What We'll Learn

Plugins are an essential part of WordPress, since they add extra functionality to your site without the need to write code. With over 15,000 currently available, most of which are free to download, you can find plugins for just about anything. In this article, we’ll be going over when you would want to use plugins, how to install them, and the different kinds you can get. 

When You'll Need Plugins

Although Elementor has a treasure trove of features and elements to use, it unfortunately can’t do everything. Let’s say you want to have a subscription feature, where people can pay to view content on your site. Or maybe you want to have a job board system, like on Upwork or Fiverr. On its own, Elementor doesn’t offer this kind of functionality. But there are many plugins available for both of these examples. When considering if you need a plugin, the general rule is to see if Elementor can do something already; if it can’t, or if it doesn’t do it very well, then it may be time to use a plugin.

Downloading Plugins

When managing your plugins, it’s a good idea to have as few as possible, since downloading too many can slow down your site. To download new plugins, you need to head to Plugins >> Add New, where you’ll immediately be greeted with a grid of recommended plugins. To search for something specific, you can use the search bar in the top right of the page. You can also add plugins downloaded from third-party sites, by using the Upload Plugin button in the top left and uploading a .zip file.

Recommended Plugins to Use

With over 50,000 plugins to choose from, it can be difficult to decide on just one. To make things a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of high-quality plugins, spanning any feature you may want. If you need a feature that isn’t listed here, you can always use the search function from the Plugins page.

  • RankMath – great SEO plugin that integrates well with Elementor
  • Site Kit – connects  Google web tools and analytics
  • Limit Login Attempts – limits login attempts for people trying to get into your WordPress account
  • FileBird Lite – organizes media library into folders
  • WPvivid Backup – full website backups, either scheduled or manual
  • Complianz | GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent – creates cookie consent banner and associated legal documents
  • Modern Events Calendar Lite – create events and display them on a calendar
  • Hummingbird– the easiest way to speed up your website
  • Smush – optimizes images to help speed up your site; use with Hummingbird
  • SG Optimizer – speeds up websites hosted with SiteGround; this will be in place of W3 Total Cache
  • Paid Member Subscriptions – adds a subscription system and private content
  • WP Email Users –  mass email website users based on their role
  • WP Job Manager – creates a job board system, like Fiverr or Upwork
  • Constant Contact Forms – since Elementor Pro doesn’t offer Constant Contact integrations, you’ll have to use this for CTCT 
  • Profile Builder – creates more in-depth user profiles
  • Velvet Blues – updates URLs when moving domains
  • Auto-Renew SSL – sets up an auto-renewing SSL with Let’s Encrypt
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