Best Practices Guide

Follow these recommendations for a secure, efficient, and SEO-friendly Wash setup.

WordPress Configuration

Hide WordPress from Public

Since Shopify serves your content, WordPress should be private:

Option 1: Password Protection

Use a plugin like "Password Protected" to require login for the entire site.

Option 2: IP Restriction

Restrict access to your office IP or VPN in .htaccess:

<Files *> Order Deny,Allow Deny from all Allow from YOUR.IP.ADDRESS
</Files>

Option 3: Maintenance Mode

Use a maintenance mode plugin that allows logged-in users to access.

Block Search Engines

Prevent duplicate content by blocking WordPress from search engines:

  1. Go to Settings → Reading
  2. Check Discourage search engines from indexing this site

Or add to robots.txt:

User-agent: *
Disallow: /

Disable Public RSS Feeds

Prevent content scraping via RSS:

// In functions.php
remove_action('wp_head', 'feed_links', 2);
remove_action('wp_head', 'feed_links_extra', 3);

Security Best Practices

Keep WordPress Updated

  • Enable automatic updates for minor releases
  • Update major releases promptly
  • Keep all plugins updated
  • Remove unused themes and plugins

Secure User Accounts

  • Use strong, unique passwords
  • Enable two-factor authentication
  • Limit admin accounts to necessary users
  • Use editor/author roles when admin isn't needed

API Key Security

  • Never share your Wash API key publicly
  • Regenerate keys if compromised
  • Don't commit keys to version control
  • Use environment variables in staging/dev

Regular Backups

  • Back up WordPress database regularly
  • Store backups off-site (not just on the same server)
  • Test restore procedures periodically

Content Workflow

Single Source of Truth

Always edit content in WordPress. Changes made in Shopify will be overwritten on next sync.

Recommended Workflow

  1. Create/edit content in WordPress
  2. Preview using WordPress preview
  3. Publish when ready — Wash syncs automatically
  4. Check Shopify to confirm sync completed

Draft Content

  • Use WordPress drafts for work-in-progress
  • Drafts are not synced to Shopify
  • Only "Published" status triggers sync

Scheduling

  • Schedule posts in WordPress
  • Wash syncs when post publishes
  • Check Shopify timezone matches expectations

SEO Best Practices

Use an SEO Plugin

Install and configure an SEO plugin in WordPress:

  • Yoast SEO — Most popular, comprehensive
  • RankMath — Feature-rich, modern interface
  • All in One SEO — Easy to use

Wash syncs SEO data from these plugins to Shopify metafields.

Optimize Before Sync

  • Fill in meta title and description
  • Add focus keyword
  • Check readability scores
  • Add alt text to all images

URL Planning

  • Keep slugs short and descriptive
  • Avoid changing slugs after publishing
  • Use Smart Redirections for migrations

Performance Optimization

Image Optimization

  • Resize images before uploading to WordPress
  • Enable Wash image optimization
  • Use appropriate formats (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics)
  • Consider WebP conversion

Batch Syncing

  • For large migrations, sync in batches
  • Avoid syncing during peak traffic times
  • Monitor Shopify API rate limits

Shopify Theme Recommendations

Add WordPress Block Styles

Include CSS for WordPress block classes in your theme. See WordPress Blocks for recommended styles.

Display Author Information

Add author metafield output to article templates. See Author Mapping for code examples.

SEO Metafield Output

Ensure your theme outputs SEO metafields in the head:

{%- if article.metafields.wash.meta_description -%} <meta name="description" content="{{ article.metafields.wash.meta_description }}">
{%- endif -%}

Testing Checklist

Before going live:

  • [ ] Test sync with a single post
  • [ ] Verify images appear correctly
  • [ ] Check SEO meta tags in page source
  • [ ] Test author display (if configured)
  • [ ] Verify custom fields appear
  • [ ] Test redirects (if using Smart Redirections)
  • [ ] Check mobile rendering
  • [ ] Test blog category/tag pages

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Editing in Shopify — Changes will be lost
  • Not blocking WordPress — Causes duplicate content
  • Ignoring image sizes — Slow page loads
  • Skipping SEO setup — Missing meta tags
  • Not testing thoroughly — Issues discovered too late

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check documentation for your specific feature
  2. Review FAQ for common questions
  3. Contact support@tradik.com for assistance