Anyone who’s used WordPress for any length of time knows that plugins are what make the platform so versatile and powerful. There are plugins for just about everything, from social media share buttons to contact form builders to security enhancements. Because there are so many out there, it can be hard to keep up with the latest and greatest. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the best new WordPress plugins that you should definitely check out.
1. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is a powerful caching plugin that helps improve the performance of your WordPress site. Caching can be a complex topic, but the basic idea is that by caching your pages and posts, you can speed up the loading time of your site. This is especially important if you have a high-traffic site, as it can help reduce strain on your server and improve the user experience for your visitors. W3 Total Cache is free to download and use, and it’s compatible with most popular WordPress themes and plugins.
2. Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO is a popular WordPress SEO plugin that was created by Joost de Valk. It is designed to help you optimize your website for the search engines by providing features like keyword analysis, title and meta tag optimization, XML sitemaps, and more. Yoast SEO is available as a free and premium version. The premium version includes additional features like support for multiple keywords, social media integration, and more.
3. WP Smush
WP Smush is an image optimization plugin that helps you reduce the file size of images on your website without compromising quality. This can help speed up your website by reducing the amount of time it takes to load images on your pages. WP Smush is free to download and use, but there is also a premium version available with additional features like bulk smushing and automatic resizing.
4. Jetpack
Jetpack is a plugin developed by WordPress parent company Automattic that includes a variety of features for WordPress websites. Some of the features included in Jetpack are social media integration, security features, performance enhancements, and more. Jetpack has both free and premium plans available, starting at $3 per month for personal sites.
5. WooCommerce Product Add-ons
If you’re running an online store built on WooCommerce, then Product Add-ons is a must-have plugin. It lets you add extra options to your products, giving customers the ability to customize them to their liking. This is great for selling things like t-shirts, where customers might want to choose a different color or size.
6. Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms is a popular form builder plugin that allows you to easily create custom forms for your WordPress site without having to write any code. Gravity Forms is a must-have plugin for any site that needs to gather information from users via forms and comes with a drag-and-drop form builder so you can easily create complex forms with ease. It also includes pre-built templates for common form types so you can get started quickly and easily. Gravity Forms integrates with many popular third-party services like PayPal, Stripe, MailChimp, Zapier, and more so you can extend the functionality of your forms even further. Gravity Forms is available in both free and premium versions with the premium version including additional features like multi-page forms, conditional logic, file uploads, calculations, and more.
7. Toast Portfolio Plugin
The Toast Portfolio Plugin is a great way to showcase your work on your WordPress site. It’s easy to use and comes with a wide range of features, including lightbox galleries, social media integration, and more. Plus, it’s fully responsive so it looks great on mobile devices.
8. WPForms
WPForms is one of the most popular contact form plugins for WordPress. It allows you to easily create custom contact forms and other types of forms for your website without having to write any code. WPForms comes with a drag-and-drop form builder so you can easily create forms that are tailored to your specific needs. It also includes pre-built templates for common form types like contact forms, surveys, polls, and more. WPForms is available in both free and premium versions. The premium version includes additional features like payment integrations, email notifications, and more.
9. Constant Contact Forms
Constant Contact Forms is another great option for creating custom forms for your WordPress site. It includes a drag-and-drop form builder so you can easily create forms without having to write any code. Constant Contact Forms also comes with pre-built templates for common form types so you can get started quickly and easily. The plugin integrates with Constant Contact, one of the most popular email marketing services, so you can easily add contacts who submit your forms to your email list. Constant Contact Forms is available in both free and premium versions with the premium version including additional features like file uploads, conditional logic, calculations, and more
Conclusion:
There are thousands of plugins available for WordPress but finding the best ones can be a challenge. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of five must-have plugins for any WordPress site owner or developer. From caching to security to forms and more, these plugins will help you get the most out of your WordPress site. Need help with WordPress or any WordPress plugins to enhance your website? Reach out to us for a free consultation.
This content was originally published here.