Getting Started with WordPress: Your First 24 Hours

Introduction

You've just acquired a WordPress website - whether you purchased a domain from GrabURL or installed WordPress fresh. The first 24 hours are crucial for getting oriented and taking control of your new digital asset. This guide walks you through everything you need to do immediately after gaining access to your WordPress site, ensuring a smooth start to your website ownership journey.

Hour 1-2: Secure Your Access

Change Your Password Immediately

Your first action should always be securing access:

1. Log into WordPress admin (typically yourdomain.com/wp-admin)
2. Go to Users > Your Profile
3. Scroll to "Account Management"
4. Click "Set New Password"
5. Use a strong password (12+ characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols)
6. Click "Update Profile"

Update Your Email Address

Ensure WordPress notifications reach you:

1. In Users > Your Profile
2. Update the email address to one you actively monitor
3. Verify the email works by testing password reset

Review All User Accounts

Check who has access:

1. Go to Users > All Users
2. Review each account's role (Administrator, Editor, etc.)
3. Delete or demote any unnecessary admin accounts
4. Update passwords for any accounts you keep

Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Add extra security with a plugin like:

1. Wordfence (free version includes 2FA)
2. Two Factor Authentication by Plugin Contributors
3. Google Authenticator by miniOrange

Hour 2-4: Explore Your Dashboard

Familiarize Yourself with Key Areas

The WordPress dashboard has several main sections:

Posts

Where blog content lives. Review existing posts to understand:

• Content topics and style
• Categories being used
• Tags applied
• Publication schedule

Pages

Static content like About, Contact, Services. Check:

• What pages exist
• Page hierarchy (parent/child)
• Which is set as homepage

Media Library

All uploaded files. Note:

• Existing images and assets
• Organization system used
• Storage space used

Comments

User engagement on posts. Review:

• Pending comments for approval
• Spam settings
• Comment moderation settings

Appearance > Themes

Your site's design. Identify:

• Active theme name
• Any child theme
• Available themes

Plugins

Functionality extensions. Catalog:

• Active plugins and their purpose
• Inactive plugins (consider deleting)
• Update status

Settings

Site configuration. Review:

• General (site title, tagline)
• Reading (homepage display)
• Permalinks (URL structure)
• Discussion (comment settings)

Hour 4-6: Perform Critical Updates

Update WordPress Core

1. Go to Dashboard > Updates
2. If an update is available, back up first
3. Click "Update Now"
4. Wait for completion

Update All Themes

1. Still in Dashboard > Updates
2. Check all theme updates
3. Click "Update Themes"

Update All Plugins

1. In the same Updates section
2. Select all plugin updates
3. Click "Update Plugins"

Why Updates Matter

• Security: Patches vulnerabilities
• Performance: Improves speed
• Compatibility: Ensures everything works together
• Features: Adds new capabilities

Hour 6-8: Set Up Backups

Choose a Backup Solution

Popular free options:

UpdraftPlus (Recommended)

• Free version is feature-rich
• Stores backups to cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox)
• Schedule automatic backups
• Easy restoration

BackWPup

• Comprehensive backup options
• Multiple storage destinations
• Database and file backups

Configure Automatic Backups

With UpdraftPlus:

1. Install and activate the plugin
2. Go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups
3. Click "Settings" tab
4. Set files backup schedule: Daily
5. Set database backup schedule: Daily
6. Choose remote storage (Google Drive recommended)
7. Authenticate with your cloud account
8. Save changes
9. Run your first manual backup

Verify Backups Work

1. After first backup completes
2. Check your cloud storage
3. Confirm files are present
4. Keep at least 7 days of backups

Hour 8-10: Review Security Settings

Install a Security Plugin

Wordfence (free) provides:

• Firewall protection
• Malware scanning
• Login security
• Real-time threat defense

Basic Wordfence Setup:

1. Install and activate
2. Run initial scan
3. Enable firewall
4. Set up email alerts
5. Enable login rate limiting

Check File Permissions

Proper permissions prevent unauthorized access:

• Folders: 755
• Files: 644
• wp-config.php: 600

Your host can help verify these.

Remove Default Content

Delete standard WordPress content:

• "Hello World" sample post
• "Sample Page"
• Unused default themes (keep one as backup)
• Unused plugins

Hour 10-12: Understand Your Content

Inventory Existing Content

Create a spreadsheet documenting:

Posts:

• Total number
• Categories used
• Most popular posts (by comments/views)
• Content gaps to fill

Pages:

• All current pages
• Page purposes
• Pages needing updates
• Missing essential pages

Media:

• Total files
• Organization system
• Quality of images
• Missing images

Review Content Quality

For each major piece of content, assess:

• Is information accurate and current?
• Are there broken links?
• Do images display correctly?
• Is the writing quality acceptable?

Identify Quick Wins

Note easy improvements:

• Typos to fix
• Outdated dates to update
• Broken links to repair
• Missing images to add

Hour 12-14: Configure SEO Basics

Install an SEO Plugin

Yoast SEO or RankMath are excellent choices.

