When you are building or managing a WordPress website there are many very important things to consider. Most of this should be a part of the development process because while you can do these things after your site is live, it is usually much easier to do them while building your site. While there are certainly other important factors to consider when building a successful WordPress website, this article covers three crucial components that make up what we call the “WordPress Success Trifecta”. We believe that if you focus on these three areas, your chances of launching an effective, high-conversion WordPress website are greatly enhanced.
Security
Ensuring that your WordPress website is secure is critical to both your website’s success and the protection of your users’ data. You can improve your website’s security by using strong passwords, installing security plugins, keeping your WordPress version and plugins up to date, and using SSL certificates.
- Use strong passwords: Weak passwords can leave your website vulnerable to attacks. Use complex passwords that include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should also be a minumum of 12 characters long and should not contain dictionary words. Use a random password generator to generate strong passwords. We like https://passwordsgenerator.net/ because it gives you a good range of options to make sure your password is secure.
- Use two-factor authentication: Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your website by requiring users to provide a second form of authentication, such as a code sent to their phone or a fingerprint scan.
- Limit login attempts: Limiting the number of login attempts can help prevent brute-force attacks. Use a plugin to limit the number of login attempts and lock out users who enter incorrect login information too many times. In general, you should limit users to no more than 3 failed logins within a 5 minute period.
- Install security plugins: Security plugins can help you identify and prevent potential security threats. Look for reputable security plugins that offer features like malware scanning, firewalls, and activity monitoring.
- Use SSL encryption: SSL encryption ensures that data transmitted between your website and users is secure. Use an SSL certificate to encrypt data and protect your users’ personal information.
- Be cautious with plugins and themes: Use reputable themes and plugins from trusted sources, and avoid downloading free plugins and themes from unverified sources. Also, make sure to keep your themes and plugins up to date with the latest versions. The same goes for WordPress itself.
Performance
A fast-loading website can have a significant impact on user experience and can also affect your website’s search engine rankings. You can optimize your WordPress website’s performance by using a high-quality hosting provider, optimizing your images, using caching plugins, and minimizing the number of HTTP requests your website makes.
Choose a reliable hosting provider like Host Wyzyrd. Your website’s hosting provider can have a significant impact on its performance. Choose a hosting provider that offers high-quality hardware, a content delivery network (CDN), and fast server response times.
- Use a lightweight and optimized theme: Choose a lightweight and optimized theme that doesn’t slow down your website’s loading time. Avoid using heavy themes with lots of pre-installed features that you don’t need.
- Optimize your images: Compress and optimize your images before uploading them to your website. Use tools like Smush or Optimole to optimize your images automatically.
- Use caching plugins: Caching plugins can help speed up your website by caching pages and posts as static files. This reduces the number of requests your website makes to the server and improves its loading time.
- Minimize HTTP requests: Minimize the number of HTTP requests your website makes by combining multiple CSS and JavaScript files into one file. Use tools like Autoptimize or WP Minify to automate this process.
- Remove unnecessary plugins: Remove any unnecessary plugins that slow down your website’s performance. Only use plugins that you absolutely need and regularly audit your website for any unnecessary plugins.
- Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN can help speed up your website by distributing your website’s content across multiple servers around the world, reducing the distance that data has to travel to reach your users.
SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines like Google. You can improve your WordPress website’s SEO by using relevant keywords, optimizing your website’s content, building high-quality backlinks, and ensuring that your website is mobile-friendly.
- Optimize your content: Optimize your content by using header tags, bullet points, and other formatting elements that make it easier to read and understand. Use internal linking to connect related content on your website.
- Use optimized images: Optimize your images by using descriptive file names and alt text that includes relevant keywords. Use plugins like Yoast SEO to automatically optimize your images.
- Build high-quality backlinks: Building high-quality backlinks from reputable sources can help improve your website’s search engine rankings. Reach out to other websites in your industry and offer to write guest posts or collaborate on content.
- Ensure your website is mobile-friendly: A mobile-friendly website is critical for SEO, as Google now prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search results. Use a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and mobile devices.
- Use SEO plugins: Use plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack to help you optimize your website’s content and metadata. These plugins can also help you generate XML sitemaps, which can make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website.
- Monitor your website’s analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor your website’s traffic and user behavior. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
Conclusion
By prioritizing these three factors, you can build a WordPress website that is secure, fast, and optimized for search engines, ultimately leading to a more successful online presence. If you host your website with Host Wyzyrd, or use one of our WordPress Care Plans, all of these bases are covered for you!