WordPress.com is a user friendly online publishing platform that is considered to be the best and most prominent content management system. Since its launch in 2003, it has been downloaded over 60 million times and nearly 30,000 plugins have been created to enhance its functionality. Plugins can be installed to help you do just about anything, like easily manage spam and enhance your SEO. With so many options out there, it can be hard to figure out what plugins your website should have, but we have you covered! Below are 12 plugins that every WordPress site must have.
Jet Pack – A lot of people have seen Jet Pack before, because it was developed by WordPress, but its importance is truly underappreciated. Users often tend to overlook just how critical this plugin truly is to the functionality of their site.
Jet Pack gives you the ability to do so many new things, such as add more social media features to your website. This plugin also gives readers a better experience with Photon, which speeds your site up by loading images directly from the cloud. WordPress Stats, also offered through Jet Pack, helps you monitor your website’s statistics quickly, without any additional load time for your server. With nearly 30 great features, this plugin is a necessity for any WordPress website.
Akismet – If you have any trouble with spam, this plugin will save you loads of time and effort. Akismet is a spam blocker that automatically fights spam before it even touches your website! It has caught over 147 billion pieces of spam, with an average of 7.5 million per hour. Once you have enabled Akismet and signed up for payment, you will receive an API key to activate the plugin. You will have the option to view “caught” spam on your comments panel. Once you have this plugin, your website will remain squeaky clean from any comment spam!
W3 Total Cache – This handy plugin was designed to increase page speed and improve the user’s experience. W3 Total Cache is trusted by big companies and recommended by many web hosts, such as Mini Nimbus, Media Temple, Host Gator, and more. This plugin increases server performance by reducing download times and providing transparent content delivery network integration.
SEO by Yoast – Every chance you get to install SEO by Yoast on a WordPress website, you should. This is the most helpful and complete SEO plugin you can find. It analyzes your post content, keywords, and description to ensure that you get the best SEO before you publish. It also allows you to generate XML site maps for your website. SEO by Yoast is invaluable to your WordPress site, because we all know how incredibly difficult these tasks can be to achieve otherwise!
Contact Form 7 – This plugin is essential for any business that wants contact from customers through their website. Contact Form 7 will provide a basic and flexible contact form for your WordPress website. This plugin is simple and customizable with the option for customers to even upload files. Contact Form 7 makes it easy for you to build your form and post it on every page, post, or even on a widget!
Thank Me Later – We all enjoy seeing comments on our WordPress posts, but sometimes it is difficult to respond to these comments quickly. This plugin solves that problem by sending out an automatic “thank you” message to anyone who posts a comment on your blog. This can even be a great free marketing outlet for your business, because you can slip a coupon or promotion in the message. Thank Me Later will ensure that your commenters are appreciated and that they will likely comment again in the future.
NextScripts: Social Networks Auto-Poster – You probably use several social media websites for your business, like Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, Tumblr, Flickr, and the list goes on! It can be difficult to keep up with so many social networking mediums, along with your blog. This plugin allows you to automatically post your blog’s content to your social media accounts. You now have the opportunity to reach a much wider audience on various platforms.
WordPress Popup – This plugin is the most effective way to tell your website’s visitors about a mailing list, special offer, or any other important announcement. Upon viewing your site, people will see a fancy popup over the regular web page. You can even use it to display advertisements. No matter how you use this plugin, you will definitely catch the eye of potential customers.
Hello Bar – When people visit your website, they are typically looking for something specific or waiting for something that will catch their eye. The Hello Bar does this for you! It is a bar that spans across the width of the top of your web page, pointing your viewers in whatever direction you want them looking. Whether it be a reminder to sign up for the weekly newsletter or a link to buy your newest product, your Hello Bar will get your brand some much deserved recognition.
WooCommerce– If you run an online store, WooCommerce should be your top choice plugin to manage your content and blog posts. This plugin works well with popular merchant gateways, such as Paypal and Authorize.net. WooCommerce makes it easy to sell anything, whether it be a downloadable file or a tangible item. The best part of this eCommerce plugin is that it’s free and full of features for you to take advantage of.
Event Expresso – This plugin has everything you could possibly need to run an event. Event Expresso can help you manage seminars, sport events, fundraisers, career events, and more. There are several filter options for you to choose from, to best fit your website’s theme. With this plugin, you can have customized registration, multiple ticket types, and manage multiple event dates. Event Expresso gives you so much to work with, for whatever event you are planning!
Buddy Press – Custom social networking sites are very expensive and can be difficult to manage, but with Buddy Press, all you need is your WordPress website! This plugin allows you to form your own little community right here in WordPress with features like profiles, groups, an activity stream, private messaging, and more. Even if you don’t want all of the features Buddy Press offers, you can still benefit from it. You can use individual elements to benefit your website. For example, if you would like your community to have groups to connect with each other, but don’t want to give them access to private messaging, you can choose one and not the other.
About the Author: Matthew Beasley is the Founder and CEO of Mininimbus, a full-service web hosting and design firm with a major focus on giving your business the most attractive web presence possible. He is a lover of clean, creative design and the outdoors. Tweets @mininimbus.
