WordPress plugins are software that delivers specific functionalities to WordPress websites. These features and functions enable you to manage your WordPress pages better so that you have better SEO rankings. While some may be integrated plugins with various functions present in one plugin, many plugins serve one particular functionality.
WordPress is flooded with thousands of WordPress plugins. With so many options, it only gets more complicated as to which are the ones that are good enough to be used. To help you with choosing good plugins and cutting down on time involved in checking plugin reviews, here’s a list of 15 WordPress plugins that you must have for your WordPress site.
1. OptinMonster
OptinMonster WordPress plugin helps in converting people who visit your website into subscribers to your blog. It helps in building and growing the list of audience email ID’s for you and uses other forms of conversion, as a popup. You also have options like floating header and footer bars, popups, slide-ins, and much more to create for conversions. It also works well for a mobile version of the sites. This plugin is pretty easy to use even for beginners, with a straightforward way of functioning.
2. BackupBuddy
BackupBuddy is the best plugin for backing up more data on the WordPress. The recent update of BackupBuddy brings 8.0 version of it to the people. Using BackupBuddy, you can backup database, files, themes, plugins, media, etc. You can even choose the option of complete backup if that is what you want. Using this plugin, you can even create custom backup profiles, also allowing you to backup only a specific directory. The update also allows real-time backup known as stash live. This helps in lifting much burden off your server.
3. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is a plugin that helps you in selling your products (physical or digital) or services. Whether it is your website for selling your products and services or selling affiliate goods, WooCommerce will give you cardinal support. With the help of the WooCommerce plugin, you can also configure your shipping means and providing an extensive option in making payments. WooCommerce works well with various other popular plugins and helps establish online stores, no matter how big or small your store is.
4. Akismet
When it comes to blog comments, one of the significant concerns becomes spamming. Akismet plugin helps you in keeping an eye on spamming. This plugin checks all the comments and contact form submission for spam with the help of its global database. That way, you can escape malicious content. With Akismet, you can also see the hidden or misleading links. Akismet works by filtering comments for the spammed ones and notifying you about the comments that look spammy.
5. Disqus
Disqus is a WordPress plugin that helps in engaging users in ways that stay longer on your website than otherwise. Using Disqus, you can have interactive activities for users, like voting, uploading of videos and photos, and much more. As soon as you install this plugin, the existing comments would be backup up and work seamlessly with your WordPress. Also, upon uninstalling the plugin, it does not affect the comments in any way.
6. StackPath
StackPath plugin that was previously known by the name of MaxCDN helps in securing and accelerating your website, app, media streams, and a lot more. You would be able to monitor performance issues as well, using which you can do better for your website.
7. Page Builder by SiteOrigin
Page Builder by Site Origin helps in creating column-based content. The content thus created is easily adaptable even on mobile devices, making the website mobile in a friendly way. The interface of Page Builder resembles that of WordPress and also has widgets that are present on WordPress. Thus, it would be incredibly easy for users who use WordPress to use Page Builder as well. You would also be able to find a variety of free themes that gowith Page Builder.
8. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is a plugin that helps in enhancing your website’s SEO and improves the experience of users. It works by increasing the website performance, bringing down the time taken in downloading and much more. It is specifically helpful for websites that want to go mobile friendly. It also helps in saving bandwidth by compressing HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc.
9. WP Smush
Many websites run slow because of the large sized images that they have. However, the problem goes undetected while they suffer the wrath of such images. WP Smush is a plugin that helps in compressing the size of the images so that the page loading speed for your website decreases and gives users a great experience. After all, page loading speed is a significant factor in governing the rank of your web pages in the search results. WP Smush works well for most of the image formats.
10. Wordfence
Wordfence is a plugin that aims to provide security to your WordPress from malware. It is an endpoint firewall that would keep the website safe by identifying and blocking malicious traffic. It also has real-time firewall rule, thus providing high-level security to your website. It also blocks requests from IPs that seem malicious, thus reducing the load for your website. It also checks themes and other plugins for malware. Whether it is bad URLs or SEO spamming, Wordfence would identify and block such sources.
11. AddThis
AddThis plugin helps in better sharing and spreading of your content. AddThis plugin provides with a number of share buttons that make it easier for the users to share your content across various social media platforms. While WhatsApp, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter are just a few popular ones to name, AddThis enables sharing across more than 200 platforms. You would find floating share buttons, expanding share buttons, inline share buttons, image sharing buttons, and much more that would make the sharing experience better.
12. Sumo
Sumo is a plugin that is a collection of various marketing apps that lets you control which app you would like to use for marketing for growing your traffic. To activate any app, all you have to do is click on the app. Sumo plugin offers 13 apps currently that can be used for different purposes. However, since every website differs in nature, you can customize the list of apps you would want to use.
13. ContactForm 7
A contact form is one of the most important pages of your website. This is the page that lets people find your contact details and drop a mail to you. Contact Form 7 helps in building and managing multiple contact forms. You can customize the contact page by changing the color and layout of the page based on how you want it to be. Contact Form 7 supports various other popular plugins, like Akismet.
14. HotJar
HotJar is a plugin that helps by providing analytics and feedback. It does so use heatmaps, funnels, pools, surveys, recordings, etc. Moreover, you can connect this plugin using its JavaScript code. However, you don’t have to touch the source code to do so; it is quite simple. All you have to do is fill your HotJar ID.
15. WP Optimize
WP-Optimize is a plugin that aids in cleaning the WordPress database automatically. If you have trashed, unapproved, spam comments, stale data, or any other data of that sort, WP-Optimize would remove such data and enhance the efficiency of your WordPress. It is also mobile friendly. With the help of WP-Optimize, you can clean your database automatically on a weekly basis, or even otherwise.
Conclusion
These are some of the useful WordPress plugins that can enhance your experience working on WordPress as well as improving your ranks in the search results. Based on what your website is like, you can choose and install the WordPress plugins that would be useful for you.
A content creating aficionado having an experience of 4 years in writing for all kinds of blogs. Currently employed at Stan Ventures for blog management services. Previously worked for a sports website as an article writer for Football. You can reach him through Twitter or LinkedIn.