Basics of Using Plugins
Plugins Provide Functions Such as Analytics, SEO, Photo Galleries, Ecommerce, Spam Blockers, and other Features
See video tutorial below on plugins.
1. Customize Your Site With Plugins
Plugins add customized functions or features to your WordPress site. This is especially important if you have an ecommerce site. One of the reasons WordPress software is so popular is because the plugins make it possible to turn the website into a store with paypal or other payment buttons. There are plugins to make the websites into photo galleries or almost any business or interest that might need a website.
Adding contact forms, spam blockers, analytics, sidebar lists, caching to speed up the site, social media icons, subscribe icons and other features or functions is done with plugins.
2. Dashboard, Plugins, Install, and Popular or Featured Plugins
In your Dashboard go to Plugins. There are choices there to Install or to search for plugins. The links for popular or featured plugins are good places to get ideas.
You can also go to the WordPress.org Plugin Directory for lists of popular plugins with the WordPress community.
3. Plugin Ratings, Descriptions, Installing and Activating
Click Install and then click Activate when you find the plugin you wish to use. The plugins will have links to their websites for support or directions on use. Some plugins add Widgets. After the plugin is activated go to Appearance, Widgets and drag the Widget you wish to use over to the sidebar and follow the directions for use.
4. Popular or Recommended Plugins – Akismet comment spam blocker, Capcha, Google Analytics, Share This, Add This, Recent Posts, SEO, Contact Form 7
The first plugins many people get are the Akismet spam blocker and the Capcha plugin that works with Akismet. . Some other plugins that are popular include the Google Analytics plugin to measure website visitor traffic and provide data. Other popular plugins add social media icons, share this icons, seo, contact forms for email, popular posts plugin, recent posts plugin and caching plugins to improve website loading speed.
5. Getting Help With Plugins
The plugin will have links to the author’s website page where you can read directions, descriptions, and forum comments on it. You can also type in the name of the plugin followed by the word help or forum and search on the internet if you have a question. It’s likely that someone else has encountered the same issue and you can find their questions and solution on a bulletin board.