It’s high time you turned to WordPress to create your own blog, portfolio, or eCommerce store. Besides providing you with tools to create a professional-looking website, it can also monitor your site’s performance. As an added bonus, you can install WordPress plugins to enhance your site’s functionality.
WordPress plugins come in a variety of options, some of which are free and others with a price tag to match. Within the WordPress dashboard, you can access the Plugin Directory, where you can find free plugins. If you want to upload a paid plugin, you can do so from the Add New option within the plugins menu,
If you are hosting your site yourself and using WordPress.org’s software, you will not be able to install third-party plugins. You won’t see a menu of plugins if you host your site on WordPress.com.
By year’s end, e-commerce options for building an online store have increased considerably. There are SaaS (software as a service) platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce, and there are WordPress plug-ins that are just as powerful. While both have advantages, converting your current WordPress site into an online store is arguably the most valuable. A day might be spent blogging and building a following, and the next, maybe you launch an eBook store and merchandise.
You can earn money online by selling your own products, and you can do so with the help of a handy plugin.
In addition to offering the same features and benefits as SaaS products, WordPress Development Services provide excellent support resources, thriving development communities, and integration with one of the best CMSes in the world. Whether you are selling donuts or digital downloads, you can be up and running within minutes.
We will outline below the best WordPress plugins. The difference is that some of them are designed for specific products while others serve a broader audience. On your website, for example, you might only sell video content. There are few good options available to you if that is the case. Whatever it is your organization is striving to accomplish, we can narrow down which WordPress eCommerce plugin is best suited to your goals.
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What WordPress Plugins Are All About
Even total beginners can build and run a website with ease thanks to the core WordPress platform. However, it is limited in what it can accomplish. Plugins can provide you with more capabilities or options than the core WordPress can, which is why you should use them.
Add-on software for WordPress, known as plugins, is available for download and installation. Sometimes, they provide one specific feature, and other times, they implement a complete set of options. There are plugins available for pretty much anything you might need, including contact forms, online stores, and security features. It is even possible to use plugins to generate leads and boost conversions.
There are thousands of plugins to choose from, each with a different price point. In a moment, we will discuss where to look for them, but first, let’s discuss why they are important.
The Benefits of Plugins for Your WordPress Site
There are many plugins available for WordPress that add additional functionality and options.
WordPress has the power and flexibility of a native solution out of the box, as we’ve illustrated. Plugins, however, are a perfect choice if you want to make your site truly memorable and unique. It doesn’t matter if you run a small blog or a large e-commerce store.
Your WordPress site may benefit from adding plugins for the following reasons:
- Plugins often add the specific, targeted features and functionality you need for the type of site you’re building.
- There are also plugins that make building a website easier in terms of practical aspects (e.g., page builders).
- Additionally, plugins can improve the performance and security of your website. The following 13 security plugins have been identified as the best to use for your website.
Plus, WordPress’s growing community means there are a lot of excellent free and low-cost plugins available so you don’t have to spend a lot to improve your site. There’s really no reason to not take advantage of all of the features that plugins offer as long as you’re making sure to choose the right ones.
Finding and Choosing the Best WordPress Plugins
In the WordPress.org Plugin Directory, you’ll find plenty of great free plugins.
Let’s talk about how to use plugins on your WordPress site now that we’ve discussed why they’re worthwhile! Choosing wisely is essential when there is so much choice. Your site can be slowed down or even broken by poorly designed or outdated plugins.
If you want to find the best plugins for your needs, you should look for the following:
- You need to determine if the plugin’s features and/or functionality fit what you’re looking for.
- The popularity of the plugin (a popular plug-in doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better) and user reviews and ratings.
- Prices and plans for the plugin.
- What’s the latest update date of the plugin (generally, anything that’s been out more than six months without an update is unreliable).
Find plugins online through directories, storefronts, and developer websites, for example.
- You can start with the official WordPress.org Plugin Directory if you’re looking for free plugins. In addition to all the great options, it displays all the important information for making an informed decision.
- Check out CodeCanyon for a similar selection of premium plugins if you’re interested in them.
As soon as you’ve found a plugin you’d like to use, the process of installing it and activating it on your site is quick and easy. Be sure you only add one plugin at a time so that when a problem arises, you can figure out what’s causing it.
You don’t have to worry if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the number of different types of plugins available. Our list of 10 current favorites reflects what you will like.
1. Yoast SEO WordPress Plugin:
WordPress users should install the Yoast SEO plugin, as it is among the best plug-ins available. WordPress SEO plugin Yoast SEO helps write better content and improves search engine optimization.
It is almost mandatory for every WordPress blog/website, and nearly every WordPress user uses it.
The WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast improves the SEO optimization of WordPress, even though it is one of the best platforms for SEO. WordPress Development Company will help you with your WordPress website if you are having trouble with plugins.
As well as helping you write better content, this plugin helps boost your website’s ranking on Google and other Search Engines.
In addition to page analysis and XML sitemaps, Yoast WP SEO provides breadcrumb and breadcrumb stack functionality, etc.
2. Jetpack:
A whole suite of features can be activated via the Jetpack plugin, which was developed by the WordPress developers (Automattic). Among these, there are functions such as contact forms, security, user engagement options, site backups, and many others.
You’ll also get access to features that will help you rank well in search engines and a few advertising tools if you pay for the premium version. If you have access to DreamPress Plus or DreamPress Pro hosting, you can get Jetpack Professional for free. So, you’d have both the convenience of a managed hosting platform and a comprehensive database of security features to keep your site protected.
Highlights:
- Provides protection against brute force attacks.
- Provides two-factor authentication for your website and helps you secure your logins.
- Various analytics and social sharing tools are included.
3. Contact Form:
Websites include a contact form so visitors can send messages and feedback, but WordPress does not include a built-in contact form.
A free plugin called Contact Form 7 lets you add a contact form to your WordPress blog. The plugin allows you to edit your contact forms and mail contents. It works with posts and pages.
Forms with Ajax-powered submission and CAPTCHA for spam prevention are integrated, as are those with Akismet spam filtering.
Contact Form 7 stays simple even though it is highly customizable and doesn’t require any coding knowledge.
4. Akismet:
Most WordPress installations come with Akismet preinstalled. There’s no question you’ll want to make use of this plugin even if you overlook it or fail to activate it. By filtering spam comments out, your site stays free of irrelevant advertisements and repeat messages, so visitors can engage with your content. For most sites, the free version is enough, but businesses can benefit from the premium version.
Highlights:
- Checks all comments on your site automatically and removes spam.
- Let’s see what was flagged as spam, so you can correct it if needed.
- It’s always improving since it relies on an always-updated, global database.
5.WooCommerce:
There is no doubt that WordPress’s plugin for e-commerce, WooCommerce, is the best. With WordPress-powered websites and WooCommerce, you can create an online store.
In order to work, the plug-in does not require coding or technical expertise. Just install and activate the plugin. A store powered by WordPress lets you manage everything from product pricing to website design.
In addition to having a good number of free themes, WooCommerce offers a good number of premium ones. There are also hundreds of extensions available to increase its functionality.
At the moment it is the most popular eCommerce platform, with more than 30% of all websites using it.