Basic Yoast Setup:

1. Install and activate
2. Run the configuration wizard
3. Connect to Google Search Console
4. Set up XML sitemaps
5. Configure title templates

Verify Indexing Settings

Check Settings > Reading:

• Ensure "Discourage search engines" is UNCHECKED (unless you need privacy)

Review Permalink Structure

Settings > Permalinks:

• Recommended: "Post name" (%postname%)
• Don't change if site is established (breaks existing links)

Submit Sitemap to Google

1. Find your sitemap (usually yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml)
2. Go to Google Search Console
3. Add your site if not already
4. Submit your sitemap

Hour 14-16: Test Site Functionality

Check All Pages Load

Visit every important page:

• Homepage
• Blog page
• About/Contact
• Any key landing pages
• 404 error page

Test Forms

Submit test entries to:

• Contact forms
• Newsletter signups
• Comment forms
• Search functionality

Verify Mobile Display

Check your site on:

• Mobile phone
• Tablet
• Different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)

Test Page Speed

Use free tools:

• Google PageSpeed Insights
• GTmetrix
• Pingdom

Document baseline scores for comparison.

Hour 16-18: Review Analytics

Check Google Analytics

If connected:

1. Access Analytics account
2. Review traffic sources
3. Identify top-performing content
4. Note audience demographics
5. Check for traffic anomalies

Set Up Analytics If Missing

1. Create Google Analytics 4 property
2. Get tracking code
3. Install via plugin (MonsterInsights, Site Kit)
4. Verify tracking works

Review Google Search Console

Check for:

• Index coverage issues
• Security warnings
• Manual actions (penalties)
• Performance data

Hour 18-20: Plan Your Strategy

Define Your Goals

What do you want this site to achieve?

• Generate ad revenue?
• Capture leads?
• Sell products?
• Build an audience?
• Establish authority?

Identify Priorities

Based on your review, list:

1. Urgent fixes (security, broken elements)
2. High-impact improvements (SEO, speed)
3. Content opportunities
4. Design enhancements
5. Monetization strategies

Create a 30-Day Plan

Week 1: Technical fixes and security Week 2: Content updates and optimization Week 3: SEO improvements Week 4: Growth initiatives

Hour 20-24: Document Everything

Create a Site Bible

Document important information:

Access Credentials

• WordPress admin URL
• Username (never share password in docs)
• Hosting login
• Domain registrar login

Technical Details

• Theme name and version
• Key plugins and purposes
• Hosting provider
• DNS settings

Content Strategy

• Target audience
• Content categories
• Publishing schedule
• Style guidelines

Business Information

• Monetization methods
• Traffic sources
• Revenue data
• Growth goals

First Week Checklist

Complete these tasks within your first week:

Security

• Changed all passwords
• Enabled two-factor authentication
• Installed security plugin
• Removed unnecessary users
• Updated all software

Backups

• Installed backup plugin
• Configured automatic backups
• Verified backup storage works
• Tested restoration process

Content

• Reviewed all existing content
• Fixed obvious errors
• Updated outdated information
• Removed/redirected broken links

SEO

• Installed SEO plugin
• Configured basic settings
• Submitted sitemap
• Verified search console

Analytics

• Confirmed tracking is active
• Reviewed historical data
• Set up goals/conversions
• Noted baseline metrics

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I'm locked out of WordPress?

Access your hosting's file manager or FTP. In wp-content/plugins, rename the folder of any security plugin blocking you. You can also reset passwords via phpMyAdmin in your hosting control panel.

Should I change the theme immediately?

Not necessarily. Get comfortable with the existing setup first. Changing themes can affect functionality and SEO. Plan theme changes carefully after understanding your site.

How do I know which plugins are important?

Deactivate plugins one at a time and check if anything breaks. Essential plugins typically handle security, backups, SEO, and caching. Remove plugins you can't identify a purpose for.

What if I find malware or security issues?

Run a security scan with Wordfence. If infected, consider professional malware removal or restore from a clean backup. GrabURL domains are scanned before listing, but always verify.

Can I change everything at once?

Make changes incrementally. Major simultaneous changes make troubleshooting difficult if something breaks. Document what you change and when.

Key Takeaways

• Security first: Change passwords and enable 2FA immediately
• Updates matter: Keep WordPress, themes, and plugins current
• Backup early: Configure automatic backups before making changes
• Know your content: Review everything before modifying
• Document everything: Create records of access and configuration
• Plan strategically: Don't rush into major changes

Next Steps

Now that you've mastered your first 24 hours, explore our guides on WordPress performance optimization, advanced SEO techniques, and monetization strategies to maximize your new website's potential.

Meta Description: Master your first 24 hours with WordPress. This step-by-step guide covers security, updates, backups, and essential configurations for new WordPress site owners.

Keywords: wordpress getting started, wordpress first steps, new wordpress site, wordpress setup guide, wordpress tutorial beginners