Wordpress seo checklist

This article gets a Wordpress blog installed and SEO optimised. Its advised that you test the site for W3C HTML and CSS validation each step of the way, especially checking your chosen theme is compliant. The blog files will be located on your web servers domain within the httpdocs folder. If you want to install it into a sub directory of the domain then create this first (ie yourdomain/blog).  Another method is to create a sub-domain for the blog, and a fully optimised index.html file in the domains root.  This index file will then point to the blog in the sub-domain (http://blog.mydomain.com). For Amen the sub domain is created in the user area – Domain TAB – DNS expert – Add record

(1) In your web servers Plesk admin panel create a database and user. Ensure your web server MYSQL version is adequate for the version of Wordpress and theme you intend using.

(2) Upload the wordpress files to the web server directory

(3) Open and edit the wp-config-sample.php file to reflect your connection details (ie DBname/User/password/localhost). Then save it as wp-config.php

(4) Install wordpress as instructed in its contained instruction file.

(5) In Wordpress enter your new password, web log title and email address

(6) Upload your chosen theme to the wp-content/themes directory.

(7) Upload a blank .htaccess file to the Wordpress root directory. Set its permissions to 666

(8) For a more SEO friendly permalink. Change it In settings/permalinks to : /%postname%/%year%/%monthnum%/ This will ensure each page and post has a good SEO link title for google.

(9) Download and upload “all-in-one-seo” into the plugin directory http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/ This adds extra fields to your post and page creation templates. 

 (10) In themes/header.php replace the <title> with
<title><?php wp_title(’ ‘); ?><?php if(wp_title(’ ‘, false)) { echo ‘ :: ‘; } ?><?php bloginfo(’name’); ?></title>. This gives a well structured name to the page title ie softpages :: Links

(11) From the themes header.php remove :
<meta name=”keywords” content=”<?php bloginfo(’description’); ?>” />
<meta name=”description” content=”<?php bloginfo(’description’); ?>” />
This prevents duplicates by inserting default description mettags based on yout tagline entry

(12) Insert standard metatags in header.php :-
<meta name=”author” content=”your name” />
<meta name=”copyright” content=”your company – 2007″ />

(13) Download google sitemap generator and upload into your plugin directory. Upload 2 blank files to the root directory called sitemap.xml and sitemap.xml.gz, make them writable CHMOD 666 Activate it.

(14) Go to the google analytics page and create a new profile for your site Insert supplied code into the themes header.php. You can now monitor your sites activities.

(15) Set up google webmaster tools.

Backing up Wordpress

Ensure you always have a fairly recent backup of your Wordpress site.  Especially when updating the version of Wordpress.

Firstly download all the files using an FTP download program. I suggest the whole httpdocs folder is downloaded. That way you have everything to simply re upload should the need arises.

Next access the database using PHPAdmin.  Use the following settings to back it up to your local harddrive :

• Select “Database”
• Select the database to be backed up in left hand column
• Select the top “Export” tab
• Check that all the database files appear in the export area
• Tick the following selections : (Sql), (Structure), (Add drop table), (Add Auto-Increment), (Enclose table and field names with backquotes), (Data), (Max length=50000), (Export type=insert)
• Tick “Save as File”
• Select the “Go” button and pick your download location

How to update Wordpress

This is a more reliable way to update Wordpress than using the auto update tool, which in many cases won’t work.  I have been using this method and never had an issue.

1. Backup your wordpress files and database.  Personally I ftp down the whole “Httpdocs” file and then backup the database using PHPAdmin.
2. Download the Wordpress update patch and unzip it.
3. Deactivate your plugins in Wordpress
4. Delete your current wp-include” and wp-admin directories
5. Upload the new wp-include and wp-admin folders
6. Edit the new wp-config-sample.php to reflect your current user name, password and database name. Then rename it wp-config.php (see your current wp-config.php file). Do not upload yet.
7. Delete all the current root files then upload all the new ones including the edited new wp-config.php
8. The content of the new wp-content folder now needs uploading, carry this out individually so as not to accidentally write over your current theme and plugin folders.
9. Browse to your web site and follow the instructions to update the database
10. Activate your plugins one at a time checking they work as you go.
11. That’s it all done