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How to choose the right WordPress plugins for your website

At Black Nova Designs, we specialise in building custom WordPress websites for clients located all over the UK and working in a huge variety of industries. WordPress is one of the world’s most popular website platforms, powering over 40% of all websites globally. Its popularity stems from its flexibility, user-friendliness and the vast array of customisation options it offers – many of which come from plugins!

Keep in mind you can build a WordPress website with fewer than two plug-ins nowadays, ecommerce will need more, when looking at plug ins you should always keep in mind less is more, keep them to a minimum.

With over 60,000 plugins in the official directory and new ones being added every day, we know our customers sometimes feel overwhelmed by the choice on offer. But selecting the right plugins is essential for a smooth, secure and efficient website. That’s why we’re sharing our top tips for choosing the right WordPress plugins for your website. Here’s what we think you should consider:

1. Website speed

Some plugins are “heavier” than others, meaning they can slow down your site. Page speed impacts user experience and SEO, so it’s crucial to test before and after installing a plugin. We love tools like GTMetrix, which can help you check if a plugin is affecting your site’s load time. As a rule of thumb, try to minimise the number of plugins; fewer is better.

2. Compatibility with themes and other plugins

Plugins can sometimes conflict with your website’s theme or other plugins. This may happen if a plugin is outdated or poorly developed, causing errors or even taking your site offline. Before installing, ensure that the plugin is actively maintained and compatible with your theme.

3. Take security seriously

Security should be paramount as outdated plugins can expose vulnerabilities, leaving your site open to hacks, data loss or performance issues. Carefully vet each plugin before installing it, as even a free one can introduce security risks if it’s not well-maintained.

What to check before installing a plugin

To ensure a plugin is a good fit, here are some areas to explore before hitting the “Download” button:

  • User ratings and reviews: Reviews often reveal potential issues and give insight into the plugin’s reliability. If feedback is mostly negative, it’s best to look for an alternative.
  • Last updated date: A plugin should ideally be updated within the last six months. Outdated plugins may not work with the latest WordPress release and could expose your site to security risks.
  • Compatibility with WordPress versions: In the plugin’s sidebar, you’ll find information about its compatibility with different WordPress versions. Make sure it matches the version your site is running.
  • Support: Good support is a positive sign that the developer stands behind their product. You can check the “Support” tab on the plugin’s WordPress.org page to see if the developer responds to user queries. Plus, you’ll find that reviews often mention support quality.
  • Active instals: The number of active installations helps you see how widely used a plugin is. Generally, we say that a plugin with a large user base is more reliable and benefits from a community of users.

A few of our recommended plugins

For those looking to add functionality to their WordPress site, here are some plugins we really rate:

  • WooCommerce – A free plugin to add e-commerce features to your site.
  • WP Smush – Compresses images to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality.
  • Google Site Kit– Provides insights into site traffic, including visitor origins and popular content via your GA4 account (google analytics)
  • Ninja Forms – for all forms on your website, ninja forms is free with paid add on options, it keeps backups of all forms and has a inbuilt spam filter.
  • Wordfence – A leading security plugin to protect your site.
  • Yoast SEO – Helps optimise your site’s content for search engines.

Please Note: There is a legal requirement for all websites that track data to have a cookie policy, this includes youtube videos, google analytics, facebook meta tracking.

We recommend that only trusted users should have the authority to install plugins on your website. That’s because allowing unverified users to add plugins can introduce security risks, as this blog has explained! We also suggest that you avoid sharing your website login with anyone else; instead, set up separate user profiles to track activity and safeguard your site. If you have any queries about choosing the right WordPress plugins for your site, just drop us a line.

Keep in mind you can build a WordPress website with fewer than two plug-ins nowadays, ecommerce will need more. The cost of a custom build doesn’t have to be crazy and if it means it keeps the website that bit safer it’s a no brainer?!

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