the above updates have one thing in common – they should be performed regularly. Of course, everything must be preceded by a backup copy of the site. If we have such an opportunity, let's familiarize ourselves with the changes before the update and read whether other users have had any problems with them. It happens that individual updates are not compatible with each other, and here we can use a backup of our site. For example: the plugins that we have installed may not be optimized for the new version of WordPress. As a result, we will have a problem with the correct functioning of our site. Therefore, after each update, always check what has changed on our site and whether everything is working.
The combination of the words "update" and "theme" makes many webmasters nervous. If we are using a template that we did not create and an update occurs, we may lose all the modifications that we have manually made to the template. If we want to make any changes, we have to work on the child theme, which is the files that overwrite our main theme. In the case of an update, only the files in the main theme change, and ours (which are in the child theme) remain unchanged.
WordPress is a platform for which a huge number of different types of plugins have been developed, including those that improve website positioning. Here is a list of plugins that may be useful to you in optimizing your website:
Category | Examples |
---|---|
SEO plugins | Rank Math, Yoast SEO, All in One SEO Pack |
Caching plugins | WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, LiteSpeed Cache |
Image optimization | Smush, Imagify, ShortPixel Image Optimizer |
Security | Wordfence Security, iThemes Security, Sucuri Security |
Backups | UpdraftPlus, BackWPup, Duplicator |
Database optimization | WP-Optimize, Advanced Database Cleaner, WP-Sweep |
Speed optimization | Autoptimize, Asset CleanUp, Perfmatters |
Analysis and monitoring | MonsterInsights, Matomo, ExactMetrics |
Also read: Chrome plugins useful in SEO work
WordPress is such a vast topic that it is impossible to briefly describe all of its capabilities in one article. However, I hope that the above text has brought you at least a little closer to the issues related to improving the operation of this CMS system. There are many ways to optimize a WordPress site, as well as many approaches to the techniques or plugins used on websites. The most important thing is to do everything wisely and base it on tests, not opinions. They are important, although each site reacts differently to a given solution. Remember to make a backup copy before the entire operation, and after each change on our site, check if everything is working correctly.
If you have any questions about optimizing a WordPress-based website, please write to us or leave a comment. Together we will try to find a solution that satisfies you.