WordPress is a very popular platform on which you can create your own website. There are over 75 million WordPress websites online.
The popularity of WordPress lies in the ability to customize your site. You can do these through the use of themes, and also through plugins.
But what are WordPress plugins, and how do you use them?
In this article, we’ll give you a rundown on everything you need to know about WordPress plugins.
What Are WordPress Plugins?
WordPress plugins are pieces of code that you can add to your website to provide additional functionality.
These might enhance the usability of the site for your visitors. The plugins may include social media functionality, improved search engine optimization, site security, and much more.
Working Out What Type Of WordPress Plugin You Need
There are over 50,000 different types of WordPress plugin available. Many of these can be installed and activated through the plugin page within WordPress’ dashboard.
With so much choice, it can be hard to know where to start looking.
Start off by creating a list of the types of plugin that you need. Think of everything from user functionality through to backend improvements that will make your site run smoother or tat will increase readership.
You may want to look for the best wordpress event management plugins, or find plugins that will condense the size of your images automatically to save space.
If you want to use your site to sell items, you may need a plugin such as WooCommerce that makes it possible to manage inventory and take payments.
Make a full list of the types of plugins that you need. Once you have this, you can start to search for them.
How Do You Find And Install Your WordPress Plugins?
You can find WordPress plugins by heading to ‘Plugin’ on the left side of the dashboard and select ‘add new’. Then, the plugin screen will load up.
Head to the search box and search for the name or the function of the plugin that you’re looking for.
Once you find the plugin that you would like to use, click “install.” WordPress will now download that plugin for you.
Installing a plugin is only part of the process. You will then need to click on “activate”. Once you have done this, your plugin will be ready to use.
Every plugin is different, and you may be required to configure or set your plugin up for your website.
Keeping Your Plugins Up-to-date
It is essential that you keep your plugins up-to-date at all times. Occasionally, there will be updates on your plugins. These will often include improvements to the security of the plugin.
Even if you have plugins that are not activated, you should still keep them updated. If you don’t plan on using a deactivated plugin again though, you should uninstall it so that it doesn’t cause your site to run slowly or develop any problems.
