What Are WordPress Plugins?
WordPress plugins act just like an app to your smartphone. In other words, these plugins are extensions to the WordPress core software that allows users to implement different features and functionalities on their website. Each plugin serves a specific purpose and can sometime be further customized to achieve the desired outcome.
What Can A WordPress Plugin Do?
Plugins allow a user to create virtually any type of website, not just a blog. Some examples of what plugins can do include:
- Adding a photo gallery to a photography website
- Starting an online store on to boost eCommerce
- Creating a calendar to show upcoming events
- Embedding videos to create more robust content
- Tracking SEO data to better understand user engagement
There are over 48,000 plugins from the WordPress.org WordPress Directory. These plugins contain thousands of different features and functionalities that can be added to a website. However, not all plugins are made equal and often you get what you pay for.
Finding a plugin with the ideal feature or functionality is only half of the battle; for our clients we also evaluate the code used within the plugin to make sure it is up-to-date and will keep things running smoothly. For each plugin we use on a site, research is conducted to make sure it is highly rated, has an update history and is compatible with the latest version of WordPress.
No matter what kind of goals a web designer has for their WordPress website, most objectives are achievable with a little savvy use of plugins. If a desired feature is missing from a WordPress theme, then there certainly is an app…er, plugin for that. From improving SEO to increasing performance to adding a contact form on your site, WordPress plugins help you get the website you want.
