Have you ever asked yourself: “What is a WordPress Plugin?” Well when you first get your WordPress website installed, it will come with a standard set of features. But when you add WordPress plugins, then your website becomes unique to you, and gives your site the ‘bells and whistles’ to make it really sing.
So what is a ‘Plugin’? A WordPress plugin is extra software code that you can easily add to your website from within your admin area that give you extra functionality, such as extra Search Engine Optimization or a streamlined way to print out your web pages.
Here is a Plugin Analogy…
When you buy a car, you get the standard features. But if you want a sun roof, CD player, chrome wheels, then those are extra options. And each person who buys a car can customize their car with these options. Same holds true with plugins.
Plugins can also be thought of like the ‘apps’ for your Smart Phone. By adding the apps that you like, you can make your Smart Phone do what *you* want it to do over and above the basic functions, making your device very different from others’. You know how people say, “There is an app for that.” Well, I often hear people say, “There is a plugin for that,” in the world of WordPress!
Many plugins are free, in fact most of the one’s I use are free. But sometimes you may want to pay for a premium plugin that is more advanced and complex than some simple free ones. One of my favorite premium plugins is a fantastic one called WishList Member. Wishlist member is a plugin that will turn your website into a private membership site. It’s the membership plugin I’m using for my students in the Website Creation Workshop Program.
Watch this Short Video Explaining a WordPress Plugin (4 min)
The beauty of WordPress is that it makes it easy to add plugins to your site, and you don’t have to pay a programmer to install it for you.
And most of the time, if there is something you’d like your WordPress website to do, you can find a plugin that will do it.
Some plugins add fun: like snow falling on your site, or some add functionality: like putting your website under construction. There are many different plugins to do many different things on your website.
Definition of a WordPress Plugin:
“Plugins are ways to extend and add to the functionality that already exists in WordPress.
The core of WordPress is designed to be lean and lightweight, to maximize flexibility and minimize code bloat. Plugins then offer custom functions and features so that each user can tailor their site to their specific needs.
WordPress Plugins are available from several sources. The most popular and official source for WordPress Plugins is the WordPress.org repo.”
Just like WordPress itself and WordPress themes, it’s imperative that your WordPress plugins are always up-to-date as outdated plugins can cause security and performance issues. Please be sure to take these simple extra steps when it comes to plugins:
Guidelines for Using WordPress Plugins:
- Choose plugins that are well rated and actively maintained by the plugin authors. Sometimes plugin authors unfortunately abandon the plugin they designed or not fix vulnerabilities quick enough. WordPress’ official plugin repository provides ratings, last update dates, reviews, and some other useful information that help you evaluate plugins, so be sure to look at the key data before installing any plugins.
- When an update becomes available for a plugin you use, install it in a timely manner. WordPress shows any available updates clearly in the admin panel and provides an easy way to install updates (It’s a click of a button!).
- Keep only the plugins that you actually use. Old plugins that you don’t use and forget to update tend to become a culprit of website vulnerabilities.
Here are just a few of the many WordPress Plugins I like:
Yoast Duplicate Post by Yoast: https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicate-post/
Instant Images by Darren Cooney: https://wordpress.org/plugins/instant-images/
Foo Gallery by FooPlugins : https://wordpress.org/plugins/foogallery/
WishList Member : http://christinasresources.com/wishlist (my link for it)
Gravity Forms: https://www.christinasresources.com/gravityforms (my link for it)
If you find a plugin that is free, that you really love, then consider supporting these wonderful plugin authors who give their time to contribute to WordPress by making a donation.
If you are already using WordPress, then what plugins do you like? Leave a comment below…
And if you don’t yet have a WordPress website, get on the notification list for the next WordPress training course here
(this article was originally published in Feb 2010)
Thanks Christina,
Great info as usual…
I love the colors on this blog… Looks great.
Duane,
Glad you like it! I’m big into colors and images. I teach with images all the time!
