Article provided by xneelo
One of the best things about WordPress is that you can adapt the platform to your needs with plugins. For example, WooCommerce turns your WordPress site into an online store. And other plugins enable you to add in helpful features like anti-spam, security and SEO.
With so many options available, figuring out which ones to use can be tricky. And time-consuming. That’s why web hosting provider, xneelo, created a guide to understanding plugins – here’s how to know which ones are essential to install on your site.
An introduction to WordPress plugins
While WordPress includes the basic features you need to create your website, its plugins and themes make it flexible and customisable. In short, a plugin adds functionality or features to your WordPress site.
Adding a plugin to WordPress is easy. Locate the plugin you’re looking for by searching for it in your dashboard under Plugins > then select Add New. You can also download a plugin’s ZIP file from the WordPress Plugin Directory or another online market.
Regardless of which method you choose, you can finish adding your new plugin by clicking on the Installand Activate buttons as they appear. The plugin will then become visible in your dashboard’s Plugins list.
The WordPress Plugin Directory includes over 50,000 free options to choose from. It also provides information that can help you test each plugin’s quality. It’s a good idea to look at a plugin’s star ratings, reviews and number of downloads. Keep an eye on its update history, and if it’s compatible with the version of WordPress you’re using. You can use this information to determine the quality of a plugin. There are also a few key plugins that can improve virtually any website.
It’s important to note that some plugins can cause compatibility errors. To be safe, test each plugin in a staging environment, and back up your site before installing a new one.
Finally, remember to always keep your plugins up-to-date. Failing to do so could result in security issues, errors, or other problems for your site. Automated updates are a smart way to make sure that your plugins are always updated.
5 essential plugins for WordPress users
Your site’s specific needs will point you towards using certain plugins. There are, however, some key tools that are beneficial to just about any website. Let’s look at five of them.
1. Jetpack
Created by Automattic, the company that runs WordPress.com, Jetpack is an all-in-one plugin designed to help improve your site in a variety of ways. One of the most frequently downloaded plugins, it includes security and performance features. It also offers daily backups to help secure your site.
Jetpack provides a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for videos and other media files. This helps keep your site’s fast. You’ll also gain access to website analytics, advertising programs, and more.
2. Akismet Anti-Spam
No one likes spam comments. They degrade your site’s quality and compromise your users’ experience. They even damage your search engine rankings. Akismet Anti-Spam can help you filter out spam comments, so they never make it to your blog posts.
Created for publishing posts, WordPress is often used for sharing content and engaging via comments. By proactively stopping spam, you can improve the comments section of your site. This will help your users enjoy a high-quality online community.
3. Wordfence
No site owner wants their site broken into, its data stolen, or any other sort of security breach to occur. That’s why we recommend installing a security plugin like Wordfence. This helps keep your site and your users’ data safe from malicious hackers.
Wordfence includes a firewall, security scanner and other features that prevent attacks that could destroy your site. Bear in mind, though, that too many plugins can lead to slower loading times. It might be a better option to choose an all-inclusive security solution like Cloudbric.
4. Yoast SEO
SEO is vital to the success of any website. To gain visitors, you need your site to rank well in search engines, and on-page SEO can help it do that. Yoast SEO provides handy SEO tips in the WordPress editor. This helps you maximise the potential of every post and page.
Over five million WordPress users have installed Yoast to improve the quality and visibility of their content.
5. W3 Total Cache
Site speed is very important – faster websites have less chance of losing visitors. They’re also more likely to rank better in search engines. Caching (making static copies of your pages to display to visitors quickly) is a WordPress performance best practice.
There are many plugins available to enable caching for your site. W3 Total Cache is one of the best, with almost 3,000 five-star ratings in the WordPress Plugin Directory. It’s a must-have if you want to ensure the fastest possible loading times for your site.
Putting it all together
The volume of WordPress plugins can seem intimidating. But they’re actually really easy to use and can help you customise your site to fit your needs. With some careful consideration, plugins can handle your site’s most essential tasks.
The 5 most crucial WordPress plugins include:
- Jetpack
- Akismet Anti-Spam
- Wordfence
- Yoast SEO
- W3 Total Cache
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