Best WordPress Plugins to Use in 2024

What Is a WordPress Plugin?

The WordPress platform integrates seamlessly with plugins created in the PHP programming language. Plugins enable you to add additional features and functionality to your WordPress site.

There are dozens of WordPress plugins available, ranging from basic tools to sophisticated toolkits that can turn your site into an application with all the bells and whistles. The following are some instances of what WordPress plugins can accomplish:

• Adding social media sharing buttons to your site
• Creating custom forms and pop-ups for gathering information from visitors
• Integrating your site with email marketing tools
• Optimizing your site for search engines
• Adding e-commerce functionality to your site

WordPress is a very strong and adaptable platform, thanks in large part to its plugin ecosystem. To modify your site and add the functionality you require, you can install, activate, and deactivate plugins as necessary.

The WordPress Plugin Directory is a good place to find them, including free WordPress plugins with reviews and updated information.

How to install WordPress plugins

WordPress plugin installation is simple and is frequently done right from the WordPress dashboard. How to install WordPress plugins is as follows:

1. Go to the “Plugins” option on your WordPress dashboard.
2. To look for and set up new plugins, click the “Add New” button.
3. In the search bar, enter the name of the plugin you wish to install.
4. Click the “Install Now” button next to the plugin you want to install.

Click the “Activate” button to enable the plugin after installation.
WATCH HOW TO INSTALL AN EXAMPLE OF A WORDPRESS PLUGIN

As an alternative, you can install a plugin in WordPress by downloading it from a third-party website or the WordPress plugin repository and then uploading it to your website. 

Follow these steps to accomplish this:

1. Download the plugin file to your computer. 
2. Go to the “Plugins” menu in your WordPress dashboard and click the “Add New” button. 
3. Click the “Upload Plugin” button at the top of the page. 
4. Click the “Choose File” button and select the plugin file you downloaded. 
5. Click the “Install Now” button. 
6. After the plugin has been installed, click the “Activate” button to turn it on.

Free and Premium Plugins for WordPress

Free plugins are available for download and use at no cost, and they can be an excellent choice for those who are new to WordPress or have a limited budget. Premium WordPress plugins, on the other hand, are typically more feature-rich and supported by a dedicated team. They are an excellent choice for those seeking more effective or specialized features. Another option is custom WordPress plugin development through white label WordPress development services. These services can build customized plugins tailored exactly to your website's unique needs. While more expensive upfront, white label WordPress development allows for a truly bespoke and optimized plugin solution.

The following WordPress plugins can be installed in the basic, free version and the extended, premium version.

Gravity Forms – This plugin is a form builder that allows you to create custom forms for your website, including contact forms, surveys, and more. The free plugin version includes basic form-building functionality, while the premium version adds features such as payment integrations, conditional logic, and support for advanced fields like signature inputs.

WPForms – This WordPress plugin is another popular option for creating forms on a WordPress site, with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and a range of advanced features. The free version includes basic form-building functionality, while the premium plugin version adds features like survey and poll creation, multi-page forms, and integration with popular email marketing services.

CallPage – This plugin is a lead capture plugin that lets visitors request a free call back from a company representative. It adds a customizable widget to the website and allows businesses to easily connect with potential customers. CallPage goes in both the free version and the premium version, which has more personalization options and more phone calls included in the package.

Advanced Custom Fields – This WordPress plugin allows you to add custom fields to your WordPress posts and pages, making it easier to store and display custom data. The free version includes basic custom field creation and display functionality, while the premium version adds features like the ability to create custom field groups and the option to export and import field groups.

Both free plugins and premium WordPress plugins can be useful for WordPress users, and the best choice will depend on an individual’s needs and budget.

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Best WordPress Plugins for SEO

SEO is important because it increases the visibility of your website to potential users, which can lead to increased traffic and revenue. Multiple WordPress plugins are available that are specifically designed to support SEO, and we will discuss some of the best ones in this list.

