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Client Advice – Recommended WordPress Plugins

April, 2017

Our recommended WordPress Plugins for hands-on clients

WordPress is more than just a content management system. Its popularity means that there are thousands of plugins that can extend the functionality of your website. Here’s a list of recommended WordPress plugins for clients who like to take a more hands-on approach on their website.

Plugin Name: Yoast SEO
Type: SEO
Price: Free with paid premium option

Yoast is the most popular SEO plugin for WordPress. It’s great for getting to grips with basic organic SEO and we normally install it as standard for clients who want to add their own content.

Recommended WordPress Plugins

Plugin Name: Wordfence
Type: Security
Price: Free with paid premium option

Wordfence is a simple way to make your WordPress site more secure. You can restrict login access and get notifications when someone logs into the site. The plugin has many more features that make it an essential addition to our recommended WordPress plugins list.

Wordfence Logo

Plugin Name: Slider Revolution
Type: Slider/Carousel
Price: $25

There is so much that you can do with the Slider Revolution plugin. From basic image sliders to advanced media showcases, this plugin is affordable and offers huge possibilities.

Slider Revolution

Plugin Name: Essential Grid
Type: Image Gallery
Price: $26

Essential Grid is not without its issues. It can be a little tricky to get your head around but once it’s up and running it is a very fine media gallery for WordPress. It can even pull images dynamically from services like Facebook.

Essential Grid

Plugin Name: Gravity Forms
Type: Contact and other web forms
Price: $26

If you just want a basic contact form we normally use

. For more complex requirements, gravity forms have huge possibilities and a very user-friendly interface.

Gravity Forms

Plugin Name: WooCommerce
Type: eCommerce / Online Shop
Price: Free

Selling your products online has never been easier. In most cases, setting up WooCommerce is something that is best left to a developer, but once in place the system makes it easy for clients to manage their products.

WooCommerce

Plugin Name: Tidio Chat
Type: Live Chat
Price: Free

Tidio Chat is a really easy to install live chat plugin that has a companion app for your phone.

Tidio Chat

Plugin Name: WP Google Map Pro
Type: Google Maps Plugin
Price: Free

If you just want a simple map, then this plugin would be overkill. For more complex requirements, the features offered by WP Google Maps Pro are unrivalled.

WP Google Map Pro

Will Carey

About the Author

Will Carey is the founder of The Big Dot Company and Creative Chair. He started experimenting with digital design in the 90’s, turning it into a business after obtaining a degree in graphic design in 2012.

TLDRToo Long; Didn't Read

As well as our Recommended WordPress plugins, there are thousands of other plugins that can add new features to your site, but remember:

  • Choose your plugins carefully. Too many can bloat and slow down your site.
  • Remember to keep your plugins up to date. Plugin updates can bring new features but are also often updated for security reasons.
  • It’s always best to consult with your developer before installing a new plugin.

Editor Notes

12/03/2021

This article is four years old. While all of the listed plugins are still solid, some of them wouldn’t be on the shortlist now. In most cases, we’d recommend a plugin based on the specific requirements.

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