wordcamp miami 2015: how to find the best wordpress plugins for you

How to Find the Best WordPress Plugins for You

Adam Soucie

Today you’ll learn...

• What to look for in a plugin

• Where you can find reliable plugins

• Which plugins you should use regardless of your site content

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

A little about me

• Freelance Web Developer

• Primarily focused on WordPress

• Plugin author

• WordCamp Orlando organizer

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

What to look for in plugins

3 things to look for

1. Actively supported

2. Does what it says it does - and nothing else

3. Easy to use/set up

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Actively supported?

Updates matter.• Only use current plugins

• Because security.

• Check the change logs

• You may not understand them, but they should be somewhat helpful

• Too many updates is a red flag

• If it updates every week, STAY AWAY

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

“A good plugin does one thing, and does that one thing well.”

- Andrew Norcross

There is no single site solution.

• Your mechanic is not also your vet (I hope)

• Focused products keep your project focused

• Distractions take time, which costs you money

• Exceptions for complicated matters like SEO

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Is it easy to install?

One Click Installation is the goal

• Plugin files should install with a single .zip file

• FTP stands for “%&$# that plugin” because you should never have to FTP for install

• All plugins on the WordPress repo have a one-click install button

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Is it easy to set up?

Settings Pages are the Devil.

• The plugin should just work.

• If the plugin does just one thing, why does it take so long to set up?

• At most, you should only have to visit a settings page on the initial install

• Again, SEO is the exception

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

And the plugins are where?

Trusted Sources ONLY

• WordPress.org repository

• Recommendations

• Friends

• Colleagues

• Meetups

• Twitter

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

RUN AWAY! (unless recommended)

• Random finds on Google

• CodeCanyon

• Quality Control

• Updating can be very tricky

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Case Study:Social Sharing

Our Checklist

• Plugin Needed?: Yes

• Goal: Increase social media reach

• Problem: Sharing links manually is hard for users

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Our Checklist

• Check the WordPress repo

• Compare your options

• Actively supported?

• Does what it says it does - and nothing else?

• Easy to use/set up?

• Look at reviews

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

PluginRecommendations

Use these.

• WordPress SEO

• Gravity Forms

• gravityforms.com

• Ninja Forms

• Display Widgets

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Also use these.

• JetPack

• Akismet

• Comes pre-installed. Activate it if you support comments

• Post Series Manager

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

For more info…

• Check out the cheat sheet

• Slides are on AdamSoucie.com

• @adamsoucie on Twitter

• Happiness Bar

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Any questions?

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie

Thanks to…

• Tina Fiume (illustrations)

• Andrew Norcross (inspiration)

• Star Wars Rebels characters are property of the Walt Disney Company and Lucasfilm

adamsoucie.com @adamsoucie