Now that you have picked your theme and set up your site it is time to choose plugins to get the most out of your brand-new WordPress website. What plugins should you choose though? What function will they play in your eCommerce business? Let’s look at your options and see what will be the best function-based plugins for your WordPress website.
What is a Function-Based Plugin?
First, you need to understand function-based plugins. While yes, all plugins perform a function they may not perform a specific task. Many plugins add certain features or capabilities to your website, but they may not serve the exact need that you have. For example, an SEO plugin that also adds security features is not going to be the best SEO plugin. You would want to look for a plugin that is specific to the function of SEO or the purpose of security. The first step in this process is going to be deciding what particular needs you have and what you want each plugin to do for your website. It is recommended that you make a list of the requirements you have so you can tell what specifics you will need. Then you can choose the function-based plugin that best fits the bill.
The Best Plugins for WordPress
For the best plugins, we are going to break it down into categories. The following list is not all of your choices, but the top picks for each function. You will of course still need to do some homework to decide which one is best for your needs. You may also want to speak with you WordPress managing team about the best options for your website. So, let’s get started.
WordPress SEO by Yoast
SEO by Yoast is a highly popular SEO function-based plugins you can find right now. With this one plugin, you will be able to add all of the SEO must-haves to your posts, including SEO titles, meta descriptions, and keywords that can be added to every page of your website. This plugin gives you the most bang for your SEO content.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is another popular SEO plugin. This plugin gives you access to some of the best and most visible keywords and keyword combinations to help you get the most out of the content you write and put your website at the top of those search engine results.
WooCommerce
WooCommerce is one of the most popular WordPress plugins for eCommerce store websites. With this plugin, you will get access to everything you need to take your website from an informational site to a full-blown eCommerce store. WooCommerce gives you access to a shopping cart, ways to accept payments both locally and internationally, the ability to sell physical and virtual products, and full support from day one. The best part about the WooCommerce plugin is that it is free.
WP eCommerce
WP eCommerce is another popular choice for eCommerce needs. Much like WooCommerce, it is free to install with upgrades that can be added if you do not find all of the features you need. With this plugin, you will have access to the shopping cart, payment acceptance, and support. The main difference between this and WooCommerce is that premium support for this one is a paid option and a few other minor differences.
Sucuri Security
Security is an absolute must for any website. For this reason, Sucuri Security is one of the most popular security plugins. This plugin offers instant alerts when something unusual is found, remote malware scanning, blacklist monitoring, and file integrity monitoring. Each of these features is important in keeping your website safe from would-be hackers. In keeping your site secure, you are also protecting your customers as well. Customer security and privacy is a necessity for your website’s reputation and success.
The Plugin Types to be Avoided
Now that you know some of the most popular plugins let’s discuss a few you should avoid. Not specific by name but specific by issues. You want to choose plugins that are not an unnecessary drain on your server with no real added value. When a plugin is draining to your server, it will ultimately cause your website to be sluggish and load slower. Slow loads are not acceptable for any website, much less an eCommerce site. Also, you want to make sure that your plugins are reputable. In other words, in choosing any plugin for your site, you will need to do some research before adding them to your website.
Did we not include some honorary mentions? That’s not generous of us 😉
As for honorary mentions, Booking Plugins for WordPress is gaining a lot of popularity these days. Booking Calendar being amongst our favorites, which is a kick-ass booking system for a website, works best in the hospitality sector consisting of hotels, B&Bs, real estate etc. WordPress plugin for booking are creating the best experiences for both the website managers and visitors!
With the multitude of options that there are in WordPress plugins, you will need to make sure you understand your needs and only add those function-based plugins you need. This will help keep your website running its best. If you need help understanding each plugin you can get help from your WordPress team.