WordPress Post-Launch: 7 High-Impact Actions in the First 7 Days

WordPress Post-Launch: 7 High-Impact Actions in the First 7 Days

A newly launched site is usually “fine” but rarely resilient or performance-focused. This guide prioritizes high-leverage steps (defense, performance, observability, governance) before scaling content or traffic.

1. Harden access surface

**Problem:** Predictable login endpoint + weak credentials invite automated attacks.

**Action:** Enforce strong passwords, enable 2FA for privileged roles, limit attempts (fail2ban / rate limiting), optionally shield /wp-admin behind WAF/IP rules.

**Outcome:** Reduced brute-force noise and lower risk footprint.

2. Freeze and prune plugins

**Problem:** Plugin bloat increases attack surface, DB queries, update pressure.

**Action:** Inventory → classify (core / essential / removable). Remove optional plugins. Document decisions in version control.

**Outcome:** Lower TTFB, fewer CVEs to track, simpler patch cadence.

3. Caching & critical asset policy

**Problem:** Slow first render and static assets without explicit caching.

**Action:** Enable page cache (and object cache if useful), set proper cache-control for CSS/JS/images with hashed filenames, selectively preload only truly critical fonts.

**Outcome:** Better LCP and lighter server load under peaks.

4. Minimum performance observability

**Problem:** Regressions only visible after user complaints.

**Action:** Run automated Lighthouse + PSI collection (already in pipeline), define thresholds in perf_thresholds.json, keep history + auto-issue escalation.

**Outcome:** Data-driven iteration path and early warning.

5. Media discipline & deduplication

**Problem:** Duplicate uploads inflate storage and backup time.

**Action:** Hash-based dedup (.media_map.json), naming conventions, consider CDN when scaling. Periodically review reuse report.

**Outcome:** Lean library and faster backup cycles.

6. Configuration hardening & quick scan

**Problem:** Default config leaves lateral risk vectors.

**Action:** Ensure DISALLOW_FILE_EDIT, valid salts, forced HTTPS, remove/deny leftover installer files. Run an external scan (e.g. wpscan) and log findings.

**Outcome:** Solid baseline aligned with practical security hygiene.

7. Codified publishing workflow

**Problem:** Manual panel edits create silent drift and inconsistencies.

**Action:** Adopt repository-driven content: plan/apply, preflight gates (links, taxonomies, completeness), performance soft gating, auto-issues.

**Outcome:** Predictable, auditable and low-friction operations.

Quick Checklist

  • [ ] 2FA + rate limited login
  • [ ] Plugin inventory & bloat removed
  • [ ] Page/object cache + static cache headers
  • [ ] PSI thresholds defined & monitored
  • [ ] Media dedup reuse tracked
  • [ ] Config hardened (salts, HTTPS, file edit off)
  • [ ] Automated publish pipeline in place

Key Metrics to Watch

  • Mobile LCP (target < 2.5s, ideal < 2.0s)
  • CLS (< 0.1 stable)
  • Media reuse ratio trending upward
  • Zero unexpected content drift
  • Consecutive threshold failures (avoid escalation)

Next Step

After week one: advance technical SEO (JSON-LD, hreflang) and introduce light load testing.

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*Part of the continuous governance & automation series.*