When you’re setting up a WordPress website, there are several key settings that you’ll want to configure. These settings control various aspects of your site’s functionality and appearance. Here’s a breakdown of the most important ones:
1. General Settings:
- Site Title and Tagline:
- This is where you define the name of your website and a brief description. These are crucial for branding and SEO.
- WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL):
- These settings determine the URLs where your WordPress files are located and where your website is accessed. In most cases, they’ll be the same.
- Email Address:
- This is the email address that WordPress will use to send administrative notifications.
- Membership:
- You can choose whether or not to allow users to register on your site.
- Time Zone, Date Format, and Time Format:
- These settings ensure that your website displays the correct time and date.
2. Writing Settings:
- Default Post Category:
- This setting allows you to select the default category for new posts.
- This area also has some settings related to posting via email.
3. Reading Settings:
- Your homepage displays:
- You can choose whether your homepage displays your latest posts or a static page.
- Blog pages show at most:
- This setting controls the number of posts displayed on your blog pages.
- Search Engine Visibility:
- You can discourage search engines from indexing your site (useful during development).
4. Discussion Settings:
- These settings control how comments are handled on your website, including:
- Comment moderation
- Email notifications
- Avatar display
5. Media Settings:
- These settings define the default image sizes that WordPress generates when you upload images.
6. Permalinks Settings:
- Permalink structure:
- This setting determines the URL structure of your posts and pages. It’s crucial for SEO. “Post name” is generally considered the best option.
7. Privacy Settings:
- This is where you can manage your website’s privacy policy.
Key Takeaways:
- Taking the time to configure these basic settings is essential for a well-functioning WordPress website.
- Pay close attention to the permalink settings, as they have a significant impact on SEO.
- Regularly review your settings to ensure they align with your website’s needs.
- It is always a good idea to check your settings after installing a new theme, or plugin.
I hope this information is helpful.