This is great information, thank you! During the call yesterday I began to make a “to-do list”. One of the items was to search for a membership plugin! You must have read my mind.
Always grateful for what you bring to students and alumni.
Christina,
You will want to get the WishList Member plugin, (my link is https://christinasresources.com/wishlist)
It’s a very cool plugin that let’s you use wordpress to create a variety of different membership sites.
I’m using it for the Spring Website Creation Workshop members area!
🙂
I have been enjoying your emails and learning so much. I am such a newbie to all of this but I must say I kind of get it because of the way you explain. I am just getting my feet wet not really sure I need a website but at least thoughts are turning as I just learned today that after 16 years I am getting laid off in a month.
I do have a question for you…..I have seen many blogs and some have the best pictures throughout their writings. Where do these pictures come from that bloggers use? I have always wondered that but am so new to this that I don’t have a clue.
Thanks,
Linda Sue
Linda,
So glad you like my content. I really enjoy teaching WordPress.
There are a variety of places to get graphics. I like http://www.istockphoto.com a lot! They have nice graphics and I often only pay $10 for an image that I can use multiple times. Royalty free.
Christina you’ve done it again. I love this post especially because I’ve been looking for a membership plugin. This one sounds very easy to use and that’s what I need. Thanks again.
Yvonne,
yes you can go to http://www.wishlistqueen.com (that’s my link for wishlist member) and watch the videos on it BEFORE you buy!
🙂
Hi Christina
Thanks again for very useful info for a newbie like me. I enjoy your posts as the clarity is always awesome, helping greater understanding!
I am in the United Kingdom, and due to the time difference the live calls are not convenient! Sigh!
Huge thanks though for all the help – and looking forward to the March course when the details come through.
Kaye
Kaye,
is a 7pm eastern call doable for you in the UK?
or how about a 3pm eastern call?
What time in Eastern works well for UK folks?
Hi Christina
In the UK we are usually 8hrs ahead of California and 5hrs ahead of New York.
I am in Provence France with the grand-babies now and another hour gets added on! Aarrgghh!
Thanks for enquiring though
Regards
K
I am in love with the super popup plugin. I wish it had more features but I like its simplicity.
Jae
Jae,
I’ve never used that super popup plugin. I Will check it out!
Christina,
Where did you get the cute tv frame for your video up on the right? It’d work perfectly with my “all business is show business” theme.
Tsufit
Author, Step Into The Spotlight!
http://www.spotlightbook.com
Tsufit,
That graphic was custom made by a graphic designer. Yes I LOVE your Step into the Spotlight book! I own it
🙂
What about creating columns in your post? I want to compare online/offline info for a couple of categories. I downloaded a plugin, but I can’t figure out how to activate it in my post? Any ideas?
Thanks so much.
Phyllis, are you in my workshop? These are the kind of in depth questions I answer in one of my Website Creation Workshop Webinars.
Without knowing the plugin I can’t answer you
Do you have a plug-in for your opt-in box?
Rhonda,
I use Aweber (http://www.christinasresources.com/aweber is my link for them)
they are the email system/service that lets me do blog broadcasting so that when I post to the blog, you get an email.
That opt in box I coded by hand, but Aweber has lots of plug and play ones that are easy for you to setup
I just love using WP plugins, they make my site very useful for it’s features. I often look for more plugins that will make my site improve, just like those ones you posted here. 🙂
Hi Christina –
How do you like WishListMember compared to Amember? I notice your are still promoting Amember on your ShoppingCart Queen site, and Wish List Member here.
Donna 🙂
Donna,
I use WishListMember (http://www.ChristinasResources.com/wishlist my link)
they are both membership site software but the big difference is that wishlist is all controlled inside WordPress. I like that because I don’t have to train my team on different software.
Amember is another system that is not that hard to learn, but I’m streamlining the technologies that I use with my team.
Great article that I have read. Thanks for sharing.