… with Terry’s top 10 WordPress Plugins!
It’s a new year. A new decade. What better way to start the new year, than by making sure your website and blog are dressed for success. It’s not as difficult as you might think.
Technology changes at a fast and furious rate. Especially when it’s concerning things like plugins. If you’re not sure what a plugin is, it’s what make WordPress … well, WordPress. The ability to install plugins is what I believe sets WordPress apart from all of the other platforms. With the use of plugins, the ability to extend functionality or add features to your WordPress website or blog is unlimited.
I have to admit I can be a bit fickle when it comes to plugins, but not all plugins are created equal. Plus, with the constant changes in technology and software, some continue to be awesome, and some don’t. So, here is my top 10 list of favorite WordPress Plugins as we roll into 2020, in no particular order!
Cloudflare … not surprising to me at all that Cloudflare is still on my list of favorites. Cloudflare speeds up and protects websites from specific threats and vulnerabilities, APIs, SaaS services, and other properties connected to the Internet. (The plugin is free, but requires a Cloudflare account) https://www.cloudflare.com/
Social Pug … there are several social sharing plugins to choose from, but Social Pug is my social sharing plugin of choice for 2020. There is, of course, a free version, but at $34 per year, it’s totally worth the extra options and features you get. https://devpups.com/social-pug/
TinyPMG … TinyPMG continues to be my favorite image compression plugin. Nothing slows a WordPress site down faster than huge and unwieldy images. This little gem will automatically compress and resize your images as you add them, so you can keep the quality without the bulk. To top it off, there is a pro version, but I’ve been using the free one for ages and it does just fine. https://wordpress.org/plugins/tiny-compress-images/
UpdraftPlus … an absolute must-have for every WordPress user is a good, reliable backup plugin. UpdraftPlus is such a plugin! It backs up my site and blog to Amazon S3 (or your cloud space of choice) quietly behind the scenes, so I can rest easy knowing my site is protected. https://updraftplus.com/
Google Analytics … allows you to track your blog easily and stays up to date with the newest features in Google Analytics. This one requires a Google Analytics account, but both are free.
WP Cerber Security, Antispam & Malware Scan … what a mouthful! But, it’s definitely a security must-have. Their description of the plugin says it best “Defends WordPress against hacker attacks, spam, trojans, and viruses. Malware scanner and integrity checker. Hardening WordPress with a set of comprehensive security algorithms. Spam protection with a sophisticated bot detection engine and reCAPTCHA. Tracks user and intruder activity with powerful email, mobile and desktop notifications.” A plugin like this one isn’t an option, but a necessity. https://wpcerber.com/
TinyMCE Advanced … extends and enhances TinyMCE, the WordPress Visual Editor. I tried living without it but couldn’t! It makes formatting your pages and posts super easy. https://wordpress.org/plugins/tinymce-advanced/
SEOPress (and SEOPress Pro) … There are a couple of favorite plugins that took a downward turn halfway through 2019. After being a Yoast SEO fan for ages, I made the switch to SEOPress. I must say I’ve been quite happy with the switch too. It’s easy to use and gets the job done. https://www.seopress.org/
Triberr … I’m always touting the benefits of promoting your blog posts on 3rd party apps. Triberr is one of them. So, it makes sense that I would love the Triberr plugin. This one adds a social sharing button for Triberr, so whenever I post a new blog post, I can easily share it on Triberr. No muss. No fuss!
Last, but not least …
Antispam Bee … anti-spam plugins come and go. Trust me, I’ve tried a gazillion of them. You name it. I’ve tried it. Enter Antispam Bee. If you’re having issues with a lot of spam on your site, my recommendation is Antispam Bee. I rarely ever get spam anymore, and I have this one to thank for it! https://wordpress.org/plugins/antispam-bee/
