Reading Settings – This is going to be another quick post.  These settings are super easy and will only take you about 5 minutes to do.  But they are as important as the rest.  This will get you set up and one step closer to starting your blog.

Now, remember I know a lot of people who have used WordPress for years have skipped some of these steps, which included me until I decided to become a full-time blogger and realized there were so many things that I didn’t know about WordPress, even though I took a whole WordPress course in college.  It is something that is always skipped over because it is basic.  But that is why I am doing this post because it usually is not done.

Your Home Page Displays

This is what your reading settings look like.  This is also exactly how I set up mine.  If I am using Elegant Themes Extra Theme.  But for most of you, you will be using a WordPress Theme.  I do highly recommend using the Divi theme or Extra.  

Lets start at the top.   Now, you can do one of two things on the normal WordPress theme.  You can choose to have your latest posts as your home page.  I really don’t recommend this for the mere fact that when people enter your domain name address at go to your site all they will see are your blog posts.  

I like having a custom home page.  That why you can show different things.  I like having an opt in form above the fold that offers something.  So that is why I like using a static page.  

These are two of my homepages.  This way you can customize the way you want it to look at what they see.  I put my most popular posts on this page.  I do not have a sidebar cluttering it up.  But we will go into more detail about that later.  When we get to the design of your website. 

This setting is the setting that determines how your blog page will look.  If you see in the pictures above.  I have it set for 10 in both areas and summary only.  You can have it set for more or less, but I feel ten is a good number and it is also the preset on WordPress.  

Feed – Reading Settings in WordPress

The syndication feed is the RSS feed.  

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and it’s is a simple, standardized content distribution method that can help you stay up-to-date with your favorite newscasts, blogs, websites, and social media channels. Instead of visiting sites to find new posts or subscribing to sites to receive notification of new posts, find the RSS feed on a website and read new posts in an RSS reader. 

Now, this setting is the way your posts will show up on your blog page.  Not your blog post itself but the blog feed.  I am sure you have all seen blog feeds.  Some people will have a full post on each one and it feels like your endlessly scrolling through the page.  It can be a good thing because people will see more of your posts.  But I would rather have summary so that they can find what they want quick.

 I do recommend using the summary for that main reason.  But you may be asking won’t it be better if they have the whole post and more on the page?  No it really isn’t people have short attention spans while on the internet.  They like to click and go to the next thing.  

In the summary setup they can see quick snippets on what the post will be about and then decide if they want to read.  When they read you link to other posts you have on your site that has to do with the same subject.  That way you also get more page views.  

Last Setting in the Reading Settings

Search engine – Now this might seem obvious to you.  You want search engines to find you.  Because that way you can be found. Here is an article that kind of explains the reason why you may want to click this.

I always leave this unchecked.  But you can also leave things out of indexing on specific pages and such.  But we will go down that path later.  

I hope this post helps you understand your settings a little more.  

If you need help choosing a domain name or even your niche check out the linked articles.