When you first discover WordPress, you may think of it as just a basic blogging platform. However, as you delve deeper into its features and options, you will realize just how powerful and versatile it can be. In this article, we will explore some of the important WordPress options that you should utilize to enhance your website.
First up is Akismet, a built-in spam plugin that is loved by millions of WordPress users. Unlike other plugins, you don’t need to install Akismet – simply activate it with an API key. This powerful spam solution is built by Automattic and is highly effective in combating spam on your website. Make sure to activate Akismet before doing anything else on your WordPress blog.
Another essential option is Jetpack, which provides a wide range of features to supercharge your self-hosted WordPress blog. By connecting Jetpack to your WordPress.com account, you gain access to improved stats, notifications, automatic post sharing, comments, subscriptions, likes, and much more. Jetpack offers numerous options to enhance the functionality and performance of your website.
Permalinks are another crucial aspect of WordPress that you should pay attention to. Instead of using URLs with question marks and numbers, WordPress offers various options for creating SEO-friendly permalinks. You can choose from options such as day and name, month and name, numeric, post name, and custom structure. These permalinks not only improve your website’s SEO but also make it more user-friendly.
Search engine visibility is an option in WordPress that allows you to control when search engine spiders index your website. If your website is new and lacks content, it’s best to disable search engine visibility until you have enough content to be indexed. However, be cautious when enabling or disabling this option, as it can temporarily remove your site from search engine indices.
Posting via email is a convenient option that allows you to create and publish blog posts from anywhere using email. This feature is useful for those who travel frequently or lack time to log in to their WordPress dashboard. By configuring your settings under the Writing section, you can take advantage of this option and publish posts via email without the need to log in to WordPress.
WordPress feeds are a function that allows users to keep up with your blog content. WordPress offers various types of feeds, including Atom, RDF/RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0, RSS 0.92, and RSS 2.0 comments feeds. By adding feed URLs to your website, visitors can easily subscribe to your blog and receive updates automatically. You can add feeds to your WordPress site using the Widgets Screen and provide your readers with an easy way to stay informed.
The Live Theme Preview option in WordPress allows you to preview how a theme will look before activating it. This feature, available since WordPress 3.4, helps you make informed decisions when choosing a theme for your website. By going to Appearance -> Themes and hovering over an inactive theme, you can click the Live Preview button to see how the theme will look after activation.
The WordPress Theme Customizer is an integral part of the Live Preview option and provides a user-friendly interface for customizing your website’s appearance. With the Theme Customizer, you can easily modify your site title, tagline, colors, header image, navigation, static front page, footer, and more. Many premium theme stores are now using the WordPress Theme Customizer due to its ease of use and flexibility in customizing themes.
Moving on to WordPress blogging options, one essential feature is Multiple Screen Options. This feature allows you to customize your Edit Post screen by adding or removing elements such as sharing options, categories, tags, discussion, excerpt, and author. You can also change the screen layout by choosing between a single-column or double-column view, depending on your preferences.
Creating audio playlists in WordPress is a breeze, and you don’t need a plugin to do it. By selecting Create Audio Playlist in the Add Media button, you can choose audio files from your media library or upload new ones. After selecting your playlist, you can edit it and insert it into your post. This feature is especially useful for musicians and DJs who want to host audio files on their websites.
Another handy feature is simplified tweet embedding, which allows you to display tweets in your content effortlessly. Simply copy the tweet URL from Twitter and paste it into your post editor. This feature not only looks cool but also increases user engagement on your website and Twitter account.
Embedding YouTube videos is another easy task in WordPress. Just paste the YouTube video link into your post editor, and the video will be embedded automatically. However, keep in mind that you cannot control the size of the video with this method.
WordPress also allows you to add links to image captions, which was previously impossible without HTML coding. By clicking on an image and selecting the Caption option, you can add HTML code to the caption box and include links or formatting options.
Disabling comments is a useful option for those who want to manage their blog’s comments section. You can disable comments across your entire website by deselecting the “Allow people to post comments on new articles” option in the Discussion settings. Additionally, you can choose to allow or disallow comments on a per-post basis using the Discussion widget in the Screen Options.
Switching between the visual and HTML editors is another option in WordPress that allows you to customize your posts. The visual editor provides a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface, while the HTML editor allows you to add custom code and make more advanced changes to your posts.
The read more option is often overlooked but can significantly improve the appearance of your front page. By placing your cursor where you want the excerpt to end and clicking the read more icon, you can create custom intros or excerpts for your posts. This is especially helpful if your theme doesn’t have an excerpt feature.
Lastly, the revisions feature in WordPress is a lifesaver when it comes to recovering lost content. Every time you revise a post, WordPress saves a copy, allowing you to restore earlier versions if needed. The revisions widget can be found below the post editor, and clicking on the blue link will take you to the revision history.
These are just a few of the important WordPress options that you should utilize to enhance your website. By taking advantage of these features, you can improve your website’s functionality, appearance, and user engagement. Keep exploring WordPress to discover even more options that can make your life as a WordPress user easier and more enjoyable.
