Here’s what we’ll cover:
So, what is a WordPress plugin?
A WordPress plugin is an app that you “Plug In” to your WordPress site to add functionality or change the site in different ways.
Plugins can completely transform your site– how it looks, what it does, and how well it works. They make it very easy to add features to your website even if you don’t know how to code.
There are plugins for turning your site into an e-commerce store, plugins to improve the performance of your site, plugins to share your posts to social media, plugins to get reports on website traffic… and much, much more! In fact, there are over 59,000 free WordPress plugins alone (and many more that you can purchase). No matter what you’re trying to do with your site, there is probably a plugin that will help you accomplish the job.
Some plugins are very simple and some will completely transform your website. It’s very important that you only use plugins that are well-reviewed and trustworthy, because if you install a bad plugin it can break your whole site or give hackers access to your site’s code.
How do WordPress plugins work?
WordPress is an ‘open-source’ platform. Basically, developers can add to the code if they want to. As a result we get countless great plugins and themes to make our WordPress sites better.
The steps to add plugins to your site are very simple (we’ll take a closer look in a minute):
- Find a plugin you like
- Install the plugin
- Activate it!
If you decide you don’t want a plugin all you need to do is remove it. Plugins are self-contained, so removing a plugin won’t effect the rest of your site.
How to install WordPress plugins
If you want to add plugins to your WordPress site, click “Plugins > Add New” from the left-side menu or at the top of the Plugins page.
You can search for a plugin in the repository using the search box, or click the tabs like “Popular” and “Featured” to see more options and suggestions.
1) Click “Plugins > Add New” to install a new plugin
2) Search for the plugin you want using the tabs or search box
3) Install and activate your plugin with the button
However, if you can’t find the plugin you want in the repository, then you can look at sites like CodeCanyon. You can find even more plugins there, but most of them are premium so they do cost money.
How to upload WordPress plugins
If you purchase one of these premium plugins then you will be given a zip file to download. In this case you need to upload it to your WordPress site. Go back to “Plugins > Add New” and then click the “Upload Plugin” button.
1) Click “Upload Plugin” to upload a zip file of a plugin
Once the plugin is finished installing it will take you to a new page that shows you the installation status. Click “Activate Plugin” to turn the new plugin on.
2) Click “Choose File” to select the plugin zip file from your computer. Then click “Install Now.”
3) Click “Activate Plugin” to turn it on
A plugin warning!
You don’t want to install plugins carelessly– Having too many plugins can slow down your site, and having badly-made plugins can make your site vulnerable to being hacked. Plugins can also conflict with your theme and break your whole site.
Install plugins only when you really need a certain feature, and if you’re not using a plugin, uninstall it.
There’s no official limit to how many plugins you can install on your site, but as a general rule we try to have an absolute maximum of 20 plugins on our website.
With plugins, just remember: the less you have the better.
However, if you are mindful about your plugins and only install well-reviewed ones, then you can add some really awesome features to your site!
How to pick good plugins
When you’re deciding to install a new plugin, you want to check to make sure you’re choosing a good one, rather than just installing the first one you find.
Most features that you want to add to your site will be offered by multiple plugins. So how do you make sure you’re installing the best one for your site?
There are several things you should check. On the “Add Plugins” page you can see a lot of info about each plugin. Here’s what you should look for:
- Have a lot of people downloaded the plugin? A popular plugin usually indicates that the plugin works well.
- Does it have a good star rating, with a high number of reviews?
- Has it been recently updated? Try to choose plugins that have been updated within the last several months.
- Is it compatible with your version of WordPress?
All of this info is right there in the box about each plugin. Check out the image below to see clear examples.
Look at these details when deciding which plugin to install
Clicking that link will open a popup where you can read a detailed description of the plugin, see technical details, go to the plugin’s website, and read user reviews. It’s very helpful to check this info to make sure you’re installing a good, well-reviewed plugin.
Use the ‘More Details’ link to read reviews and see more plugin details
How to update plugins
WordPress requires updates to continue running smoothly and securely, and that includes updates on plugins.
Go to “Dashboard > Updates” or click the number next to the update icon at the top of the screen to go to the updates page.
Under Plugins, click the checkbox for the plugin you want to update and then click “Update Now”
Go to “Dashboard > Updates.” Check the box for the plugins you want to update and click “Update Plugins”
How to manage plugins
If you decide you want to change or remove a plugin then you need to go to the plugins page. (Click “Plugins” from the left-side admin menu.)
From the plugins page, you’ll see a list of all your currently installed plugins.
Clicking “Deactivate” will turn a plugin off. If is already deactivated then clicking “Activate” will turn it back on, and clicking “Delete” will remove it from your site. When a plugin has additional settings, you can access them by clicking “Settings.
You can also learn more about a plugin, like see its reviews, get instructions on how to use it, or read about its updates. Just click “View Details” under the plugin’s description.
Understanding the Plugins page
That about wraps it up
Getting used to plugins takes a little bit of time, but you’re now well on your way to being a WordPress pro!
Key Takeaways:
- Do a little research before you install your plugins
- Don’t install too many plugins
- Remove unused plugins
- Keep your plugins updated
