Plugins are software that allows you to expand the functionality of your WordPress site. WordPress has become very popular because of them.
With almost 55,000 plugins in the WordPress plugin directory, how do you know which ones are important? How do you establish if a plugin meets your needs or if it’s only bloated? Which plugins are essential?
Well, the first thing to consider when deciding on the plugins you would need for your website is to understand the domain your site caters to and then look for the best-suited plugins for the same. For example, if your website is that of a non-profit organization, there will be no point to have a plugin on your site that usually helps the e-commerce businesses increase their sales. Instead, you can consider having the plugins like WordPress donation plugin that could help you collect the donations through your website in an easy and completely reliable manner. There are many more plugins like code snippets plugins etc. that are popular for different market segments. But these are not necessarily the must-have plugins, no matter what the domain your site caters to.
It’s not enough to have the code snippet wp plugin for Google snippets. There are five other must-have WordPress plugins for every site:
Essential WordPress Plugins
SEO Plugin
Thanks to its built-in SEO features, WordPress is considered among the most SEO-friendly content management systems. However, WordPress websites outperform in search engines because of all the third-party SEO plugins and tools that enable further optimization.
There are various plugins devoted to search engine optimization. However, the most recommended one is the Yoast SEO plugin. It is one of the most comprehensive solutions to maintain the site’s on-page SEO efforts. With over 5 million active installations, Yoast is among the most popular WordPress plugins.
Yoast enables you to optimize separate pieces of content while also configuring sitewide SEO settings. For instance, you can customize SEO meta titles and meta descriptions for every post and page on your website. However, you can further streamline the process with title and meta description templating for various post types. The Yoast SEO plugin also offers you complete control over your website’s breadcrumbs and gives advanced functionality for creating and submitting XML sitemaps. The Yoast plugin has both free and paid versions.
Forms Plugin
One of the main reasons you need a website is to connect with your audience. Forms are a tool that can help you forge that connection. It’s odd to see a commercial or professional WordPress site without a contact form. To insert forms on your WordPress site, you need to choose a form plugin.
There are various form plugins out there. Thus, it can be tricky to narrow down all the form options. A plugin widely touted as the “best” may not be the best for you. For example, while a few websites may require a feature-rich premium form plugin to achieve their specific goals, that same “powerhouse” plugin may be overkill (or a waste of money) for a smaller WordPress site that only requires a basic contact form.
The ability to meet a wide range of needs is an important feature to look for in WordPress form plugins.To determine which WP form plugin was the best for most users, there were a plethora of options out there. While several people love the premium Gravity Forms plugin, you may be impressed by many of the free and cheap options available, like Ninja Forms, WPForms, and Formidable Forms.
However, the best plugin for forms will depend on what you need and how much money you have.
Page Speed Optimization Plugins
When we talk about internet browsing, patience is not a virtue that gets high regard.
Paying heed to your website page speed is critical for web accessibility, user experience, and SEO. If your WordPress site takes more than a few seconds to load, there is a high chance you are losing users, especially mobile device users, before they get a chance to glimpse your site. Also, because Google needs to give the highest quality results to its search engine users, your page speed can become a make-or-break factor for a competitive keyword.
For the reasons listed above, it’s essential to install a WordPress plugin that optimizes your site’s page experience and speed.
One of the highly regarded speed optimization plugins is WP Rocket. This plugin offers a list of amazing features that work together to boost the speed of your site. You can also search for other plugins to satisfy your needs.
Tracking and Analysis Plugin
Google Analytics is crucial for tracking and benchmarking your digital marketing efforts. So, it is one of the first things you should do when you start a WordPress site.
If you are trying to link your Google Analytics account to your WordPress site, this Simple Google Analytics Tracking plugin is a free and decent starting point. You need to install the plugin and copy and paste your tracking ID from Google Analytics into the appropriate field. Once you add the tracking ID, the plugin automatically inserts the Google Analytics code onto your website with your unique tracking ID. It’s that easy.
Lead Generation Plugin
If you have to build up your email list or capture leads from paid advertisements, you should install a lead generation plugin. Lead generation plugins are not “essential” to running a WordPress site. However, the plugin is a must for sites that need continuous lead generation.
If you want a simple email capture form on your WordPress site (“Fill this form to register for a weekly newsletter! “), you can accomplish this with a standard form plugin. However, if you are searching for something more elaborate that enables you to create pop-ups, custom landing pages, floating bars, etc., you may need a lead generation plugin specifically designed for those efforts.
Final Words
Plugins are a massive resource as they allow your WordPress site to do things you otherwise wouldn’t be able to do. However, the more plugins, the greater the risk of problems occurring on your site. However, as we said above, WordPress plugins are important for almost every site because they give the business a boost.