When I started my first WordPress website, I thought I was doing everything right. I followed all the free tutorials, installed recommended plugins, and did my best to make everything look professional.
But it turns out, there are so many tiny mistakes you can make without even realizing it. I’ve made most of them myself, and I see new website owners run into these issues all the time.
In this post, I’m sharing the most common WordPress mistakes I see new bloggers make. I hope this saves you from the headaches I went through and helps you feel more confident running your own site 😊
Table of Contents
NOTE: All my WordPress tutorials focus on WordPress.org, not WordPress.com. If you’re curious about the differences, here’s everything you need to know ☺️
1. Not Using a Child Theme
I’ll be honest… when I built my first WordPress site, I had no idea that there was something like a “child theme”. So if you’re scratching your head right now, I’ve been there! ☺️
Most new website owners jump right into customizing their theme, changing colors and fonts, maybe even editing a little code. It feels exciting to make your blog “yours,” right?
But here’s the problem – if you don’t use a child theme, all those tweaks can disappear the second your main theme gets an update.
Imagine spending hours making everything look perfect, then waking up one morning to find it all… gone. I’ve been there, and it’s not a fun surprise.
A child theme is basically a “mini” version of your main theme that safely holds all your changes. When your main theme updates, your child theme keeps all your customizations safe and sound.
2. Not Backing Up Your Site (Until It’s Too Late)
Backing up your WordPress site might feel like one of those “Yeah, I’ll get to it eventually” things… until disaster strikes.
If you’re thinking, “My site is so small, I don’t need backups yet,” I totally get it. But even a new blog or website is made up of hours of writing, images you’ve collected, and all the tiny tweaks that make it yours. Even a small blog deserves some protection.
And setting up regular backups is actually much simpler than most people think 😊 There are free plugins like UpdraftPlus that let you back up everything with a couple of clicks. You can even save your backup to Google Drive or Dropbox so it’s safe and sound if anything goes wrong.
Here’s a full tutorial if you need a bit more help, or you can watch a short tutorial and set it up quickly ☺️
3. Leaving Your Login Page Wide Open
This is a sneaky one that hardly anyone talks about until it’s too late. By default, every WordPress site has the same login page, usually yourdomain.com/wp-admin. That means anyone, including hackers and bots, can find it in seconds. However, it’s actually very easy to add an extra layer of security here.
When I first started, I never thought my tiny blog would be a target. But these bots aren’t picky. They just look for easy ways in. Hiding or changing your login page is like locking your front door instead of leaving it open. It’s simple, but it makes a big difference.
The easiest way to do this is to use a free plugin like WPS Hide Login. It lets you create a custom login URL that only you know. No coding or complicated steps, just pick a new login address and save it. Suddenly, your site is much less tempting to those bots.
I always recommend this as one of the first security tweaks for beginners. It only takes a few minutes and can save you a world of headaches later. But it’s only the first step if you really want to protect all your hard work. Download a free WordPress Security Checklist to cover all the basics 👇
4. Uploading Images Without Optimizing Them
This is one mistake I see all the time, and honestly, I made it myself in the beginning. When you’re excited to add gorgeous photos or graphics to your blog, it’s easy to just upload whatever you have on your computer.
The problem? Big, unoptimized images will ultimately slow down your website. And if your website is slow, no one would read it.
I learned this the hard way when my own blog started crawling at a snail’s pace (even when I was using an image optimization plugin!).
I had no idea those pretty photos would become such a problem.
Wrong formats, wrong sizes, wrong settings… It took me 2 weeks to fix my website, and since then I always make sure all my images are properly optimized before I upload them.
Here’s a guide on how to properly optimize your images. But if you need a beginner-friendly step-by-step tutorial, check out my Image Optimization 101 Course ☺️
5. No Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
I know the phrase “two-factor authentication” sounds a little technical, but it’s honestly one of the easiest ways to protect your website. Think of it as a simple extra step that makes it very hard for hackers to break in (even if they get your password).
Setting up 2FA is basically a “set it and forget it” thing. You connect your site to your phone or to an authentication app, and the next time you log in, you’ll just enter a quick code from your phone. That’s it!
If you want your website to be safe (and avoid the headaches of getting hacked), this is one of the best steps you can take.
I walk you through the entire process in my Safe & Secure: WordPress Security for Beginners course, so you can follow along even if you’ve never done anything like this before.
6. Not Using Categories and Tags Properly
I see a lot of bloggers put every post into five different categories and even use the same tags for them. This makes your site messy and harder to navigate.
Categories are your main topics, like “WordPress Tips” or “Dinner Recipes”. Use just one or two per post.
Tags are the smaller details, like “quick dinner” or “SEO plugins”. Only add tags that make sense for the post.
Want more help? I break down the difference in this post: The Difference Between Categories and Tags in WordPress.
Next time you hit publish, double-check your category and tags. Clean organization makes life easier for your readers. It’s also important for SEO.
7. Forgetting to Update Plugins and Themes
It’s easy to ignore those little update notices in your WordPress dashboard. But skipping updates can leave your site open to bugs and hackers. Outdated plugins and themes are one of the biggest security risks for any blog.
Updating is quick. Just log in, check for any updates, and click the update button. I try to do this at least once a week.
Want to make things even easier? You can set your plugins and themes to update automatically.
Keep your site safe and running smoothly by making updates a regular habit. It only takes a few minutes (or even less with auto-updates) and it can save you a lot of trouble later.
8. Uploading Videos Instead of Embedding Them
Uploading videos directly to WordPress might seem easy, but it can cause big problems. Videos are huge files that slow down your website and can quickly fill up your hosting space.
A better way is to upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and then embed it in your post. It only takes a few clicks. Your video loads faster, your site runs better, and you don’t have to worry about using up all your storage ☺️
9. Not Checking Out Plugins Before You Install Them
It’s tempting to grab the first plugin you see when you need a new feature. But installing random plugins can be a big security risk. Some can slow down your site or even let hackers in.
Always take a minute to check out a plugin before you install it. Choosing safe plugins helps keep your site running smoothly and protects all your hard work.
Want to know how to pick a safe plugin? I break it all down in this post: How to Choose a WordPress Plugin.
A little research up front saves you so much trouble later! Here’s a video tutorial if you are more of a visual learner ☺️
If you’ve spotted yourself in a few of these mistakes, don’t worry, every blogger has been there. The important thing is you’re learning and taking steps to make your site better (and safer!). Pick one or two fixes to start with so you don’t get overwhelmed. You’ve got this!
And if you want more support, be sure to check out my free WordPress checklists and beginner guides. I’m always here to help you make blogging simple and stress-free! ☺️
