As it stands, WordPress powers 40% of the world's websites. WordPress websites are used by nearly 409 million people who view over 20 billion pages on a monthly basis. With about 70 million new posts on WordPress sites monthly, you can't deny its viability.
With over 52,000 WordPress plugins available, there are an overwhelming number of plugins to choose from, but don’t download all of them. In this article, we will show you which WordPress plugins are worth downloading and why you need them.
What Are the Benefits of Using a WordPress Forum Plugin?
WordPress plugins offer a lot of benefits. We've listed some of them below.
User-friendly
WordPress is very user-friendly. All you have to do is create a website and WordPress will host your website with very little upkeep required on your end. With a domain name and a web hosting account, you now have a website that you can improve upon and enhance by downloading various WordPress plugins.
Functionality
WordPress plugins that are worth downloading will allow you to carry out specialized tasks on your site. These tasks exist outside of the basic structure of a WordPress website without any active plugins in use. For example, plugins make it possible to add features like photo galleries or shopping carts.
Customization
With WordPress plugins, you can add a wide array of features to an otherwise basic site structure. For example, you can customize the graphics and functional outlook of your site. And the best part is that you are never stuck with plugins after you download them. As your site grows and evolves, you can uninstall or deactivate plugins along the way.
What To Look For in the Best WordPress Forum Plugin
There are features you should look for when selecting the right plugins for your WordPress site. Below are the items that should be on your checklist.
Segmentation
Segmentation is a significantly important characteristic of plugins. The best plugins will come with a segmented menu, enabling you to set up your menu based on audience types. Segmentation allows visitors to navigate your site easily.
Search Engine
You have to ensure that the plugin you choose is aligned with SEO best practices. Optimization is necessary for you to rank high on search engines. Look into the SEO elements of any plugins that you’re considering because optimization is important.
Price for Value
To get your website up and running, you need to understand your target audience. You also need to be aware of your budget because some WordPress plugins cost more than others. With WordPress, there are so many plugins that you can definitely find the right plugin for you in a price range that your business can afford. Keep looking because an affordable plugin is out there.
Reviews
When looking for a plugin that is worth the investment, look at the reviews other people have left for the plugin you’re considering. Before paying for a plugin, it is smart to make sure the plugin lives up to what it says it can do.
There is no better way to know if a plugin is reliable and effective than by reading reviews from people who have already tried the plugin for themselves. Reviews can help you decide which plugins are worth it and which ones you should avoid.
Analytics
Another factor to consider when choosing a plugin is the analytics. Plugins often report accurate analytics that depict the efficacy of their features.
By analyzing the statistics and comprehending what the data shows, you can better understand which plugins are going to meet your expectations and make your website even better.
Top 5 Best WordPress Forum Plugins
There are over 52,000 WordPress plugins available for download and installation. How are you supposed to choose a plugin when there are so many out there?
We’re going to help you sift through the endless options by highlighting the best forum plugins for WordPress.
Jetpack is a WordPress forum plugin that comes with many essential features. You can think of it as a multipurpose toolkit. With Jetpack, you can design your site and make specific customizations to the visual appeal of your site. Secure your site and track site statistics as well.
These are all core features as well, meaning that they come with Jetpack already without additional costs. You can add an array of features as well, ranging from backups and SEO features to spam prevention and more.
Pros
- Free core features
- Offers features hosted on WordPress
- Contains a wide array of beneficial tools
Cons
- Too many features can make it hard to navigate
- Likely to slow down your site
- Risk of breach of privacy
Best for sites that need optimization.
Pricing
- $4.77 per month for the Daily Backup Plan
- $11.97 per month for the Daily Security Plan
- $47.97 per month for the Complete Plan
This WordPress plugin is rated 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Most people want their on-site content to rank high on search engines. Even so, a lot of people view SEO as a very complicated practice, but with Yoast SEO, the complexity of search engine optimization becomes manageable. With the Yoast SEO plugin, you will have the chance to choose a keyword that your content can rank for and then design your content around the keyword.
In addition, Yoast SEO also breaks down SEO-related information and turns it into actionable suggestions regarding readability and other ways to improve your content. If you choose to pay for the premium package, Yoast SEO will assist you with more in-depth attributes of SEO as well. You’ll get to rank for more keywords with a premium plan, too.
Pros
- Enhanced SEO
- Accessible and user-friendly
- Incredibly proficient at optimization
- Protects your RSS feed
Cons
- Likely to waste valuable time
- Not always the most accurate
Best for SEO beginners. If you don't know much about SEO, this plugin can give you a leg up. With its accessibility, you can get your content to rank higher without expertise.
Pricing
Yoast SEO is available for a simple price of $89 annually for one website.
This plugin is rated 4.3 out of 5 stars
As the name implies, if you're looking for an anti-spam plugin, Akismet Anti-Spam is the best option. Spam causes a lot of damage to websites. At the moment, it is almost inevitable that you will encounter spam when operating your website.
Akismet Anti-Spam is a reliable plugin that will help you take care of your spam issues. Once you put it to use, Akismet will filter out hundreds of millions of spam messages and comments on your site.
Pros
- It has an effective spam-filtering algorithm
- Free to use up to 50,000 spam attacks
- Comes with a smart plugin system
Cons
- Incompatible with Jetpack
- Might block organic messages incorrectly
Best for people who need adequate protection for their sites. People whose sites are vulnerable by nature will need this plugin the most.
Pricing
Akismet is free to use. If you want to entertain more than 50,000 comments, the premium plan rates start at $5 per month.
This plugin is rated 4 out of 5 stars.
WP Super Cache is a plug-in that helps you avoid the slow process of loading a web page. Visitors to your site will be frustrated by slow load times, making conversion difficult. WP Super Cache will lower the load time by creating static pages for your site.
The use of caches is essential, as caches reduce load times. WP Super Cache is also easy to use and navigate.
Pros
- Supports GZip compression
- Faster loading times
- Sets up static HTML sites to increase page load speed
Cons
- Not optimized for Google Fonts
- No option for lazy loads
Best for businesses looking to capitalize on faster page loading times.
Pricing
WP Super Cache is entirely free, while other versions of it—like WP Rocket and W3 Total Cache—are not. W3 Total Cache offers a free version or a premium plan for $99 per year. WP Rocket costs anywhere between $49 and $249 depending on your needs.
This plugin is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
If you're looking to improve your website’s SEO, Google XML Sitemaps is a perfect solution for you. Let's look at it this way. To index your site, you need search engines. For search engines to function correctly, they need a sitemap that helps search engines navigate websites. Sitemaps also allow you to index your site effectively. So, sitemaps are essential for your SEO, and ordinarily, you would submit the sitemap to these search engines.
That can be stressful, but with Google XML Sitemaps, the process is straightforward. This plugin helps you to automatically communicate sitemap changes to search engines, saving you time and boosting your site ranking all at once.
Pros
- Saves time on sitemap notification
- Helps improve SEO of your site
- Works to index WordPress sites
- Easy to install
Cons
- Gives competitors access to your site's priorities
- Increases your site's competition
Best for sites that are looking to maximize their SEO potential.
Pricing
XML Sitemaps is free. The PRO Sitemaps plan is $3.49 monthly.
This plugin is rated 4.1 out of 5 stars.
Where to Go From Here
WordPress plugins are necessary for businesses. You can even combine multiple plugins to maximize the overall functionality of your website. Adequate knowledge of your business site needs will help you choose the best WordPress plugins, positioning your business in a way that increases engagement and leads to higher profit margins.
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