On October 5th, I had a blast presenting at WordCamp Rochester 2024. My talk, “So You’ve Published Your Website—Now What?”, dove deep into five core areas you absolutely need to tackle after hitting publish on a new website. Let’s break it all down.
1. Security & Backups
Alright, here’s the thing: Security is non-negotiable. You’ve spent time and money building your site, so the last thing you want is for it to get hacked, corrupted, or lost due to some error. First up? Backups. I can’t stress this enough— backups are your lifeline. Make sure you’re using plugins like UpdraftPlus, WP Time Capsule, or BlogVault to get automatic and frequent backups of your site.
Real talk: if your hosting provider doesn’t offer nightly backups or real-time capabilities, find one that does. If you’re not backing up regularly, you’re rolling the dice on your hard work.
Now, let’s talk about staging sites. Ever seen someone push out an update on their live site only for it to break everything? Yeah, that’s a nightmare. Using staging tools like InstaWP or Local by Flywheel lets you test updates in a sandbox before they go live. This is a massive time and headache saver. Some hosts even offer seamless staging environments—so if you’re with WP Engine or Flywheel, you’re golden.
Then comes security plugins. There’s no excuse to leave your site unprotected when tools like AIO Security or SolidWP can handle everything from protecting your database to stopping brute-force attacks. Two-factor authentication (2FA) is another layer of security—use it.
2. Tracking & Analytics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Period. Your website needs tracking to understand how users are interacting with it. Google Analytics is your best friend here. It’s a free, powerful tool that helps you track everything from page views to conversion rates. Set it up from day one.
Next level? Google Tag Manager. This tool is a game-changer when you want to add tracking for specific events, like button clicks or form submissions. Instead of diving into code every time, Tag Manager simplifies the process, making it super easy to monitor key user behaviors.
Why does this matter? Because your website isn’t a “set it and forget it” type of thing. You need to understand which pages are working, where visitors are dropping off, and how your marketing efforts are paying off. Data-driven decisions are the only way to grow.
3. SEO – Getting Found
I get it, you’ve built an amazing website, but it’s useless if no one can find it. That’s where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. My go-to tools? AIO SEO or Yoast—both will walk you through optimizing the basics: title tags, meta descriptions, H1 headings, and even generating a sitemap for search engines.
Next up? Submit that sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. You want to make sure search engines actually crawl and index your site. SEO isn’t just a one-time thing—it’s an ongoing effort to make sure your content remains relevant and gets found.
Remember, without proper SEO, your site is like a needle in a haystack. And we want to be the shiny, easy-to-find needle, right?
4. Local Listings Management
For any business with a local presence, you need to be visible in your area. That means claiming your listing on Google My Business, Yelp, and other key directories. This step is especially crucial for local SEO—it boosts your chances of showing up in searches like “near me” queries.
Use tools like Yext or CANI Marketing Group’s Local Listing Sync to manage multiple listings in one go. It saves time and keeps your information consistent across platforms. Pro tip: Consistency in name, address, and phone number across all directories is a ranking factor for local SEO—so don’t skip this.
5. Regular Updates & Maintenance
Listen, your website is like a car—it needs regular maintenance to stay in top shape. First off, keep your content fresh. Regularly update your blog, tweak your product pages, and add new resources. The more frequently you update your site, the more search engines will crawl and index your pages.
Second, always keep your plugins and themes updated. Outdated plugins are like open doors for hackers. Don’t give them the opportunity. Most updates patch security holes or improve performance—both things you want!
Speaking of performance, you should regularly run speed tests on your site. Google PageSpeed Insights is the go-to tool for this. A slow site drives visitors away faster than anything. And let’s not forget mobile optimization—use Google’s mobile-friendly testing tool to see how your site performs on different devices.
Big Shoutout to Michelle Frechette!
Before I wrap this up, I’ve gotta give a massive shoutout to Michelle Frechette for everything she does for the WordPress community. Michelle’s tireless work keeps the Rochester WordPress scene alive and kicking, and we’re so lucky to have her supporting WordCamp Buffalo 2025 as well. Her dedication is unmatched, and WordPress wouldn’t be the same without her.
WordCamp Buffalo 2025 – Save the Date!
Speaking of WordCamp, we’re stoked to announce WordCamp Buffalo 2025, happening on May 3rd at Seneca One Tower. It’s going to be our biggest and best WordCamp yet and feature a day full of learning, networking, and all things WordPress in Buffalo’s tallest building, so make sure you save the date!
That’s a wrap on WordCamp Rochester 2024! If you want the full list of tools and tips I mentioned during my talk, download the free post website launch checklist here. It was an awesome day connecting with everyone, and I can’t wait to see you all at WordCamp Buffalo 2025!