Creating your first WordPress website is an exciting milestone. You likely have big plans – launching a business, sharing your creativity, or building your online brand.
But in your eagerness to get your site up and running, it’s easy to overlook important details that can come back to haunt you.
Without the right foundation, your site is vulnerable to issues like downtime, security breaches, poor performance, and more.
You can avoid falling into these traps by learning from common beginner mistakes. Setting up a WordPress site doesn’t have to be fraught with pitfalls if you understand the key decisions and best practices.
This guide will outline the top 5 mistakes beginners make when launching a WordPress site. You’ll learn exactly what to watch out for, practical tips to steer you in the right direction, and recommendations based on WordPress experts’ experience.
Follow this advice to build a solid WordPress website from day one confidently. Avoid hours of frustration and extra effort down the road by doing it right the first time.
The optimal setup will save you time and money while providing the best experience for you and your readers.
Let’s dive in and ensure your WordPress journey starts on the right foot!
Mistake #1 – Choosing the Wrong Web Host
Your web hosting provider is one of the most crucial decisions when launching a WordPress site. It’s the foundation that your entire site is built on.
A subpar host can sabotage your site speed, uptime, and security. On the other hand, the right WordPress hosting enables optimal performance and provides essential tools for success. Don’t underestimate the importance of picking the best home for your site.
Why Your Web Host Matters
Your web host provides the server where your WordPress site files live. All visits to your site are handled by your hosting company’s infrastructure and services. That’s why your choice of host impacts:
- Site speed – A fast, optimized web server keeps page loading times quick. Slow hosts cripple your site.
- Uptime – When the server is down, your site is offline. Good hosts offer 99.9% uptime or better.
- Security – Web hosts employ security measures like firewalls to protect your site.
- Scalability – You want to handle spikes in traffic without crashing.
- Customer support – Knowledgeable support for WordPress issues is invaluable.
In short, hosting affects the user experience and performance of your WordPress site at a foundational level.
Common Beginner Hosting Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some key pitfalls to watch out for when evaluating your hosting options:
- Free web hosting – This often provides subpar performance and little real support. You get what you pay for.
- Unreliable uptime – Uptime below 99.9% results in regular frustrating downtime.
- No WordPress expertise – Choose a host well-versed in WordPress’ specific requirements.
- Lack of speed optimization – Poorly optimized, overloaded servers cripple your speed.
- Weak security measures – Look for hosts with proactive security and firewalls.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Web Host
Before selecting a web hosting provider, be sure to ask:
- What is their average uptime percentage? It should be 99.9% or better.
- Do they offer optimized WordPress hosting plans? Or is WordPress an afterthought?
- How knowledgeable is their customer support when it comes to WordPress?
- What security measures do they have in place? Look for regular updates, firewalls, and scanning.
- Is there a money-back guarantee if you are unsatisfied?
- What is the maximum website traffic their plans can handle?
Our Top Pick – HostGator
After reviewing dozens of hosts, HostGator is our top recommendation, especially for beginners just launching their first WordPress site.
Their low-priced Hatchling Plan starts at only $2.75 per month (with 3-year billing) and includes:
- 99.9% uptime with powerful servers optimized for speed.
- Easy WordPress installs with auto-updates.
- Free site migrations from other hosts.
- An SSL certificate for security and SEO.
- CDN and caching options to accelerate your site.
- Helpful 24/7 customer support, including WordPress expertise.
The Baby Plan can support up to 25,000 visitors per month, which is perfect for new sites. And you can upgrade to their more robust plans as your traffic grows.
Overall, HostGator hits the sweet spot between price, performance, reliability, and ease of use. Their specialized WordPress hosting will empower you to build a high-quality site.
Mistake #2 – Not Installing Essential Plugins
One of the best things about WordPress is its extensive plugin ecosystem. Plugins allow you to easily add new features and functionality to your site.
But loading up on too many plugins right away can do more harm than good. Here’s what you need to know about choosing the right plugins when first setting up your site.
Understanding the Role of Plugins
Plugins extend what WordPress can do out of the box. They allow you to:
- Enhance features and capabilities
- Improve site security
- Optimize SEO
- Boost site speed and performance
Plugins are powerful tools, but they need to be used judiciously.
Common Plugin Mistakes to Avoid
Many beginners make these plugin mistakes:
- Installing too many plugins right away
- Not updating plugins regularly
- Using poorly coded or outdated plugins
- Adding plugins with bloat instead of streamlined code
Too many unnecessary plugins will slow down your site speed significantly. Outdated plugins also pose security risks if they stop receiving updates.
Focus on quality over quantity when adding plugins initially.
Must-Have Plugins for New WordPress Sites
We recommend installing these 3 types of essential plugins first:
- SEO – Boost site traffic and rankings with a plugin like Yoast SEO.
- Security – Protect your site with a security plugin like Wordfence.
- Performance – Improve speed with a caching plugin like WP Rocket.
Here are our top recommendations in each category:
| Plugin Type | Recommended Plugin | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | Yoast SEO | XML sitemaps, title & meta optimization, focus on readability |
| Security | Wordfence | Firewall, malware scans, blocks brute force attacks |
| Caching | WP Rocket | Page caching, image optimization, database optimization |
These plugins will cover the WordPress basics – traffic, security, and speed. Resist overloading your new site with additional plugins at first. Get the core functionality in place, then add other plugins judiciously over time as needed.
Taking this focused approach to essential plugins will ensure your WordPress site is running smoothly from day one.
Mistake #3 – Neglecting SEO from the Start
Many beginners wait too long before thinking about search engine optimization (SEO). But neglecting it early on is a missed opportunity.
Optimizing your WordPress site for search engines should begin immediately. Here are common SEO mistakes to avoid, and tips to implement right away.
