10 MORE Tips To Improve Your WordPress Website

At Chameleon, we build all of our websites from scratch in the WordPress CMS. We create our client’s websites to be fully-optimised and high-performing on Google.

WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for creating websites, with over 40% of all websites on the internet using it. 

While WordPress is a great platform, there are things you can do to improve your website to make it more user-friendly, visually appealing and efficient. 

There is a long list full of steps to improve your WordPress website, which is why we created the first 10 tips a few weeks ago!

Tip 11: Remove unnecessary plugins and themes

Despite adding great functionality to your website, having too many plugins and themes installed can slow your website down. This makes it more vulnerable to security threats. 

It’s best to remove any plugins and themes you’re not using to improve your website’s performance and security.

Make sure you only use plugins that are necessary. And to regularly update and remove any plugins that are no longer needed.

Tip 12: Use a backup plugin

Backing up your website regularly is an essential part of protecting your data. It’s about being prepared for a security breach, a website crash, or any other issues. 

Installing a backup plugin which automatically backs up your website on a regular basis can prevent any hacks or errors from being a major issue, as you’ll have a recent backup saved.

Many hosting providers offer automatic backups. With the Chameleon maintenance packages, we can take care of this for you.

Tip 13: Use HTTPS

HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of HTTP, which is the protocol used to transmit data between your website and users. 

HTTPS encrypts the data that is transmitted, making it more secure. You might spot this on websites you use. They’ll have a padlock on the left of the url and look like this https://yourwebsiteurl.com in the web address bar.

To use HTTPS, you’ll need to obtain an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. Many hosting providers now offer free SSL certificates. So check with your hosting provider to see if this is an option for an easy switch.

Tip 14: Add a Favicon

A favicon is a small icon that appears in the browser tab when users visit your website. This can be added with a plugin; you can ask the Chameleon web team about this, as one of our clients.

Adding a favicon makes your website look more professional. As well as helping users to identify your website among other tabs when they’re browsing.

Tip 15: Use Heading Tags Properly

Heading tags, such as H1, H2, and H3, can help organise your content and make it easier for users to read. Also, they help the search engines determine your position in the search results.

It’s good practice to use heading tags to break up long blocks of text. Users don’t want to come to a page with a wall of text. Heading tags can also make important sections stand out.

However, avoid using heading tags for formatting purposes only, as this can confuse search engines and reduce your website’s SEO.

Tip 16: Use Internal Linking

Internal linking can help users navigate your website and can also improve your website’s SEO. 

Link to related content within your website, this keeps users engaged and helps search engines understand the structure of your website. 

Tip 17: Get a custom domain name

When you have a custom domain name (e.g., yourwebsite.com) instead of a subdomain (e.g., yourwebsite.wordpress.com) it gives your website more credibility.

This makes your business seem more legitimate to your users. It also makes it easier to remember the url, in order for them to find your website again in the future.

Tip 18: Use a Professional Email Address

Following from a custom domain name, using a professional email address, such as yourname@yourwebsite.com, also helps with building your brand image online.

A custom email makes your website look more professional and can also help prevent emails to your customers from getting caught in spam filters. 

Many hosting providers offer email hosting as part of their packages, or you can use a third-party email service such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365. 

Tip 19: Use Google My Business

If you have a physical location for your business, set up Google My Business and link to your address and your website.

 Google My Business improves your local SEO and helps your business appear in Google Maps search results. Increasing traffic to your website, as well as your visibility to local customers.

Tip 20: Optimise your website for speed

In today’s digital world, a fast website is critical for keeping users engaged and satisfied. A slow website can irritate users and lead to a high bounce rate. This negatively impacts your website’s search engine rankings.

You can use website optimisation tools to discover what will improve your website’s speed, and therefore provide a good user experience and boost your website’s position in Google. 

Get in touch with Chameleon

Are you looking for assistance with your WordPress website? 

Feel free to contact the Chameleon team and we can help you get started with a website, or give your existing website the push it needs!