I thought I’d go through a few plugins that I believe every WordPress blog or website must have. Does not matter if the website or blog is old in my opinion ensure these plugins are installed and being used. The plugins will vary from caching plugins, SEO plugins to even backup plugins.
Lets begin.
1. W3-Total Cache Plugin
If you want your website fast install a caching plugin. This plugin in my opinion is by far the most important as Google takes speed into account now adays as to how to rank your website aswell. Use all the features as you can from gzip compression to minifying css and javascript etc. If modules are missing check with your web hosting provider to ensure that these are enabled on their servers.
2. Wordfence Security
Install some security software to stop brute force hacking attempts on your login page. With this plug you will be able to block international IPs from trying to brute force your website. It can also determine if fake google bots are hitting your website. Ensure your web host also has mod security enabled and setup properly as an extra.
3. Yoast SEO
Need your website to rank better? Ensure you have a plugin like above to rewrite your titles correctly, help with keywords, add google authorship, etc. You need to do this as to rank your blog or website better on google.
4. BackupWPUp
Backups are of utmost importance. If you don’t have them you will want them the day you need them. Rather set them up and backup your website preferably to a different web server or locally or alternatively back them up BEFORE your root folder.
5. Bulk Smushit
Speed of your website is important. But uploading images that are large in size can easily slow down any website. This plugin helps with optimizing your images that you upload so your website loads fast.
Installing the above plugins are optional but in my opinion for every blog or website or client I assist I recommend or install these. Hostking tries to ensure that every client’s website is secure and fast and ranks better if we can. Where we can help we will.