Yoast SEO – This plugin is an all-in-one SEO solution that assists you in optimizing your website for search engines. Keyword optimization, XML site maps, and integration with Google Search Console are all included. It also includes tools for creating and optimizing meta tags, such as title tags and meta descriptions, which are essential for assisting search engines in understanding the content of your website.

All-in-One SEO Pack – This WordPress plugin is yet another all-in-one SEO solution that includes a variety of features to assist you in optimizing your website for search engines. It supports custom post types, which can be useful if your website contains content that does not fall into the standard “post” or “page” categories. It also includes Google Analytics integration, which can be used.

Rank Math – This plugin is a comprehensive SEO solution that aids in the optimization of your website for search engines and the improvement of your search engine rankings. Keyword optimization, XML site maps, and integration with Google Search Console are all included. It also provides local SEO tools, which can be useful if your company has a physical location that you want to promote in search results.

The SEO Framework – This WordPress plugin is another lightweight option that is designed to be quick and simple to use while providing a variety of powerful features. It has features such as auto-generated meta tags and integration with Google Search Console. It also provides a number of customization options, allowing you to fine-tune the SEO settings on your website to meet your specific requirements.

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Best WordPress Plugins That Help You Increase Conversion Rate

A conversion rate is a measure of how effectively a website is able to turn visitors into customers. Improving this rate can lead to increased revenue and success for a business. To enable advanced customization and integrations, businesses can look to hire WordPress development services for tailored solutionsю By using these WordPress plugins, website owners can more effectively capture the attention of their visitors and convert them into paying customers.

READ ALSO: How to Increase Your Website’s Conversion Rate: A Comprehensive Guide to Website Conversion

Here are some popular WordPress plugins that can help increase your conversion rate:

CallPage – This plugin is a lead capture plugin that lets visitors request a free call from a company representative. It adds a customizable pop-up to the website and allows businesses to easily connect with potential customers. CallPage allows users to order a free call in less than 28 seconds and can increase website conversions by up to 120%. Both the free and paid versions require the creation of CallPage account.

Gravity Forms – This WordPress plugin allows you to create custom forms on your WordPress site, which can be used to gather information from your visitors or allow them to sign up for newsletters or special offers.

OptinMonster – This plugin helps you create and display opt-in forms on your site, allowing you to capture email addresses and build your email list.

SumoMe – This plugin provides a suite of tools that can help increase your conversion rate, including email capture forms, social media sharing buttons, and tools for A/B testing.

Hello Bar – This plugin allows you to create and display notifications and calls to action on your site, which can help encourage visitors to take a specific action (such as signing up for your email list or making a purchase).

WPForms – This plugin lets you create custom forms on your WordPress site and comes with features like form templates, payment integration, and support for conditional logic.

READ ALSO: Five Types of Tools To Generate Leads Any Business Needs
 

Other Useful WordPress Plugins

There are many great WordPress plugins available that can enhance the functionality of a website. Other popular options for a WordPress site are as follows:

W3 Total Cache – This plugin speeds up your WordPress site by caching pages, reducing the load on your server, and improving page load times.

MonsterInsights – This is a popular WordPress plugin that allows users to easily track and analyze their website traffic and user behavior using Google Analytics. It provides insights into how visitors interact with the site, including page views, referral sources, and top-performing pages. It also offers options for e-commerce tracking and can be easily configured through the WordPress dashboard.

MemberPress – This is a WordPress plugin that allows users to easily create and manage membership sites. It features options for setting up subscription-based access to content, restricting content based on membership levels, and managing member billing and payments. It also includes integrations with popular email marketing and CRM tools.

Sucuri – This is a security plugin for WordPress that helps protect websites from malware, hacking, and other security threats. It features options for malware scanning, website firewalls, and website hardening. It also includes security notifications and integrations with other security tools.

Conclusion

It’s important to carefully consider your needs when choosing which plugins to install. The right combination of plugins can make a significant difference to the success of your website. Best WordPress plugins can help improve your SEO, increase your conversion rate, and overall drive more success for your business.