There’s a reason why WordPress is regarded as the content management system (CMS) of choice. Right out of the box, WordPress comes equipped with all of the features and services you need to set up and run your website effectively. However, it doesn’t stop there, as you are provided with the option to use optional plugins to increase the effectiveness and creativity of your site in whatever way you want. But not all plugins are created equal. In a market where new plugins are being developed everyday to battle for your attention, there are a select few that we believe are necessary for every website out there, regardless of its nature. Here are the top ten plugins that you absolutely need to know about.

1. Yoast SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is arguably the most important part of any site. Right out of the box, WordPress possesses a very efficient SEO code that makes all of its website search engine friendly. But if something is good, then why can’t it be made better? That’s the whole premise of Yoast SEO; to take the inherent SEO capabilities of WordPress to the next level. What this means for your website, is an increased chance of ranking in organic search engine results and in turn, more traffic through your website. Honestly, who doesn’t want that? With services like page optimization, meta and link elements support, RSS optimization, Breadcrumbs functionality and much more, Yoast SEO is one plug-in that everyone must have, be it the free or paid premium version.  

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2. BackupBuddy

Technology may be immensely reliable, but it is still subject to the occasional failure. It doesn’t sound that bad until you realize that you have lost a crucial amount of information, be it client details and whatnot, when your site crashed the last time. BackupBuddy seeks to make sure you never find yourself in such a predicament. Like the name suggests, your site is regularly backed up to give you peace of mind. What gives BackupBuddy an edge over other backup plug-ins is that it is very easy to use, even for beginners. As such, it deserves a spot as one of the first plug-ins you should ever get when you start a blog or website.

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3. W3 Total Cache

A seamless and smooth user experience is the objective of every site and W3 Total Cache is designed to help you achieve just that. A WordPress Performance Optimization (WPO) tool, W3 Total Cache works to improve the site experience of your users by increasing server performance, reducing download times and providing transparent content delivery (CDN) integration. But how does this help you? Well, a fast and efficient website will rank highly on organic search engine results, which will result in more clicks and traffic through your site. Isn’t that what we all want?

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4. OptinMonster

OptinMonster is regarded as the most powerful customer acquisition & lead generation plug-in on WordPress. With the ability to create beautiful optin forms and popups for your WordPress website, OptinMonster ensures that you have a website that attracts potential subscribers right from the get go. After all, a well built and good looking website, is most definitely a successful website. Features provided are page-level targeting, analytics, split testing, and exit-intent technology.

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5. Soliloquy

A common complaint of slider plug-ins on WordPress is that their responsiveness usually leaves somewhat to be desired. Soliloquy however, is a completely responsive slider plug-in that makes sure sliders look good, be it on a smartphone or a PC. With native YouTube support and a blazing fast loadout code, you can be sure that Soliloquy will not hurt either your site’s responsive layout or your SEO.

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6. Sucuri Security

On its own, WordPress has a very comprehensive security in place. But in cases like these, more is always better. Sucuri Security is one of the most consistently highly rated security plug-ins out there. With Sucuri, you get features like Website Application Firewall (WAF), Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), continuous Indicators of Compromise (IoC) functionality, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and Brute Force protection among many other things. While it is not free, the price is little to pay to have one of the most effective security suites currently available on WordPress.

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7. Envira Gallery

You don’t need to have just a photography blog to appreciate the beauty of a fully dynamic, responsive and vibrant gallery; the kind that is provided by Envira. With the help of an easy ‘drag & drop builder’ you are free to create any kind of picture or video gallery you want. Other features included are gallery templates, fully responsive design, social media integration, ecommerce support, watermark & protection, deeplinking & pagination and much more. Every website needs a touch of class; get yours with Envira gallery.  

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8. Login Lockdown

By default, WordPress allows you unlimited tries to enter your password and access your site. As most of us know, almost all hack attempts usually rely on breaking into your site’s admin area by using password lists. What Login Lockdown does, is restrict these attempts by removing the ‘un’ from ‘unlimited’. Successive failures causes the admin area to lock down, protecting your site. While this may not immediately feel like a plug-in you want right away, it is still a plug-in that you should get right away. After all, prevention is better than cure!

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9. Google Analytics +

It’s sometimes hard to judge the value and worth of your website despite having invested a lifetime into it. ‘Google Analytics +’ is a very useful tool that allows you to monitor the growth and value of your website as a whole. With a very simple setup, ‘Google Analytics +’ allows you to track an entire multisite network with ease, providing you with results in a very coherent and comprehensive manner (be it in the form of graphs, statistics or more). Other features include Individual post statistics, Statistics module for Edit Post, Analytics dashboard widget, Toggle statistics date range, Track visits, Track page views, View Bounce Rate, See visit duration and many more.

Author: wpmudev

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10. MarketPress eCommerce

The internet has literally become a marketplace for all sorts of goods. While e-commerce is not a necessary need for many of us, it is still important to have the functionality should one day the need arises. MarketPress is one of the most intuitive e-commerce plug-ins currently available on the market, with its features like unlimited page building options, bundled payment gateways, intuitive cart behavior and social integration give it an edge over the competition. Other features include digital download limits, one-page checkouts, automatic taxes, international shipping options, ‘Google Analytics +’ compatibility, related products functionality, shortcodes and inventory alerts.

Author: wpmudev

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