Step 8: Tweaking WordPress

13. Apr, 2010 6 Comments

We’ve added plugins, now we’re going to make a few changes to your WordPress installation to ensure maximum performance. WordPress is great right out of the box, but these tweaks will supercharge your WordPress website.

Adding an Update Services List

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Whenever you create new content on your website, it’s good practice to notify other web services. WordPress lets you add a list of services to notify whenever you add new content to your website. To do this:

(1) Click on the Writing item under the Settings menu.
(2) Copy and paste the following list into the Update Services area.

http://rpc.pingomatic.com/

http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/RPC2

http://blogupdate.org/ping/

http://ping.feedburner.com

http://rpc.newsgator.com/

http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping

http://services.newsgator.com/ngws/xmlrpcping.aspx

(3) Click the Save Changes button at the bottom.

Privacy Settings

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Now we’re going to make your website INVISIBLE to search engines. While we’re building the site, we don’t want it to appear unfiniched in search engines so we’re going to turn privacy on. To do this:

(1) Find the Privacy link under the Settings menu
(2) Select “I would like to block search engines, but allow normal visitors.
(3) Click the Save Changes button

We must remember to change this pack once we’re ready for the world to see our website.

Optimise the URL structure

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WordPress URLs don’t look all that friendly by default, so this alteration will give you nicely formed links such as www.mysite.com/products/pink-widgets/

(1) Click on the Permalinks item under the Settings Menu
(2) Paste the following into the Custom Structure field:
/%category%/%postname%/
(3) Click the Save Changes button

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6 Responses to “Step 8: Tweaking WordPress”

  1. Gino Svaghi 15. Jan, 2011 at 10:53 am

    Love your show and all your suggestions… just one thing…learn to use spell check.

    Grazie..

  2. Luke 15. Jan, 2011 at 11:07 am

    Thanks for the constructive criticism Gino. If you’re offering to proof read, let me know! ;)

  3. Jason 17. Jan, 2011 at 2:09 pm

    Hi Luke

    thanks for this resource, yet another gem from you. Previous to finding your podcast I was a outdoor guide and strictly bricks and mortar business man (retail)…look at me now, learning to build websites, helping other small businesses online, more time to myself and family…all thanks to the BIG tips you & Tim share. Cant say enough how you have changed my direction and financial future.
    Jason

  4. Luke 17. Jan, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    Thanks for dropping by Jason. Looks like your website is coming along nicely.

  5. Wendy Jo 12. May, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    Thank you a million times over! I do the web design for my new business and you have saved me a lot of heart ache and time! Love this site and your youtube channel, too!

  6. Simon 29. Dec, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    Hey Luke,

    Can’t count the number of times I have revisited this really useful guide – thanks.

    Do you have a recommended plugin/approach for security of WordPress sites? Three of mine got hacked over the Christmas break – nothing too dramatic an mostly back to where they were now – but it did make me start to look for security plug ins or a check list or something!

    Thanks again for a great resource.

    Simon