WordPress freelancer from Munich

The following aspects should definitely be checked after every relaunch:

1. Redirect old pages to new pages (301 redirects)
   Helpful plugin: 301 Redirects
2. Set up SEO plugin and create/update sitemap
   Helpful plugin: Yoast
3. Fill in meta description and meta title for all pages
4. Check SSL certificate (HTTPS)
   Helpful tool: Ionos SSL Certificate Checker
5. Set up Google Analytics (or other tracking tools)
   Helpful plugin: Google Sitekit
6. Test mobile-friendliness and browser compatibility
   Helpful tool: Browserstack (testing on all device and browser types)
   
7. Test contact forms and checkouts
8. Optimize page load time
   Testing with Google Pagespeed
   Optimize with WP Rocket
9. Insert favicon
10. Activate backups

Helpful plugin: Updraft Plus
https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/

The server cache stores data on the server in advance in order to improve the loading times of the website. This cache is usually managed by a WordPress plugin and is automatically updated when changes are made to the website. If this does not happen, the cache must be cleared manually. As an administrator, you will find the corresponding option in the top navigation bar, often under names such as “Clear Cache”, “Purge Cache” or “Flush Cache” or directly in the settings of the caching plugin.

Attention: Two caching plugins do not have a double effect, but block each other and significantly reduce the website speed.

The selection of pagespeed plugins is diverse and expert opinions vary. Here are my recommendations:

Main recommendation: WP Rocket

1. Server caching: Activated automatically when the plugin is installed.
2. Lazy loading for images: Can be activated manually in the settings.
3. Javascript defer and reload: Can also be activated manually, but be careful as errors may occur in individual cases.
4. Content Delivery Network (CDN): Can be set up after the plugin installation.

Other recommended measures:

1. Image size optimization with Imagify
2. Ensure WordPress, themes and plugins are up to date
3. Keep PHP version up to date

These measures form the basic framework for better page performance and are among the so-called “low-hanging fruits” in pagespeed optimization.

If you want to choose a WordPress plugin for commercial purposes, there are several criteria you should consider to ensure that the plugin is reliable, secure and efficient.

1. Plugin up-to-dateness: Check when the plugin was last updated. A plugin that is updated regularly shows that the developer is active and fixes any security gaps or bugs promptly. If the plugin has been updated within the last month, this is a very good sign.
2. Plugin support: Check how many support requests and how many responses there have been in the last month. At best, both figures are high.
3. Active Installations: See how many other WordPress websites have the plugin installed. This figure should be as high as possible.
4. Developer of the plugin: Take a look at who developed the plugin. A renowned company as a developer is often an indicator of higher quality and reliable support. Individuals can also develop excellent plug-ins, but a company is often more reliable in the long term for continuous support and further development.

There are many ways to translate WordPress, but my favorite in most cases is the plugin WPML. You can usually install it and set it up quickly so that you can translate 80% of the content yourself within a few minutes.

Advantages of WPML:

• Clarity: WPML clearly shows which subpages have already been translated.
• Separate design and translation: By using a translation table, you can translate blocks of text without having to change the design of the page.
• Automatic translation: The plugin also offers the option for automatic translations.

To the WPML website
The CMS version is best suited for more complex websites, while the Basic version is often sufficient for simple websites.

There is a very large selection here. My current recommendation is Cookiebot, among others. It is a simple and inexpensive option among the available cookie plugins.

How to set it up yourself:

1. Registration:
   Visit the Cookiebot website and register for an account. The cheapest version is usually sufficient.
2. Installation:
   After registering, install the Cookiebot plugin on your WordPress website.
3. Account linking:
   Open the plugin in your WordPress dashboard and link your Cookiebot account to your website.
4. Banner customization:
   Log in to your Cookiebot account and personalize the look of the cookie notice banner.
5. Cookie categorization:
   Cookiebot scans your website and categorizes the cookies it finds into “Necessary”, “Marketing” and “Statistics”, usually within 24 hours.
6. Privacy policy:
   Insert the shortcode [cookie_declaration] into your privacy policy to automatically list the recognized cookies.

Note: I do not guarantee that Cookiebot will correctly record or categorize all cookies. Its use should be checked by your data protection officer and is at your own risk.

Implementing Google’s services has never been easier. Some time ago, Google released the WordPress plugin Google Site Kit for this purpose.

Simply install the plugin and link it to your Google accounts. This completes the basic setup.

The security of your website is of the utmost importance. A clear recommendation for this is the WordPress plugin Wordfence. After installing the plugin, you create a free account on the website. As soon as it is activated, Wordfence sets up a large number of relevant security measures that provide extensive protection. The plugin also has numerous options to make the website even more secure.

Every website, no matter how big or small, should have backups. Although the host often makes its own backups, you should not rely on them. A clear recommendation for a backup plugin is the WordPress plugin UpdraftPlus.

The advantages of UpdraftPlus:

1. Backups on your own server or in the cloud:
   You can back up your data to various cloud storage locations such as Dropbox, Google Drive and Amazon S3.
2. Time-controlled backups:
   Set up monthly, daily or hourly backups.
3. Easy recovery:
   In the event of a hack, server failure or human error, you can restore your WordPress website with just a few clicks.

Of course, there are numerous backup alternatives.