Essential WordPress 2.5 Basic Configurations – Video Tutorial
Once you’ve installed WordPress 2.5, there are some essential changes you really MUST make to your basic setup. This second video tutorial in my new series outlines these essential changes you must make which reflect some security and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) considerations…
Duration: 9min 40 secs – File size: 12.1MB (opens in new window)
Video Summary:
- Settings/General – Change your Time Zone
- Settings/Writing – Increase size of post box
- Settings/Writing – Update Services (will do shortly)
- Settings/Reading – Blog Pages / Syndication Feeds
These settings should reflect your frequency of posting. If you do several posts a day, change these settings (particularly the Syndication Feeds setting) to 20 or perhaps even 30. If you post only every other day, leave them at 10.
- Settings/Discussion – TICK the option for “Before a Comment Appears An administrator must ALWAYS approve the comment”
- Settings/Privacy – Block the search engines – while you are setting up the site initially. Unblock them when you are ready to launch!
- Settings/Permalinks – Improve your SEO by selecting “Custom Structure” and entering /%postname%/ in the field next to it. This then shows the full post name, with your keywords, in the final URL for each page.
- From the Plugins option, Activate Akismet to catch spam. You WILL need to get a WordPress.com API key for this stage.
- Manage / Link Categories – change the name “Blogroll” to “Links”
- Manage / Categories – add new categories which suit the structure of your site.
- Manage / Links – delete all the default links and set up some of your own.
- LEAVE the sample post, page and comment in place until your add your own content. Then remove them.
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5 Responses to “Essential WordPress 2.5 Basic Configurations – Video Tutorial”
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VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE HERE
I’ve just realised that the server I installed this site on is not 100% compatible with WordPress and the custom permalinks option demonstrated.
As a result… I am in the process of moving that site to a better web host!
My research into that “problem” where the pages and posts just generate a 404 error – or “file not found” error – has revealed that it is very common!
So… I’m working on an new video which explains the problem, and what you can do about it – coming soon…
Oh, that things could ever go smoothly…. No wonder people get ticked off with trying to do things on the ‘net!
Stephen
Thank you very much for the article. 🙂
Hi there Spry guy,
Ok, I did all the stuff you suggested, and so far, so good.
Question: you suggested that we temporarily turn off the search engines, and I did that. When I originally set up my WP site, I installed the all- in -one SEO package and have been filling in the description, title, and keywords. Also, I have 4 posts up now.
Am I spinning my wheels with SEO turned off?
Soon I’m going to a 3 column and a custom style sheet. Would that be considered messing around with my site by the SEs?
Hi Gene
Time to post the next video!!! I’ve been delayed because of a HUGE problem with the theme I wanted to use – it’s taken me some time to “fix” – and you’ll all see the results soon.
The point of turning privacy ON is for when you first start with a blog – while you are “fiddling” with things and working out what to do.
If you reckon you’ve got the “how to post” bit sorted (and you have by the sounds of things) then turn the privacy function OFF. That way, when you publish anything new from now on, the search engines will be pinged and told of your new post.
Looking to change the theme? No problems… that’s NOT going to be “messing” around with the search engines because basically you are only changing the “look” of your site (although there are “some” themes that are not particularly SEO friendly… but that’s another story).
I forgot to mention… .d’oh!
If you ARE ready for the world to come visit… then it’s important that you get on over to Technorati.com and register an account there. Fill out your profile as completely as you can…. including a piccie!
Then follow the “claim your blog” procedure – the simplest method is to give them your blog admin username and password (don’t worry they don’t use it except to verify your claim).
Technorati is important partly because it picks up and indexes your site based on the “tags” you should be using when you make a new post.
There are quite a few other places like this you should also register with… but for now. do it with Technorati!