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How to remove the default WordPress content

SEO1 min readFixes 2 checks wp-default-content, wp-default-tagline

The "Hello world!" post, the "Sample Page" and the "Just another WordPress site" tagline come with every install. Delete or replace them before launch.

Step by step, with screenshots: Hello world and Sample Page: cleaning up after a WordPress install →

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What a passing site looks like

  • The default "Hello world!" post and "Sample Page" are gonewarning · −1.5 ptseffort S
  • The site has its own taglinewarning · −1 ptseffort S

1. Default WordPress content

Why it matters. The "Hello world!" post and the "Sample Page" are created by the installer. Leaving them online looks unfinished to visitors and gives Google two thin pages to index.

How to fix it.
  1. Delete the "Hello world!" post (Posts → All Posts) and the "Sample Page" (Pages → All Pages), then empty the trash.
  2. If they already rank, redirect them to a real page instead of deleting.

2. The tagline is still "Just another WordPress site"

Why it matters. The default tagline appears in the title tag, link previews and search results of the home page. It tells everyone the site was never finished.

How to fix it.
  1. Go to Settings → General and write a tagline that says what the site offers in a few words.
  2. Check the home page title in your SEO plugin afterwards; some templates append the tagline.

Filed under WordPress & WooCommerce. Copy is generated from the same catalogue that scores every report, so what you read here is what the report says.