Now that you have installed WordPress, you need to know how to make the most out of this popular blogging program. Listed below are ten tips which can help you take your WordPress blog or website to the next level.

Tip 1 - Alter Your Administrative Data

In most cases, after you have installed WordPress, you will be given a user name and password. To ensure you can remember your password, you should change it to one of your favorite number/letter combinations as soon as possible. After you have completed this step, it is also a good time to give other writers access to your content management area if you so desire.

Tip 2 - Adjust the General Setting of Your Blog

One of the great things about WordPress is that you can make your blog, "your blog". You can adjust the settings so the site is customized to perform any way you like. To alter the basic settings, access the general features and make any applicable changes. Here, you can adjust the title of the blog, the time zone, the operator email, and other universal WordPress features.

Tip 3 - Arrange Categories for Blog Posts

WordPress automatically sets each theme up with a post category named "Uncategorized". You have the option to remove this category and add in categories of your own. The links to these new groups will fill in robotically.

Tip 4 - Consider Changing Your Theme

Changing the theme of your WordPress blog is very easy. Even more impressive is the fact you have thousands of theme options from which you can choose. While there are both complimentary and paid themes available, the paid themes are typically better because of the fact they can be customized with less effort.

Tip 5 - Revise Your Permalinks

Normally, the URL that comes along with the WordPress installation is not attractive to readers or search engines. For this reason, you need to revise it to something which more aptly describes your blog and is more welcoming to SEO.

Tip 6 - Keep Your Site Free of Spam

Spammers love to target WordPress because it is an open source program which is extremely popular. Sadly, the more traffic your site gets; the more spam you will get as well. To avoid being overburdened with unwanted comments, you should apply a filter plugin to your blog. One of the best ones is Akisment.

Tip 7 - Install Analytics Plugins

It is helpful to know about your site visitors. The best way to track them is with a complimentary analytics program like Google Analytics. Programs such as this one let you know how visitors found your blog or website. This information is essential for planning a valuable marketing strategy.

Tip 8 - Use XML Sitemaps

If you want search engines to hit your blog, then you definitely need to utilize XML Sitemaps. A sitemaps plugin will help you move up the rankings of search engines by alerting them to the presence of your pages. The highly popular Google XML Sitemaps plugin is one you should consider.

Tip 9 - Take Advantage of Feedburner

Another Google product, Feedburner is a no-cost service that monitors the RSS feed associated with you blog or website. The free plugin monitors your subscribers and lets you know the size of your audience.

Tip 10 - Protect Your Data

The last thing you want is to wake up one morning and realize all of your content has been lost because of some hosting or technical error. There are great plugins out there, like the WordPress Database Backup, which will routinely store your data in a safe place.

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