These days, it’s crucial for your business to have a website.
It doesn’t matter if you are a brand-new business or a local mom and pop that has been around for years. You need to take a digital stance in order to stay relevant with your consumers.
One of the best, and easiest, platforms to do this with is WordPress.
WordPress allows you to create a custom site and develop it into pretty much anything you can imagine. Whether you’re building a website from the ground up, or looking for ways to improve your current WordPress website design, there are many tools available to help you.
You just have to know the right ones to use!
Here are eight of the top WordPress tools to incorporate into your site.
1. iThemes Security
Security is one of the most important things you need to invest in for your website. The tighter you lock everything down, the more you can trust that your private information, and that of your customers, is protected.
Do this with the help of iThemes Security.
This WordPress website design tool is all about monitoring issues and empowering you to fix them. The plugin tracks activity to find gaps in your protection. Then, it walks you through how to close the gaps and resolve what’s going on.
It also has resources that suggest how to better improve your site security, even if nothing is wrong with it.
2. Backup Buddy
Speaking of security resources, let’s talk about backing up your WordPress website.
Consider a backup system like the insurance for your site security. Security is what protects your information from any attack attempts or crashes. Backup is what ensures your information is safe should any of those situations occur.
With Backup Buddy, you can take care of this task through just a few clicks.
The installment is fast and the use is very simple. But, there’s no doubt you need this tool to ensure your site is safe and reliable.
3. OptinMonster
Once you have your WordPress website design all set up and secured, it’s time to focus on the traffic it generates. Many business owners make the mistake of thinking as site traffic as a sign of success.
In reality, it’s only part of the picture. The real success is if the people who are coming to your website (aka your traffic) are converting. Conversions aren’t always purchases, by the way.
Sometimes, a small conversion, like a person filling out a form to stay connected, leads to the ultimate goal of making a sale. Filling out an online form is referred to as opting in. When someone opts-in, they want to know more about your business.
This could be a new customer that’s hesitating their purchase or a repeat customer that wants to stay in touch. Either way, you should focus on generating as many opt-ins as possible.
OptinMonster can help you do just that.
4. MaxCDN
One way to encourage more opt-ins from site visitors is to place engaging visuals around your sign-up forms.
Such tools hold a person’s interest for a few moments longer, which might be the difference between them deciding to opt-in or to leave your site. On the other hand, most users won’t even make it to your opt-in form if your site is taking too long to load!
That can happen if your visuals are holding up the loading process.
To speed things up, invest in MaxCDN.
This WordPress plugin makes large visual files, like high-quality photos and video marketing content, much faster. It’s a reliable, efficient service that allows you to make use of all the photo and video content you have, without sacrificing the overall success of your page due to loading speed.
If you find yourself in need of such visual content to begin with, check out the photo and video work of Loyal Dog Marketing Firm.
5. LeagueTable
Email campaigns help you bring unengaged users back to your website.
Once they get there, you have to make sure the information they see is interesting and understandable. If you work in a data-intensive field, this might be a bit tricky, which is where LeagueTable comes in.
This is the ultimate WordPress website design tool to make data tables with. All you have to do is upload the spreadsheets you already have.
From there, you can set up the information to be as simple and eye-catching as you want.
LeagueTable helps you break down all the data in a way that makes senses to users and keeps them engaged as they take everything in.
6. Supsytic Pricing Table
Sometimes, the tricky thing about setting up a table on your website isn’t about communicating lots of data. It’s about giving users a layout that allows them to compare one price point versus another.
This is done with pricing tables, and the easiest way to make these is with Supsytic’s plugin. This is arguably one of the most user-friendly tools from a design perspective.
All your pricing tables are made by dragging and dropping the elements you want to use. You can then enter all the information for each table with ease, and save!
It’s that simple for you to create. When you create something well, it’s just as simple for customers to understand and everyone wins.
7. Manage WP
What happens when you get involved with too many WordPress plugins?
You need another to manage them all in one place. That is what Manage WP is for.
This tool gives you access to every single plugin and all your different WordPress sites if you have more than one. Such a dashboard allows you to stay on top of maintenance and updates, as well as simple design changes.
It keeps you in the know about every little thing, so you don’t miss a thing.
8. WP Remote
Another management tool that is similar to the one above is WP Remote.
But, this service is completely free! That’s a price point most business owners enjoy, especially when the service is as trustworthy and reliable as this.
You can set up WP Remote to automatically update anything that needs maintenance. There are also backups available that connect straight to your hard drive for extra security.
Get the Most Out of Your WordPress Website Design
The internet is constantly changing, and it’s up to website designers to stay on trend. This goes for users who are just beginning to build their WordPress sites and those who have been around for years.
No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the tools above can help you stay ahead. From security to management and user relationships, each option plays a significant role in the overall success of your WordPress website design.
For more plugin information and insights, click here.