Getting the most out of your WordPress site requires finding the right plugins for your needs. You may have your personal favourites but here I’m looking at eight types of plugins you probably may need to ensure your site is as speedy, effective and engaging as you need it to be.
I have tested every single of them and I can firmly say that they truly help me to improve each of my websites across 8 factors listed below.
1. Analytics
You need to track what’s going on with your site to ensure you’re taking things in the right direction. An Analytics plugin will allow you to do this with ease and will ensure you have a good handle on your blog’s statistics. There are lots of Analytics plugins but the most popular ones include:
Google Analytics
Comprehensive and far-reaching and designed with Google’s algorithms in mind, the Google Analytics plugin allows you to track all users on your site as well as the success of any ad campaigns. Learn more >.
Facebook Pixel
The Facebook pixel can be used to build custom audiences from your website for future marketing plans, to optimise ads for better conversion levels and for tracking conversions and seeing how your ads have affected your rates. Learn more >
2. Caching
Caching is an effect way of speeding your site up and it helps ensure everything loads quickly and your users are satisfied. Caching is a collection of different methods which speed up your load times and it works by making a static copy of your dynamic website which reduces server rendering times. Some caching plugins include:
W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache offers a range of caching solutions including browser and page caching, object and database caching, minifying and content delivery network support. Learn more >
Comet Cache
Formerly ZenCache, Comet Cache promises to speed up your site quickly and easily. It offers advanced caching solutions in a simple format making it very easy to use and very popular. Learn more >
3. SEO
To make sure your site is seen and engaged with, you need to have your search optimisation in order and there are plenty of plugins that can help out with this. They can help ensure you’re updating your meta data properly and that you’ve got the appropriate title tags and sitemaps in place. Here are some of the most popular ones to consider:
All in One SEO
This one is my favourite plugin from them all! It is the most downloaded WordPress plugin of any kind and it provides a comprehensive automatic optimisation process for your site, for all search engines. It has been around since 2007 and includes additional features such as XML sitemap support, Analytics support and advanced canonical URLs. What I really like about is that it gives a clear overview of meta titles/ description when you are in your “All posts” section on WP dashboard. Download >
Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO plugin for WordPress is highly advanced but also very simple to use. It organises the technical side of your SEO and helps you to write better, more search engine and user-friendly content. I usually use if for some of my larger sites or websites of my clients that are more complicated in their structure. Learn more>
4. Social Sharing
Your social networks are a core part of your online identity and when you write great content you want to share it across those networks, right? Social sharing plugins make this easy and many also provide static social account buttons for your blog so anyone looking to find you on another network will have no problems at all. The social sharing plugins out there include:
SumoMe Share
SumoMe is a premium paid plugin, but it also has a free option which is super-fast and beautifully designed, making it easy to add share buttons to your site and to your individual posts. It has a highly advanced back of house configuration so you can get the most out of your plugin with ease and it offers responsive buttons across a range of social networks. Learn more >
Sharify
Sharify is a free and customisable sharing plugin which allows you to create stylish buttons in a range of colours and it also has shortcode support which makes it very easy to display the buttons as and when you want to invite others to share your content. Learn more >
5. Open Graph
Open Graph protocol enables any web page or post to become a rich object in a social graph environment. It builds on the technologies already in place to provide a further valuable social role for your content and it makes it much easier to share. In simple words- they make your content looked prittier when shared across social platforms. Open Graph plugins include:
Facebook Open Graph, Google+ and Twitter Card Tags
This plugin adds Facebook Open Graph Tags into your WordPress Blog/Website for more effective and efficient Facebook sharing results as well as meta tags abd image tags for more effective and efficient Google+ sharing results. It also allows you to customise the Twitter Card tags for more effective and efficient Twitter sharing results. Learn more >
Open Graph Protocol Framework
This WordPress plugin is designed to automate the process of adding both basic and optional metadata to your site’s pages. It also provides a framework for other plugins so information can be adapted with ease. Get it here >
6. Comments Management
As your blog becomes more popular you’ll start to get higher engagement levels and more comments. Comments are great but as your URL gets indexed and your site is more recognised there is also a higher chance of spam messages and managing your comments can be tricky as it can take up a considerable amount of time. Instead consider one of these popular comments management plugins:
Disqus
Disqus looks great and makes it very easy to commenters to add their thoughts to your posts. It also makes it easy for you to manage spam and provides your users with RSS, notification and email options. It’s like a mini-facebook across websites. Get it here >
Intense Debate
Much like Disque, Intense Debate allows your users to login through their profile and build a reputation and a presence based on their commenting on your site and others which also offer Intense Debate. Learn more >
7. Email Subscription Form Management
Getting people to subscribe to your blog and subscribe to your email newsletters is a must to extend your reach and you can boost your subscribers with a good plugin. Emails with your content ensure your audience never miss a post and both these plugins are a great choice:
MailChimp for WordPress
This plugin easily allows you to add sign up methods for your MailChimp mailing lists to your WordPress site and ensures you can create attractive opt-in forms as well as other kinds of forms dependent on the needs of your site and your users. Learn more>
GetResponse for WordPress
GetResponse is another form building plugin which allows you to create integrated forms which connect you WordPress site and your GetResponse account. The List Builder Wizard is a handy too, for creating a fully customisable form that fits in with your site design. Learn more >
8. Security
The developers at WordPress have spent considerable time and resources creating a secure core to their software but you may still want some additional safety in place. Security plugins can help to block spam, stop hackers and basically keep your site as safe as can be. Here are two which can play a key role in adding extra security to your site:
Akismet
Akismet is the leading spam filter out there, it checks all comments on your site against its own Web service to see if they appear spammy or not. All considered spam are caught and stored separately so they don’t end up published on your site and you can review them in your own time. Learn more >
WP Limit Logins
This plugin helps to ensure Brute Force Attacks attempting to break into your site through the login area are stopped. It limits the rate of login attempts and temporarily blocks IPs so they can’t keep attempting to hack into your site. It also detects bots via captcha verification. Learn more >
Summary
Plugins have the power to make a real difference to the running of your site, with everything from its safety to conversions being amplified with the right plugins. The examples above are just some of the many plugins out there in these sections and with a bit of a browse, you’ll find the ones which are the best fit for your site. For me, they made a great difference to performance of my sites and that’s why I share them with you today:)
Are there some plugins, not listed here that you particularly like? If yes, why not to share them with us in the comments below!
