Common mistakes when building a website

When you get started building a Web site, you make many mistakes (often unconsciously). The great thing is that you can learn from every mistake, so you can never make enough mistakes. But let's avoid these mistakes and do things the right way.

Forgetting to back up

I regularly come across websites that don't have a full backup available. It doesn't matter if you're using a Joomla or WordPress website (or a completely different system). Make sure that before every update or change you make a complete backup (of files and database). If something goes wrong somewhere then you can always restore the website.

Ignoring Joomla Core Updates

In recent years it has been made very easy for you. You can perform Joomla (minor and bugfix) updates with 1 push of a button. Updates are released with regularity and at least 1x month (on Tuesdays). Yet there are many Joomla installations that do not run on the latest version. Of course, this can have several reasons, but if you want a good and safe website, then you need to keep up. Don't have time for this and/or don't feel like it? Then consider outsourcing the updates via a maintenance subscription. The costs for this are always less than repairing a website that turns out to have been hacked.

Ignoring extension updates

Just like the core Joomla update, you should also check that all Joomla or WordPress extensions are still up-to-date. Hackers are always looking for ways to gain access to your website, and an easy target are websites with extensions that are not properly maintained. However, the good news is that many extension developers keep checking everything and release updates from time to time. This way, you not only get new features but also better extension security.

Try out extensions on a live or development environment

If you are not sure whether the extension meets your expectations, first try it out on a separate test environment. If you do this on the live or development environment, you can leave a lot of mess in the files and/or database (even if you remove the extension immediately).

No database maintenance

One of the most unknown areas on a CMS website is the database. You often forget to take care of it even though you need to. The thing is, however, that databases can grow pretty fast. And if you don't maintain it properly, it can slow down your website and as a result, your website may not be found as well in search results.

An extension that I use to quickly optimize the database is Akeeba Admin Tools via the "Repair & Optimize Tables" button. In addition, it also doesn't hurt to use PHPmyAdmin to check the database for redundant tables or tables with lots of content. (And make a backup first, of course)

Not optimizing images

When you take a picture, you store a lot of information (metadata) in an image. The date of capture, camera details, etc. are data that can be found in the image, but are not at all relevant to a web visitor. This information does make the image heavier. In addition, you need to think about the size of the photo beforehand. If you want to show a small image, it is not necessary to upload a photo 2000px wide. When you use this photo on your website, it takes more time to load. As a result, your website does not perform as well. So resize your images appropriately and remove the meta-data before putting it on your website.

Files not organized

Many people know that in Joomla and Wordpress you can use categories and organize their articles neatly. On the other hand, they don't do that with files and everything is put in the /images folder. Most websites start out as a small project, but small projects grow big and after a year it's hard to determine which images are still being used and which ones you can delete. So always keep your files organized.

Don't change file names

When you use images, make sure they have a descriptive title. This way, search engines can better understand your images. So change the name IMG3201.jpg to the iphone8-spacegray-2018.jpg so that search engines can understand it and will also show your photos in search results.

Also, make sure not to use spaces in file names. Instead, you can use a dash to separate the words. This way you can avoid messy code and unpredictable problems.

Copying and pasting text from Microsoft Word

When you copy text from Google Documents, Microsoft Word or any other program into your editor, there's a good chance you're pasting in a lot of unnecessary code, which in many cases you won't see. Unless you look at the article's source code. That's why it's always a good idea to look at the code after you add the article.

Don't consult a professional

Running into problems or want to build the website yourself with a specialist on the sidelines giving you tips? I can always offer support in creating your website. Support obviously costs time and therefore money, but by enlisting the help of a professional, you can improve your website and avoid problems.

Outgoing links open in the same window

In the article we often make links to other websites and there is nothing wrong with that. What most people forget is that they open the content in the same window. This way, the visitor goes from your page to another website. As a result, you lose the visitor. Therefore, instead, you should always open all external links in a new window.

Do not use internal links

Focus on an internal link structure while building a website or writing an article. Focus on links to the most important pages of your website and make sure these pages are better found by the search engines.

Underlining text

Most users think that underlined text is a link. So they try to click on them. It is better not to create any kind of confusion and instead use the underline feature only when you are actually using a link.

Don't use reference management

Of course, you change your website with some regularity. Non-relevant articles will be removed, but what do you do with the URL that now no longer works? In Joomla's referral management, you can easily create redirects and redirect the page to an alternative or the home page so that the visitor does not see an error message.

Use the cheapest hosting company

For any website, a good hosting company is extremely important. By switching to a web hosting company with Joomla experience, you can improve many things, such as server response time, website security and so on. In addition, they can give you tips to improve your website.

If you are looking for a good Joomla or WordPress hosting, contact me to get your let advised.

Incorrect file permissions

One of the biggest causes of problems with a CMS is incorrect file permissions. I often find many incorrect folder and file permissions and this could even lead to a hacked website. That's why it's good to have the right file permissions settings. Want to know more about file permissions? Read this article for Joomla file permissions and this article for WordPress file permissions

An extension I use to set file permissions properly is Akeeba Admin Tools

Not extending the session duration

By default, the Joomla session duration is set to 15 minutes. When you write large article, like this one, then you spend more than 15 minutes on it. The result is that you save the article and you lose all the changes because your session has expired. Set the session duration in the general settings, or write your article in notepad and then copy it into a Joomla article.

Not focusing on SEO

If you're not focusing on SEO, you're making a big mistake. If you want your website to start generating something, the first thing you need is for it to be found by the search engines. With the help of SEO, you will get organic traffic to your website and get more sales or revenue. Delve into SEO developments or take a look at my SEO Dashboard.

Not using a professional design

If your website does not have a professional look, visitors will immediately hit the "Back" button. This increases your website's bounce rate and you will lose visitors and customers. Instead, choose a responsive Joomla template that offers the user a great experience.

Not taking full advantage of the possibilities

Joomla has many features to offer. For example, consider using 2 factor authentication for the velocity of your website. Or the use of custom fields, making many extensions unnecessary. Always think carefully about what extensions you need and what not, so you can stay as close to the core as possible. This ultimately also provides a simpler management and easier upgrade to the new version of Joomla.

These were the mistakes I frequently encounter when analyzing a website. Hopefully you learned something from it and you won't make these mistakes again. Let me know in the comments below, what was your biggest mistake when building a website.