Essential WordPress Plugins

When building a website it’s important to limit ourselves to only those essential WordPress plugins needed to complete the project and accomplish the goals.

While doing website audits I’m always surprised by the over usage of plugins. I often find multiple plugins, each performing the same functionality. Even worse, some of those plugins are poorly coded and no longer being actively developed. Also common are deactivated plugins and badly outdated plugins.

There are tons of plugins available and I’m not in the habit of writing about every plugin available, I have published a few posts some might find helpful.

Drag and Drop Page Builder

The Truth about WordPress Page Builder Plugins

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A number of years ago, after having a dreadful experience with a page builder plugin called Ether Builder, I was…

Choose Plugins Carefully

If you manage a small business website it’s very important to only use a limited number of essential plugins. Unless your site is doing something special it can often be built using 10 plugins or less. Yes, it’s okay to have more plugins, but make sure all are well coded and don’t forget to avoid the duplication of features or capabilities.

Remember, not all plugins are equal. For example, page builder plugins are quite popular, especially among non techies. The problem is, some of the most well known are full of bloat due to the number of nested divs used in the CSS. Bloat can also be found in many other plugins, which is why it’s important to dig deep before committing to installing plugin. Also, don’t just read the reviews. To really find out, ask a developer or visit the forums where the developers hang out.

Some might think I’m being too critical, but I disagree, and so does Google. Nowadays, we must all consider how our websites will perform with regard to Google’s Core Web Vitals. Yep, it’s a big deal!

Remember, there are advantages and disadvantages to all plugins, so it’s always important to research each before moving forward. I hope my essential WordPress plugin tips to help you along the way.