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A Beginners Guide
to Free WordPress
Plugins
with Christina Hills
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#wcoc@christinahills
What are WordPress Plugins?
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@christinahills #wcoc
Plugins are like Apps on Your Phone
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@christinahills #wcoc
Plugin Can Be:
Fun or Functional
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Fun: Falling Snow Plugin
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-snow/
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Functional: SEO Plugin
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo
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How Do You Evaluate a Plugin?
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WordPress.org Plugin Directory1
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@christinahills #wcoc
Inside WordPress Admin2
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Example:
“Image Widget”
Plugin
https://wordpress.org/plugins/image-widget/
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Find Inside WP & Evaluate
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Look at:
- Version Compatibility
- Active Installs
- Star Ratings
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Look for:
- Screenshots
- FAQ
-Documentation
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Find it on
WordPress.org
https://wordpress.org/plugins/image-widget/
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How Active is the
Support Forum?
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Go to the Plugin
Homepage
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Do They Have a Pro Version?
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Click to Install the Plugin
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REMEMBER to Activate the Plugin!
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See if the Plugin has a
Special Settings Area
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For “Widget” Plugins Go to the Widget Area
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Check the General
“Settings” Area
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Some Plugins Have
Their Own Settings
Area
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Save Your “Favorites” For Faster Install!
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At WordPress.org
Click “Heart” to
Favorite
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What is a Shortcode Plugin?
[ ]
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Plugin Shortcode:
“[“ words in square brackets “]”
[simple-sitemap]
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Sitemap Shortcode: [simple-sitemap] in a Page
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Resulting Page
Created from that
Shortcode
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The FooGallery Shortcode: [foogallery id="133"]
Visual View
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The FooGallery Shortcode: [foogallery id="133"]
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The FooGallery “Photo Album” Displayed
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The Jetpack Plugin
www.Jetpack.com
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www.Jetpack.com/support
Explains all Features
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Tiled Galleries
“Photon” Image Storage
Related Posts
Contact Form
Stats
Security
Monitor Downtime
Social Sharing
Widget Visibility
Extra Sidebar Widgets
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If you are NOT a
developer:
Ignore Instructions that
Involve code!
Just say to yourself:
“This is not for me!”
www.Jetpack.com/support/site-breadcrumbs/
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#wcoc@christinahills
Always Update
Your Plugins!
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Look for the Orange Circles
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Sometimes Plugins Get “Moldy”
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Watch for Outdated Plugins that have this Warning!
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Use “No Longer in Directory” Plugin
https://wordpress.org/plugins/no-longer-in-directory/
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When Should You Upgrade to the
Pro Version of a Plugin?
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#wcoc@christinahills
You Upgrade to the Pro Version
For Support and More Features
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Must Have Plugins List:
Backup
Security
Under Construction
Contact form
Duplicate Post
Image Widget
Advanced Image Styles
TinyMCE Advanced
Caching plugin
Redirection plugin
Enhanced Media Library
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Additional Plugins to Consider
SEO
Social Sharing
Social Follow
Related Posts
Contact Form
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Plugin Best Practices:
ALWAYS keep plugins up to date.
Delete plugins you are not using.
Keep the number of plugins at a minimum
Be nice in plugin support forums!
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#wcoc@christinahills
Graphic courtesy of SixRevisions.com
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Donate to Keep Plugin Authors Happy!
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@christinahills #wcoc
So Gather Your Army of Plugins
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Connect with Christina Hills
Twitter: @christinahills
Email: christina@websitecreationworkshop.com
Hello I am Christina Hills, and welcome to the webinar today.
Today I am going to share with you How You Can Easily Create a Beautiful Website in WordPress, Even if You Hate Technology..
I’ll explain more in just a few minutes...
Plugins are tools to extend the functionality of WordPress. It is software add-ons to “turbo charge” your WordPress website.
Plugins are optional; you don't have to have them for WordPress to work. However, they greatly add to the appearance and /or functionality of your WordPress website. Think of them as the 'bells and whistles' added to your website.
Note: Search WordPress.org for the most up to date snow and other animation plugins. It’s quite fun to add during the holiday in December!
You can find that plugin here: http://wordpress.org/plugins/nksnow/ (outdated now)
so try this one https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-snow/
Some plugins are to manage your site
2 Ways
Go To WordPress.org to further search and evaluate – also called the repository
It is easier to evaluate plugins by going to the www.WordPress.org/plugins site to research a plugin that you find inside of your admin area. It’s because the documentation is laid out better.
Tip: Look for Plugins with a high star rating. They tend to have been tested by more people.
Note: You can install a plugin right away and try it, or you can evaluate it first.
Social Media Icon Widget Settings
This image shows the custom widget for the Social Media Icons Plugin.
