Even the smallest things that happen in WordPress can suddenly become huge problems—if you don’t know how to fix them. Here they are, some tiny, some big.
1. Why is there a double return in my posts?
When you are doing a post or page and hit return, it gives you a space between lines. To get to single-line spacing, simply click Shift > Return.
2. How do I create an ‘email me’ link?
If instead of listing your email, you would rather link the text ‘email me,’ just highlight your text, click on the hyperlink button, and in the link URL type, mailto:you@youremail.com
3. How do I make my window bigger?
To enlarge your window, find that little ridged corner in the lower right-hand side of the box and drag it down. Or set it globally in Settings > Writing > size of posts box.
4. Which is better in my URL: underlines or dashes?
Search engines still prefer the dash. WordPress automatically puts them into the URL for posts and pages, but remember to do it when you are creating names for graphics and pdfs, too.
5. How do I fix the time zone settings for when my post is published?
In your Settings > General, make sure you have selected your preferred correct time zone. This makes a big difference when you are scheduling posts.
6. How do I make sure I’m set up for indexing by Google?
Make sure that your privacy settings are set correctly in Settings > Privacy. Typically, you don’t want them to index your pages while you are building your site. But do remember to change it when it’s complete and you go officially live.
7. Why does it say my posts are written by XBob$tl789?
If you are like me, you create strong usernames. Just make sure you have selected your own name under your user settings to show as the author—and not the username you made unique for a reason for security reasons. That is not the one you want to use when you publish your posts.
8. How do I retrieve a lost password?
Always make sure the email you have on your Settings > General page and on your user profile is an active one. If it isn’t, and you happen to lose your password, you will have to dig around in your database via phpmyadmin to set up a new one.
9. Why is my URL still displaying mydomain.com/?p=123?
If you are self-hosted, you should change your permalinks. The search engines will find you so much easier with URLs that have keyword-friendly post and page titles attached to them.
10. Why did my site go poof?
If you’ve been hanging around FBBB on WordPress Wednesdays, you’ve heard me say this before. If you are self-hosted, you need to have a good backup system in place. Shit can happen, so don’t risk coming up empty-handed.
Have you experienced any of these problems with your WordPress blog?
