First Steps After Your Site Goes Live

This article covers the essential tasks you need to complete immediately after your WordPress site goes live on Web60.

1. Update Your WordPress Admin Password

Your site came with a temporary admin password. Change this first:

1. Go to your website address followed by /wp-admin (example: yoursite.ie/wp-admin)
2. Log in with the credentials Web60 provided
3. Click "Users" in the left menu, then "All Users"
4. Click on your username
5. Scroll to "New Password" and click "Generate Password"
6. Replace the generated password with your own strong password
7. Click "Update User"

2. Set Up Google Analytics (Optional)

To track your website visitors:

1. Create a Google Analytics account at analytics.google.com
2. Add your website and get your tracking code
3. In WordPress, go to "Appearance" then "Theme Editor"
4. Find "header.php" and add your tracking code before the closing </head> tag
5. Save the file

Alternatively, install a plugin like "Google Analytics Dashboard for WP" to handle this automatically.

3. Check Your Contact Forms Work

Test every contact form on your site:

1. Fill out each form as a customer would
2. Submit the form
3. Check that you receive the email
4. If emails aren't arriving, check your spam folder first

If forms still don't work, contact Web60 support as this may be a server configuration issue.

4. Install Essential Security Plugins

WordPress needs security plugins to stay protected:

1. Go to "Plugins" then "Add New"
2. Search for "Wordfence Security"
3. Install and activate it
4. Follow the setup wizard
5. Enable email notifications for security alerts

5. Verify Your Backups Are Working

Web60 handles automatic backups, but confirm they're running:

1. Log into your Web60 control panel (cPanel)
2. Look for "Backup" or "Backup Wizard"
3. Check that recent backups appear in the list
4. Download one backup to test the process

6. Test Your Site Speed

Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site loads quickly:

1. Go to pagespeed.web.dev
2. Enter your website address
3. Review the scores for mobile and desktop
4. If scores are below 70, contact support for optimization help

7. Set Up Monitoring

Use a free service like UptimeRobot to monitor if your site goes down:

1. Create an account at uptimerobot.com
2. Add your website URL
3. Set up email alerts

If you're still stuck with any of these steps, contact Web60 support through your control panel or email hello@web60.ie.

FAQ

Q: How long after going live should I complete these steps?

A: Complete the password change and contact form testing immediately. Finish the rest within your first week online.

Q: What if I can't access wp-admin?

A: Check you're using the correct URL (yoursite.ie/wp-admin) and the login details Web60 provided. Clear your browser cache and try again.

Q: Do I need to install security plugins if Web60 handles security?

A: Yes. Web60 provides server-level security, but WordPress applications need their own security plugins for complete protection.

Q: How often should I check my backups?

A: Check weekly for the first month, then monthly. Always verify backups work before making major changes to your site.

Q: What's a good PageSpeed Insights score?

A: Aim for 70+ on mobile and desktop. Scores above 90 are excellent. Below 50 means your site loads too slowly.

Q: Can I skip Google Analytics if I'm a small business?

A: You can skip it initially, but it's valuable for understanding your customers. You can add it later when you're ready to analyze visitor data.

Q: What if my contact forms work but emails go to spam?

A: This is common with new domains. Contact Web60 support to configure SPF and DKIM records, which improve email delivery.