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    5 of the best WordPress plugins according to the experts

    Guide
    by Stacy Parr Finance Manager

    One of the best things about WordPress as a platform is how versatile and customisable it is, and this is largely thanks to the huge number of plugins available.

    WordPress plugins can be hit and miss, and when there are so many available that seem to serve the same purpose, how do you know the best one to use? Some can be risky to download (read how to tell if a WordPress plugin is safe here), but some of them are simply just better at the job.

    Below are our recommendations for the best WordPress plugins you need to get on board with.

    Autoptimize

    What it’s used for: optimising your site

    Every second counts when it comes to page-load time, with three quarters of mobile users abandoning a site if load-time is over 5 seconds. Make optimising your site easy by using the same plugin we use. Designed to simplify the process of optimising your site, Autoptimise is a simple WordPress plugin and can help to improve page speed quickly by

    • Reducing server response time
    • Minifying HTML, CSS, and JS

    Yoast SEO


    What it’s used for : making your site search engine friendly

    Yoast is a widely used SEO tool that can be installed into any WordPress site and helps you to make your site search-engine friendly. Yoast is easy to use, and beginner-friendly making it one of the best WordPress plugins to install regardless of your site.

    The premium version offers some additional functionality, however you will get the most important features included in the free version.

    Find some more info on how to set up and use Yoast here

    Olark


    What it’s used for : live chat 

    Live chat has become an increasingly popular web tool. It is predicted that by 2020, the vast majority of business-customer interactions will occur without a human on the business side, with 43% stating live chat as their number 1 preferred contact method.

    This plugin adds the Olark chatbox to your website – and boasts a white label option so that you can remove Olark’s branding.

    You can get chat reports, integrate with your CRM, set automated messages, and it’s easy to translate. Check it out here.

    WooCommerce


    What it’s used for: to add eCommerce capabilities


    Don’t be fooled into thinking you can’t build a successful eCommerce site with WordPress…  WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce WordPress plugin, enabling you to turn your WordPress site into an online shop. With it, you can sell products and services, take payments, manage shipping etc. all in an affordable way.

    Powering over 40% of all online stores, WooCommerce is extremely versatile and is completely free to download and use.

    Learn more here

    WP Fastest Cache


    What it’s used for: to enable caching

    A lightweight caching plugin to help speed up your site by reducing the number of database queries required. With 8 million downloads, WP Fastest Cache has a free version and a paid-for premium version.

    The benefits of caching vary depending on how many queries your site currently has to make, variables including the theme you use and the number of plugins your site has.h

    So there you have it… 5 of the best WordPress plugins according to the experts. Need help with your website? Gooey are a white label web and email development team based in Manchester, UK. Get in touch to discuss your project today.