Starting a website with WordPress feels exciting. Many people who just begin their journey can’t wait to see their ideas go live on the internet. But let’s be honest being a WordPress beginner often comes with a few mistakes along the way. And that’s completely normal.
The goal of this post is not to make anyone feel discouraged. Instead, it’s more like a gentle reminder from someone who has seen these mistakes many times before. Think of it as advice from a friend who’s simply pointing out the roadblocks so others don’t trip over them.
Let’s walk through some of the most common WordPress beginner mistakes and how to avoid them.
1. Forgetting to Adjust Permalink Settings
Most beginners don’t even notice the permalink settings in WordPress. By default, your posts might end up with URLs like yourdomain.com/?p=123. Sure, it works, but it doesn’t say anything about your content.
Visitors and search engines both prefer links that actually mean something. Imagine landing on:
yourdomain.com/?p=123yourdomain.com/how-to-make-a-simple-blog
The second one clearly feels more helpful. So right from the beginning, set your permalinks to something clean and descriptive. It’s such a small step, but it makes a huge difference.
2. Installing Too Many Plugins
Every WordPress beginner discovers the plugin library and gets excited. It feels like a toy store so many free tools to try! The problem is, installing too many plugins can slow down your site and sometimes even break it.
Here’s a better approach: stick to the essentials first. A security plugin, a backup plugin, an SEO helper, and maybe caching. Once your site is stable, you can carefully add more if you really need them.
3. Skipping Updates
We’ve all been guilty of this seeing the little red notification bubble and ignoring it. Some beginners even fear that updating WordPress or plugins will “mess things up.”
But the truth? Not updating is riskier. Updates usually fix bugs and security issues. Think of it like updating your phone; it keeps everything safe and running smoothly.
4. Not Backing Up the Website
Imagine spending hours building your site, only to lose it all because of a server crash or one wrong click. That’s the nightmare scenario many beginners face because they didn’t set up backups.
The good news is, backups are easy. Plugins like UpdraftPlus or services from your hosting provider can automatically save copies of your site. You may never need it, but if you do, you’ll be grateful it’s there.
5. Ignoring Mobile Users
Most people browse websites on their phones. Yet many beginners only focus on how their site looks on a desktop screen. The result? Visitors on mobile leave quickly because the site feels messy or hard to use.
Choosing a responsive theme solves this problem instantly. It adapts your site for any screen, making sure nobody feels left out. Visitors don’t wait for slow websites. If performance is a problem, you can follow our practical tips in How to make your site mobile friendly.
6. Skipping SSL (HTTPS)
Seeing “Not Secure” on a website can scare people away. It also affects search engine rankings. Thankfully, most hosting providers now give SSL certificates for free. It usually takes just one click to activate. For beginners, this is one of the simplest but most powerful trust signals to set up
7. Overlooking Speed and Performance
We’ve all left a site because it took too long to load. Beginners often upload huge images or rely on too many plugins, which slows everything down.
Using free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help find issues. And simple habits like compressing images before uploading go a long way.
8. The Big WordPress Beginner Mistake: Forgetting Content
It’s easy to get lost in design, colors, and plugins. But let’s be real: what keeps people coming back is the content. A beautiful site without helpful content is like a book with a great cover but empty pages.
Don’t worry about making everything perfect. Just start writing, sharing, or showcasing your work. The more you publish, the more natural it feels.
9. Skipping SEO Basics
SEO can sound complicated, but beginners don’t need to overthink it. Start simple:
- Use meaningful titles.
- Add alt text to your images.
- Structure posts with headings.
- Write meta descriptions.
Small, consistent steps in SEO can make a big difference over time.
10. Forgetting to Look at Analytics
A lot of WordPress beginners just post content without ever checking what works and what doesn’t. Tools like Google Analytics or even plugins like Site Kit make it easy to see who visits your site, where they come from, and what pages they enjoy most.
It might feel confusing at first, but even a quick glance at the numbers helps you make smarter choices.
11. Not Asking for Help
Here’s a mistake many beginners don’t talk about: trying to figure out everything alone. WordPress has one of the biggest communities online. There are forums, Facebook groups, YouTube tutorials, and blogs filled with answers.
If you’re stuck, don’t be afraid to ask. Chances are, someone else had the same problem before and already found the solution.
Final Thoughts
Being a WordPress beginner is a journey filled with excitement, mistakes, and small victories. The mistakes themselves aren’t the enemy they’re lessons. Every time you fix a broken plugin, adjust a setting, or publish a new post, you’re learning.
So don’t stress too much if things don’t look perfect right away. WordPress is flexible, and you’ll get more comfortable with every step. The important thing is to keep going, keep learning, and remember you’re building something that has the potential to grow into something amazing.