Why SEO Matters from the Beginning
SEO helps your site content rank higher in search engines like Google. Higher rankings lead to:
- More targeted organic traffic – Users will find your content for relevant searches.
- Faster growth – Establish authority and trust signals for search engines early.
- Long-term benefits – Good foundation for traffic growth over time.
In short, SEO done right from the start kickstarts your growth.
Common Early SEO Mistakes
Beginners often make these mistakes when first launching their site:
- Not setting up Google Analytics and Search Console.
- Ignoring SEO best practices for page titles, URLs, headers, etc.
- Failing to submit a sitemap to search engines.
- Using the wrong focus keywords that visitors don’t search for.
- Overlooking site speed optimizations that impact rankings.
These missteps prevent your new site from being discoverable and establishing authority.
SEO Quick Wins for Beginners
Here are impactful SEO tactics to implement on any new WordPress site:
- Install the Yoast SEO plugin for on-page optimization.
- Submit your XML sitemap to Google Search Console.
- Research relevant, high search volume keywords and topics to target.
- Create useful, in-depth content that answers search intent.
- Monitor analytics and rankings in Search Console and Analytics.
- Write SEO-friendly titles, headlines, URLs per best practices.
- Improve site speed with caching and image optimization.
Making SEO a priority from day one will give your WordPress site an early edge. Don’t leave easy wins on the table by waiting.
Mistake #4 – Ignoring Site Backup and Security Measures
After installing WordPress and some plugins, it’s tempting to rush ahead to launch your site. But it’s critically important to implement backup and security measures first.
Neglecting proper precautions leaves your site vulnerable to malware, hacking, and catastrophic data loss. Don’t skip these foundational steps.
Why Website Backup and Security Matter
Robust backup and security are essential to:
- Prevent permanent data loss – Backups allow you to restore your site if it gets corrupted or hacked.
- Minimize downtime – Get your site back online faster in a disaster scenario.
- Block attacks – Security measures prevent and detect hacking attempts.
- Protect private data – Security helps safeguard any sensitive user info.
No site is immune to potential threats. It’s high risk to launch without precautions.
Common Beginner Backup and Security Mistakes
Many beginners mistakenly:
- Launch their live site before configuring backups.
- Use weak admin passwords that are easy for hackers to guess.
- Ignore basic hardening steps like limiting login attempts.
- Assume their web host handles all security.
- Enable insecure login options like XML-RPC.
This lax attitude toward security and recovery creates a ticking time bomb.
Securing Your New WordPress Site
Here are key steps to properly secure and back up your WordPress site:
- Install a security plugin like Wordfence to block attacks.
- Leverage your host’s firewalls and security measures.
- Require strong passwords with a plugin like iThemes Security.
- Schedule daily backups with a plugin like UpdraftPlus.
- Store backups externally on another service.
- Install an SSL certificate to enable HTTPS.
- Limit user login attempts via settings.
- Disable unused login methods like XML-RPC.
Following WordPress security best practices will help protect your hard work and keep your site safe from the start. Don’t cut corners here.
Mistake #5 – Not Optimizing for Speed and Performance
With your WordPress site launched, it’s easy to think your work is done. But optimizing for faster performance is a crucial task many beginners overlook.
A slow site damages the user experience and your search engine rankings. Follow these tips to speed up your site from the start.
Why Site Speed Matters
Fast site performance:
- Creates a better user experience – Visitors will stay on your site longer.
- Boosts SEO rankings – Google factors speed in its algorithm.
- Saves money – Less strain on your hosting infrastructure.
- Drives more conversions – Users are more likely to take action on faster sites.
There are no downsides to making your WordPress site as fast as possible.
Common Performance Mistakes
Beginners often:
- Ignore optimizing images, which slow page loading.
- Don’t enable caching to accelerate repeat visits.
- Have too many plugins installed, hurting performance.
- Host their site on a slow, overloaded server.
- Don’t compress CSS, Javascript, and HTML files.
These oversights add up to a sluggish site that drives visitors away.
Optimizing WordPress Site Speed
Here are effective tactics to optimize your new site’s speed:
- Enable caching via a plugin like WP Rocket to accelerate page loads.
- Compress images properly and enable lazy loading with EWWW Image Optimizer.
- Minify CSS, JS, and HTML files by enabling options in caching plugins.
- Limit plugins to only essentials and remove unused widgets.
- Use a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute static files quickly.
- Upgrade to better hosting if your current plan hampers performance.
Checking site speed in Google PageSpeed Insights will help you benchmark and improve your performance. Don’t leave speed gains on the table.
Conclusion
If you’re embarking on launching your first WordPress site, avoiding common beginner mistakes will set you on the path to success.
By picking an optimized web host, installing only essential plugins, prioritizing SEO, backing up your site securely, and optimizing for speed, you build a sturdy foundation.
We covered the top pitfalls that trip up many new WordPress site owners:
- Choosing the wrong web host – This impacts site performance at a basic level. We recommend HostGator’s managed WordPress hosting plans to empower beginners.
- Too many plugins – Limit yourself to the essentials for security, speed, and SEO like Wordfence, WP Rocket, and Yoast SEO. Resist plugin bloat.
- Neglecting SEO – Tactics like sitemaps and Search Console should be set up immediately to elevate your new site. Creating SEO-friendly content also helps.
- No backups or security – Disasters can strike at any time, so secure your site with Wordfence and back up consistently with UpdraftPlus.
- Poor performance – Optimizing images, enabling caching, and streamlining plugins makes your site load faster. Every millisecond counts.
What beginner pitfalls have you encountered with your WordPress site? How did you recover and get your site back on track? Share your experiences in the comments below!
