This guide is specifically designed for clients of my WordPress Install Service and based on some of the best “must have” plugins and options to make the most out of your WordPress blog. If you want your own optimized self-hosted WordPress blog or if you need WordPress blog optimization please click here: WordPress Install Service.

WordPress Optimization Guide

When you log in to your blog or if you activate the Akismet plugin you may see a warning near the top like this:

Akismet is not active. You must enter your WordPress.com API key for it to work.

Click on it and follow the directions to keep the nasty spammers from adding comments with links to their websites to your blog.

If the warning is not shown click Plugins and click Activate on the right next to Akismet. If it is activated then check your API key by clicking Options, Akismet Configuration.

Use the same API key for the WordPress.com Stats plugin found under Options, WordPress.com Stats.

To obtain an API key you must create a free account on WordPress.com. And it can be very confusing for new WordPress bloggers! Here is a post that explains the difference between your self-hosted WordPress dashboard and the WordPress.com Global dashboard: WordPress API Key Global Dashboard Confusion

Then please carefully read the instructions how to obtain the API key on this post: How To Get A WordPress API Key

Your blog has been search engine optimized, has it’s own Google sitemap that automatically notifies Google when any new posts are made. It also automatically pings all the top services so you need not and should not use any other services to ping your blog.

To better optimize your blog, click Options or Settings, All In One SEO, check, change and or add your Home Title, Home Description, and Home keywords. Then click Update options.

You should also update the About page. Click Manage, Pages and then click Edit on the right next to the About Page. Add your details in here.

All other instructions and guides can be found in the links below. You will notice that you will be reading instructions on two different sites. I own both of these and started the WordPress service on the Work At Home Business Blog, but when that started to really take off I decided to start this dedicated WordPress site.

Did you download the free ebooks I suggested ? Both the Authority Black Book and Blog Mastermind are excellent free resources about blogging. I don’t have any association with them and the authors will market to you, but they are worth the time and your email address to get them. The links for them can be found here http://www.wordpressmax.com/thanks/

Below are some links to instructions to help get you started.

Please keep in mind that as WordPress evolves some of the options you see in the posts below may no longer be relevant, or slightly different now. If you don’t have an option or plugin installed in your blog it is highly likely by design.

After your blog has been properly named and the All In One SEO plugin configured make sure to claim your blog at Technorati here: Technorati.com and register at Blogskinny.com

Blogskinny.com also has a list of blog directories that you can submit your blog to.

Important note for version 2.5 users!

Most of the guides are based on previous versions of WordPress, the options are similar but getting to them or the names may have changed. For example Presentation is called Design and Options is now called Settings. The Blogroll is now called Links and found under the Manage menu in 2.5.x.

Yeah I know I have work to do to get the guides updated for version 2.5.x.

WordPress 2.5 Sidebar Widgets Guide

WordPress 2.5 Sidebar Widgets Video

Add Items To The Sidebar With Text Widgets

Use WordPress Blogroll For Site Navigation

WordPress General Options Guide

WordPress New Blog Options Checklist

Adding and Changing WordPress Themes

50 Best Free WordPress Themes Gallery

Configure A New WordPress Blog

How to change the color of your header For the default theme only.

WordPress Guide To Writing A WordPress Post

Write WordPress Blog Posts That Top The Search Engines

How To Use The WordPress Plugin AdSense-Deluxe

Find new WordPress themes here: http://themes.wordpress.net/

Follow the instructions on this page to add new themes and plugins to your blog: Upload WordPress Themes and Plugins From The Dashboard

Change And Install WordPress Themes

If you want to get a link to your blog from mine just leave a short testimonial about my service in the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the page here: Install WordPress

There are many more WordPress Guides here to help you make the most out of your blog. Just use the search box on the lower right sidebar to find what you are looking for.

Can’t find what you need? You can always “Ask Max” or email me.

Thanks again!

Jeff Houdyschell

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