Social Media Icon Widget Settings
This image shows the custom widget for the Social Media Icons Plugin.
Search on WordPress.org for the plugin you are interested in.
Tip: Because WordPress.org forces the plugin authors to use a specific format when describing their plugins, it is MUCH easier to evaluate it this way vs. going to the plugin site.
Social Media Icon Widget Settings
This image shows the custom widget for the Social Media Icons Plugin.
Do the Plugin Authors Have a Monetization Model? Are they making money? Are they committed to maintaining this plugin?
Should you upgrade to pro?
Look on the left to see if Your Plugin Has Options
Note: Sometimes the plugin settings are below the Settings menu in its own special section. So just look around your admin area.
Social Media Icon Widget Settings
This image shows the custom widget for the Social Media Icons Plugin.
Look on the left to see if Your Plugin Has Options
Note: Sometimes the plugin settings are below the Settings menu in its own special section. So just look around your admin area.
Look on the left to see if Your Plugin Has Options
Note: Sometimes the plugin settings are below the Settings menu in its own special section. So just look around your admin area.
You can find a free plugin from WordPress in 1 of 4 ways:
- You can look at the ‘Featured’, ‘Popular’, ‘Recommended’, or ‘Favorites’
- You can look at the WordPress.org Plugin Directory at http://wordpress.org/plugins/
- You can use the Search box and search on a keyword/tag
- You can click on one of the tags to bring up all Plugins with that keyword/tag
Tip: You can also do a Google search to find Plugins. Make sure you trust the source before downloading anything. That's why I get most of my Plugins from within the WordPress admin, as you then know they come from WordPress.org a trusted site.
Teach the favorite ones
You can find a free plugin from WordPress in 1 of 4 ways:
- You can look at the ‘Featured’, ‘Popular’, ‘Recommended’, or ‘Favorites’
- You can look at the WordPress.org Plugin Directory at http://wordpress.org/plugins/
Sometimes plugins use what is called a ‘shortcode’. Shortcode have brackets ‘[‘ and ‘]’ to let WordPress know to insert the plugin into the page/post.
Tip: Simple Sitemap by David Gywer automatically builds a special page that is a sitemap so that visitors can see the entire map of the website.
See plugin here:
http://wordpress.org/plugins/simple-sitemap/
Sometimes plugins use what is called a ‘shortcode’. Shortcode have brackets ‘[‘ and ‘]’ to let WordPress know to insert the plugin into the page/post.
Sometimes plugins use what is called a ‘shortcode’. Shortcode have brackets ‘[‘ and ‘]’ to let WordPress know to insert the plugin into the page/post.
Sometimes plugins use what is called a ‘shortcode’. Shortcode have brackets ‘[‘ and ‘]’ to let WordPress know to insert the plugin into the page/post.
Sometimes the Options Have Their Own Section
Note: This Plugin will make a site mobile responsive if the WordPress theme is not already mobile responsive.
Sometimes the Options Have Their Own Section
Note: This Plugin will make a site mobile responsive if the WordPress theme is not already mobile responsive.
ALWAYS keep plugins up to date. Delete plugins not active and delete plugins you are not using. Strive to keep the number of plugins at a minimum
If you see that warning, best to use another plugin!
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordcents/
Beaver builder
Related posts
https://wordpress.org/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/
Related posts
https://wordpress.org/plugins/yet-another-related-posts-plugin/
Donate to keep plugin developers motivated!
Give a review
When you ask for support, to ask nicely
![What is a Shortcode Plugin?
[ ]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wordcampoc2017-plugins-v06-presented-170613012003/85/a-beginners-guide-to-free-wordpress-plugins-26-320.jpg?cb=1497316918)
![#wcoc@christinahills
Plugin Shortcode:
“[“ words in square brackets “]”
[simple-sitemap]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wordcampoc2017-plugins-v06-presented-170613012003/85/a-beginners-guide-to-free-wordpress-plugins-27-320.jpg?cb=1497316918)
![#wcoc@christinahills
Sitemap Shortcode: [simple-sitemap] in a Page](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wordcampoc2017-plugins-v06-presented-170613012003/85/a-beginners-guide-to-free-wordpress-plugins-28-320.jpg?cb=1497316918)
![#wcoc@christinahills
The FooGallery Shortcode: [foogallery id="133"]
Visual View](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wordcampoc2017-plugins-v06-presented-170613012003/85/a-beginners-guide-to-free-wordpress-plugins-30-320.jpg?cb=1497316918)
![#wcoc@christinahills
The FooGallery Shortcode: [foogallery id="133"]](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/wordcampoc2017-plugins-v06-presented-170613012003/85/a-beginners-guide-to-free-wordpress-plugins-31-320.jpg?cb=1497316918)
