7 Must-Follow Steps You Should Do After Installing WordPress

You’ve secured your domain name, installed WordPress, and finally stepped into the WP admin panel.

If you start writing without setting things up properly, you will have problems later. These problems include website performance. They also include security. Search engines have a problem with optimization.

That’s why the very first steps after installation matter the most. Think of it as laying the foundation of your online home.

You should clean up unnecessary default themes. Fix your Permalink Structure. Set up Google Analytics. Install essential plugins like Rank Math, WP Rocket, and Wordfence Security. These changes prepare your blog for long-term success.

In this blog startup guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to do after installing WordPress, so your site is secure, optimized, and ready to grow.

What You Should Do After Installing WordPress

I know how tempting it is to dive straight into writing your first blog post. When I started, I felt the same.

You need to prepare your site properly inside the WordPress admin panel before publishing your ideas.

This isn’t just about looks; it’s about website performance, search engine optimization, and protecting your site from security risks.

Think of this as your complete blog startup guide, where I’ll walk you step by step through everything you should do right after installing WordPress.

Let’s begin-

1. Set Up Your Site Identity and Basic Settings

Your first stop in the WP admin panel should be configuring your Site Identity. This makes your site recognizable to both visitors and search engines.

Go to Settings → General and update:

• Site Title & Tagline: Make them clear and brand-focused.
• Site Icon (favicon): Upload a small logo that shows in browser tabs.
• Domain Name: Ensure your site and WordPress address match.
• Admin Email: Use your main email for notifications.
• Time Zone & Date/Time Format: Helps with accurate post scheduling.
• Membership: Keep unchecked if you don’t want random sign-ups.
• Language: Choose your default site language.

If you have changed your site title and tagline while installing WordPress, you will not need to change this again. But I will tell you to recheck.

It’s a very easy task and you can do it in a fun way. Go to the WordPress dashboard> settings>general.

You will find the following features that you have to change according to your site requirements.

2. Remove Default Themes, Plugins, and Content

WordPress often installs default themes and a few sample items like the “Hello World” post and the Hello Dolly plugin. These aren’t useful and can even pose a security risk.

• Delete unused themes (keep only your current theme + one fallback).
• Remove the Hello Dolly plugin.
• Trash the default post and sample page.
• If you’re customising your theme, create a child theme first.

This keeps your site clean and your database credentials secure.

3. Organize Categories and Navigation Menus

Nobody likes a messy site. Proper categories make the user interface better. Navigation menus help websites rank better in search engines.

• Go to Posts → Categories and create relevant topics.
• Assign your posts to the correct category.
• Build a navigation menu under Appearance → Menus for easy browsing.

Example: If you’re blogging about tech, your categories might include Blogging, SEO, and Web Hosting.

If you set up a default category, your blog post will automatically be assigned to that category.

4. Fix Your Permalink Structure

Google loves clean and short links for an article. If you love Google’s law, Google is gonna love your article. When Google loves articles, it will rank for sure.

Instead of:
yourblog.com/?p=123

Use:
yourblog.com/post-title

To fix this, head to Settings → Permalinks → Post Name. This not only looks professional but also helps with search engine optimization.

5. Adjust Media and Discussion Settings

Configure WordPress media settings before you upload images.

• Set the right dimensions for thumbnails and large images.
• Use image optimization tools to prevent slow loading.

Then review your comment section under Settings → Discussion. Decide whether you want comments enabled, moderated, or disabled altogether.

6. Install WordPress Plugins

WordPress requires its plugins to increase its functionality. To install a WordPress Plugin, go to Plugins>add new>search for your plugin/upload your plugin.

Search your plugin here and install it, then don’t forget to activate the plugin. You will find all the free plugins by searching here.

When will you use the upload option to upload a plugin? You will see the following option.

If you want to use the paid plugin, you have to use the upload option. Then you have to activate it after uploading your plugin. Check out this must-have WordPress plugin.

These plugins will insanely improve your site productivity. In the mentioned link, there are 20 WordPress plugins that I have explained.

Among them, you have to install the following plugin at the initial stage before starting to publish the articles-

• Rank Math: All-in-one search engine optimization plugin.
• Wordfence Security: Popular Security Plugin for protection.
• WP Rocket: Best for page caching and improving website performance.
• Site Kit by Google: Connects Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and more.
• Starter Templates plugin: Quickly set up beautiful designs.
• Backup hosting services plugin: Ensures you never lose data.

6. Secure Your Site

Security should never be an afterthought:

• Enable an SSL certificate (usually free with Managed WordPress hosting).
• Use strong passwords for your WP admin panel.
• Edit your .htaccess file for extra protection.
• Regularly back up your site using plugins or backup hosting services.

7. Submit Your Site to Google

To get traffic, your site must be visible on Google.

• Generate an XML Sitemap using Rank Math.
• Submit it to Google Search Console.
• Connect Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager with Site Kit.

This allows you to track performance, user behaviour, and improve your search engine optimization strategy.

8. Choose and Customize Your Theme

Your theme defines your site’s user interface. You can start with a free one, but premium themes often perform better.

• Kadence → Perfect for beginners.
• Divi theme from Elegant Themes → Drag-and-drop builder for custom designs.

If you wanna have a paid theme and your budget is small, try Kadence, and if you can gear up your budget a little more, you should try Themify. Themify comes with a lifetime deal that can also save you huge recurring expenses.

The beauty of a site is defined by its theme. You can easily start your blog or business

with a free theme. But it’s always a good idea to start something with a pro theme.

If you wanna have a free theme, you will find tons of Free Themes on the WordPress Directory.

If you wanna try a paid theme, you have to buy the theme from their site. Then they will send you a zip file to your email address. You have to upload the zip file using the upload theme feature.

9. Add Legal and Contact Pages

For professionalism and compliance, set up:

• Privacy Policy page.
• Contact Form (via WPForms or Contact Form 7).
• Profile Pages to introduce yourself and your team.

These help build trust and credibility.

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10. Configure WordPress Ping List

By default, WordPress notifies just one update service. Expanding your WordPress ping list means search engines will find your content faster. Go to Settings → Writing → Update Services and add reliable ping services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some FAQs you should have a quick look-

1. What is the first thing I should do after installing WordPress?

You should start by setting your Site Identity (title, tagline, and Site Icon) in the WP admin panel, then clean up default content and themes.

2. Do I need an SSL certificate for my blog?

Yes! An SSL certificate secures your site, builds trust, and is a ranking factor in Google. Most Managed WordPress hosting providers include it for free.

3. Which WordPress plugins should I install first?

Start with Rank Math for SEO, Wordfence Security for protection, WP Rocket for caching, and Site Kit for Google integration.

4. How do I optimize images in WordPress?

Adjust WordPress media settings and use an image optimization plugin like ShortPixel or Smush to prevent slow load times.

5. Should I delete default themes and plugins?

Yes. Remove unused default themes and plugins like Hello Dolly. Keeping them can create security risks.

Conclusion

Launching a WordPress site is exciting, but proper setup makes all the difference. You can adjust your Permalink Structure.

You can also configure WordPress media settings. You should secure your site with Wordfence Security.

You can boost speed with WP Rocket. Every step builds a strong base for long-term success.