WordPress - Optimization

In this chapter, we will study how to Optimize WordPress site.

Here are a few simple tips to optimize your WordPress site.

• Ensure high quality and meaningful content.
• Have the right names for images.
• Use short permalinks that contain keywords.
• Have optimized themes.
• Sitemap should be in XML format.
• Connect posts to social networks.
• Beware of black hat techniques.
• Delete your trash box.
• Keep Checking Your Site Statistics
• Keep checking your plugins.
• Use CSS and JavaScript effectively.

Ensure High Quality and Meaningful Content

Any page you create, the most important thing that matters is the content. You must have good content with keywords that can be helpful for users, not for the search engines. Content should be understandable and not complicated or difficult to read.

Have the right names for images

The names you choose for your images must be unique; consider choosing images keeping the user in mind. Use keywords that might be helpful for the users. Have some specific names for your images and don’t forget to add your alt tags and title tags to your images.

For example − If your image is about Chocolate sundae Ice-cream then do not mention the name as DSC12346, instead put it as ‘Chocolate-sundae-High-street-restaurant-new-york.jpg’. This would be much easier to search.

Use short permalinks that contain keywords

The permalinks you use must be understandable. For example − Use http://www.mywebsite.com/howcodex/telangana/ instead of http://www.mywebsite.com/page-id?5631456325

Have optimized themes

Use those themes that are fast and are optimized for WordPress so that when applied to a website, it must not have low speed.

Sitemap should be in XML format

Google has many tools that can be useful. Tools like Website Optimizer, Webmaster Central, and Google XML sitemaps are very easy to use.

Connect posts to social media

Social media is a very important aspect today. So have them connected to your blog posts, pages, etc., to have good ranks and popularity. Help promote others posts and pages too and they will do the same in return.

Beware of black hat techniques

Don’t trick Google as it finds you in no time. Don’t put yourself in trouble and create problems for your site by using black hat techniques. Be sure to use genuine SEO techniques.

Delete your trash box

Always consider clearing your trash for more speed and to have a good flow with your website.

Keep checking your site statistics

Size of page matters a lot. The more images, flash, videos or media related posts on your page, the more it would be slower to load. Yslowi> module plugin is recommended to help you get a faster page browsing.

Check plugins

Having many plugins in WordPress may also be the reason for your page to slow load. So keep a check on your plugins which you’re working on. Consider checking your plugins before you add them.

Use CSS and JavaScript effectively

Always keep your CSS at the upper side of the page and JavaScript at the bottom. Let CSS load first and then JavaScript. Here is a plugin that will help you get your JavaScript’s at the bottom of the page. It is Footer javaScript.