How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck with WordPress

So, you finally set up the blog you've been talking about at every family gathering for the last 5 years. Maybe you consider yourself a WordPress-wizard, a dabbler in the dark arts of internet blogging. Even if you are just a newbie, the sense of accomplishment in running your own website can be a huge boost. However, in the age of Twitter and Facebook, you have to find a way to stand out from the crowd of blogs and e-businesses clogging up the internet. Knowing the ins and outs of your WordPress platform can give you an edge in making your site more appealing to visitors. It's worth asking yourself if you really are getting the most out of WordPress.

Plugins

To say there are thousands of WordPress plug-ins would be an understatement. With so many options available, many of which are free, you would be remiss to pass on the opportunity to expand the capabilities of your WordPress website. The plugins themselves are individual pieces of software compatible with WordPress, that bring different features and abilities to your website. One of the most popular available plugins are WordPress Live Chat, which lets you instantly communicate with visitors to your site. You can find plugins for a variety of other features as well, like security, book keeping, and search engine optimization. WordPress holds a distinct advantage over other website platforms in the sheer amount and quality of their plugins. There are whole websites dedicated to giving you access and providing reviews of different plugins. Good plugins are constantly updated as well, so you can be sure that your added features are a sup to date as the rest of your website. It's ki nd of a no brainer, you want your website to be running as smooth and efficiently as possible. Plugins are going to help you do that.

Set Up an Online Course

Offering an online course can be a great way to expand your website, and increase your readership, all while letting people know, that you really know your stuff. The range of topics you could set up a course on is only limited by what you've learned. If you have a P.H.D. in theoretical physics and want to have a lecture series on spin-spin coupling for your science blog, then go right ahead. If you want to create a how-to guide on vegan living and talk about why your gluten-free beet casserole is the best thing since sliced bread, that's okay too. Either way, having an online course is going to create a buzz around your website. It is the perfect invitation to get your visitors interacting, and consistently returning to your website. WordPress can be the perfect platform to set up your own virtual classroom. If you have a wealth of knowledge, chances are there is someone out there who wants to learn from you.

SEO

There are millions of websites out there. To make your site standout, you need to not only make it unique in its design and content, but also gear it towards search engine optimization, or SEO for short. In a nutshell, SEO increases the chance that your website will be found via a search engine. SEO involves not only the content you create but also how you design your website. There are a lot of different ways to approach SEO. Luckily, for those of us with WordPress, there are a whole host of plugins and tools to help you out. Some of the most popular plugins include WordPress SEO by Yoast, and SEMrush. Without a whole lot of effort involved, you can have your website primed with meta keywords and descriptions, as well as have the insight and tracking data to back it all up. Having proper SEO in place is just covering your bases for your website.

Wrap Up

As with most things in life, you are going to get out what you put into your website. WordPress doesn't just have to be a basic blog format web platform. Depending on what you are using your website for, you can transform WordPress into whatever your website needs. Finding the right plugins is a constant search, as new ones come out every day, and old ones are constantly being updated. Keeping yourself up to date on the latest and greatest ways to enhance your WordPress website will let you continue to brag about your blog to your cornered family members for years and years to come.

Author: Blogherald Blogger

Source: How to Get the Most Bang for Your Buck with WordPress