Whenever we get started with a Joomla website, we knowingly or unknowingly make a lot of mistakes. But the good part is that every new mistake is a new learning opportunity for us. But it is always a good idea to avoid mistakes and try doing things in the right way.
Hence to help you out I am going to talk about 20 Most Common Joomla Mistakes to Avoid. So you can know about them beforehand and stop making small rookie mistakes. So let’s just head into the topic without wasting much of the time:
20 Most Common Joomla Mistakes to Avoid
No backups
There are quite a lot of Joomla users out there who completely ignores the part of taking a backup. No matter if you are running a WordPress website or a Joomla website, taking a backup of your website is a healthy practice. The thing about online properties is that they can get vanished at any time. Maybe your hosting will suspend your account, or your website will get hacked. But when you have a backup of your website, you know that if things go wrong, you will be able to make things as it was before.
We have compiled a list of best Joomla backup extensions those you can use to take regular backup of your website.
Ignoring Joomla Core Updates
We often ignore Joomla core updates. As most of us think that it is not necessary. However, whenever there is an update you must install it. On a regular basis, Joomla releases a version update. But if you are someone who hardly visits their Joomla dashboard page then there is a high chance that you have avoided the updates and you should not do it. Updates are essentials and it helps you to protect your websites from hackers. As well as it helps you to get rid of bugs if you are facing any.
No Database Maintenance
One of the most avoided areas on a Joomla website is the database. We often forget to take care of it. However, the thing is that the databases grow pretty fast and if you do not maintain it properly then it can slow down your website and as a result, your website won't offer you great performance. Apart from database maintenance, there are many factors which help you to boost your Joomla site speed.
Ignoring Joomla Extension Updates
Just like the core Joomla update, you also have to make sure that you have installed all the Joomla extension updates. There are hackers who are always looking for ways to access Joomla websites and one of their primary targets is the Joomla extensions. As a result, if an extension gets compromised by them. Then they can hack your website. However, the good part is that the developers of the extension keep checking everything and releases updates from time to time. This way, you get new features as well as better security from the extension.
No Image Optimization
There is one common mistake that most of the newbie makes, they completely ignore the part of image optimization. However, you should not. Whenever you click an image, you store a lot of information in an image. This detail includes the date of capture, camera details, and so on. However, most of the time, these details are no use of us. But what it does is that it increases the size of the image.
So whenever you use it on your Joomla website, it takes a lot of time to load. As a result, your website performs slow. However, by optimizing the images, you will be able to reduce the size of the image and get better performance.
Not organizing files
Many people even ignore the part of organizing files and it is always a good thing to organize your files nicely. At one side, all your content is categorized. But your images are not. Although this may be an okay thing for many people out there. But after a year when you plan to review your website, you will find a hard time finding the images that you would like to delete. So always keep your files organized.
Copy and pasting malformatted content
If you are copying content from Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or any program to your Joomla editor. Then there is a high chance that you are pasting some of the markups along with it and usually, you do not get to see it. Unless you are reviewing the source code of what you have pasted. Hence it is always a good idea to check the code of the content after posting it.
Not using a good hosting company
For any website, a good hosting company is extremely important. By shifting to a good web hosting company, you will be able to minimize a lot of things like server response time and so on. As well as it will help you to load your website even faster and help you to get a great experience.
If you are looking for the best Joomla hosting, go with Siteground Hosting.
Improper file permissions
We often see people complaining that their Joomla website is not working perfectly and one of the biggest reason behind this is that the file permissions are not right. We often find a lot of improper file permissions on your websites and this file permissions can lead to website hacking. Hence it is good to have proper file permission settings. Want to know more about file permissions? Have a look at this article.
Not consulting a professional
Sometimes we do not care to consult with a professional consultant while creating a business website. A professional service may seem costly. But it is worth the try. By taking the help of a professional, you will be able to run your website smoothly. As well as you will be able to avoid unwanted problems.
Outbound links open in the same window
We often add links to our Joomla content, and there is nothing wrong in that. However, what most of the newbies does is that they let the content open in the same window. This way, the user jumps from your page to another website. As a result, you lost the visitor. Instead, you should always focus on letting external links open in a new window.
Files name should be descriptive
You must describe your file names. This way, search engines will be able to understand your images in a better way. You can always name your files like 1.jpg or 2.jpg. But this would not help search engines to understand your images. Instead, you should be more descriptive. Like if you are uploading an image of roses, then you can name it red_roses.jpg. So search engines can understand it.
Having space in your file names
You must not add space in your file names. Whenever you are creating a file or uploading any file, be it an image or anything. Always make sure that you are not using a space. Instead, you can use an underscore to separate the words. This way, you will be able to prevent messy code and can create unpredictable problems.
Typing Directly Into Joomla
Typing directly into Joomla editor? You should not do it. Whenever you log in to your Joomla admin, you start a session. The session lasts for about 15 minutes by default, and then it redirects to the global configuration page. No, when you are writing something on your Joomla dashboard, then there is a high chance that your session will end before you finish your job and as a result, you will lose your unsaved work. Instead, write in other applications like notepad and paste it on your Joomla editor.
Not using security extensions
Your website can be hacked anytime, and there is nothing that you can do. However, in order to prevent the hack, you must have a security extension installed on your Joomla site. The extension will minimize the risk of the site being hacked. As well as it will offer you a bunch of features which will help you out. Apart from using Joomla security extensions, here is a detailed guide about Joomla security.
Underlining headings
We often end up underlining a heading. However, you should not do it. Because most of the users tend to think that underlined texts are a link. So they try to click on it. So it is better not to create any kind of confusion. Instead, use the underline feature only when you are pasting a link.
Your site doesn’t have a user-friendly design
If your website does not have a user-friendly design, then the users may hit the back button instantly. This will only increase the bounce rate of your website. As well as you will end up losing customers and visitors. Instead, pick a responsive Joomla template which gives the user a great experience.
Not focusing on SEO
If you are not focusing on SEO, then you are doing the biggest mistake. If you seriously want to make a profit out of your website you need to focus on SEO part as well. With the help of SEO, you will be getting organic traffic to your website and get more sales or revenue. Here are the 15 proven ways to improve your Joomla site SEO.
Not optimizing your site for mobile devices
People are more likely to access the internet through their mobile phones and not with their computer. Hence it is extremely important to optimize your website for mobile devices. You can do it by choosing the right theme that looks great on desktop as well as on mobile.
Link Structure
Focus on internal link structure as you build your website. You should not link to dead pages of your website. As this will harm the SEO of your website. Instead, focus on linking to the most important pages of your website only. Also, often look for dead pages and redirect those broken links to your home page.
Apart from this, you need to make site urls search and user-friendly. Here is an article about how to create SEO Friendly URLs.
Final Words:
So those were the 20 Most Common Joomla Mistakes to Avoid. Go ahead and keep these points in your mind and make sure not to make any of these mistakes. Also, for any questions do comment below.
