Creating a website has always been a challenging task. On the bright side, it has become easier over the past few years due to advancements in web development technology.
WordPress, a platform that allows users to host and build websites seamlessly, is a testament to this fact.
However, as powerful as it may be, there are certain features that you may need for your site that WordPress lacks.
That’s what WordPress plugins are for.
What is a WordPress plugin?
WordPress plugins refer to software components that you can “plug in” to your WordPress site, hence the name. They provide your WordPress sites with new features that consequently expand their functionality.
Different plugins are designed for different functions. You’ll find plugins that allow you to perform simple tasks, like optimising image and video sizes. Meanwhile, specific plugins are more complex, such as those that would enable you to perform search engine optimisation automatically. (1)
Naturally, the ideal plugins for your project may vary according to the type of website you’re building. With that in mind, here are five WordPress plugins for business websites.
1. Advanced web translators
Not every site needs translations to other non-English languages. However, that’s not the case with business sites—a platform that should cater to consumers regardless of geographical location.
While some may argue that web translation is possible without a WordPress plugin, using one can minimise the time and effort spent on the process, which is always ideal. For those who want to build a business website that supports multiple languages, a WordPress translation plugin is a must. (2)
Below are other benefits of using a web translation plugin for business websites:
- Improved brand loyalty and reputation: Web translation, in general, improves brand loyalty and reputation among customers. It also showcases your brand’s goodwill towards consumers, as you’re willing to spend time and money to cater to different demographics.
- High-quality translation: Combining web translation plugins with human web translators will produce higher-quality translations than exclusively relying on human translators.
- Faster translation: Plugins can usually translate sites automatically.
- Better searchability: Plugins take SEO into account when translating content.
- Save money: Though you still need to hire a few web translators to proofread the plugin’s output, you don’t need to hire as many web translators as you would if you didn’t have the plugin, allowing you to cut down on hiring expenses. (2)
2. Automatic backup and restore
Data loss has always been a severe issue in web development. You need data to create content, optimise the website for search engines, and perform analytics. You will also likely spend a ton of resources to acquire the digital assets (e.g., logos, videos, documents, etc.) you currently have.
If data loss were to occur, you could lose thousands of dollars worth of assets. That’s why a website owner must always have a WordPress website backup.
While you can create a backup of your WordPress site by manually copying your data, it makes the process much more complicated than it should be.
You have to access the WordPress database, use a somewhat convoluted platform, and export the components of your site individually.
If you’re not exactly the best at handling these technical tasks, a backup/restore plugin should help make the process easier while also securing your file by saving it in the cloud. (3)
3. Search engine optimisers
Search engine optimisation (SEO) has always been a massive deal for websites. With the right strategy, you can make your site more visible and generate more traffic which, in turn, gives you more opportunities to convert visitors into customers.
An SEO plugin assists you in optimising your business website for search engines. Though different SEO plugins may have different features, almost all of them should be able to do the following:
- Show you different actions you can take to improve the SEO metrics
- Provide you with the tools you need to accomplish those actions
- Allow you to analyse SEO metrics to measure
- Check the SEO metrics of other websites, particularly your competitors
- Create and manage sitemaps (4)
4. Form creators/builders
A business website must have a contact page to provide visitors with information about how they can get in touch with you. A Contact Us page could have a form that visitors can fill in with information like their name, contact address, and a short message.
Aside from the contacts page, business sites could also have other pages that use forms.
For instance, medical practice sites may have a “Book an appointment” form created with a booking plugin.
Meanwhile, a service-based business website may have a “Get a quotation/quote” form. Because forms are so commonplace, form builders are one of the top WordPress plugins. (1)
As the name suggests, a form builder is a plugin that allows you to create forms seamlessly thanks to the following features:
- Ready-made templates
- Drag & drop builder
- Form abandonment tracking
- Form landing pages
- User journey tracking (1)
5. Live chat support
If you’ve ever been to another business’ website, you might be familiar with the live chat function that most websites have.
The live chat function allows visitors to ask questions and receive the corresponding answers almost instantaneously.
The live chat support can also connect you with a live agent to answer more personalised questions. Though it’s difficult to implement through coding, creating a live chat support function using WordPress plugins is pretty straightforward. (1)
A live chat support plugin allows you to create a bot that greets visitors as soon as they enter your site.
You can use the plugin to create custom questions visitors can ask and the corresponding answers to these questions. It’s a useful plugin if you wish to improve customer engagement.
6. Online Appointment Booking
Many business websites allow customers to book appointments online. This is especially useful for service based businesses, as it lets visitors schedule appointments without having to call or send an email.
For instance a medical clinic may allow patients to book consultations online. Likewise, a salon, fitness studio, spa, consultancy or coaching business can let customers pick their service, select an available time slot in real time and confirm their appointment right from your WordPress site.
When it comes to appointment booking plugins, BookingPress is one of the most reliable solutions that comes up. It gives you over 21+ payment gateways so your clients can easily pay online in full or deposit through their trusted payment method.
Furthermore, a WordPress booking plugin like BookingPress lets you turn your WordPress site into a complete online booking plugin thanks to its amazing set of 62+ premium addons that comes at zero extra costs, including:
- Two-way calendar sync
- Online appointment scheduling
- Real time availability management
- Automated email, SMS, WhatsApp and Telegram notifications
- 21+ payment gateways + POS system
- Booking management dashboard
- Multi-location and multi-staff member management
Going forward
Relying on professional website developers is a great approach when it comes to improving your business website.
However, it’s possible to further enhance this process by using the right WordPress plugins.
Aside from speeding things up, plugins also help you cut down on time and resources spent on adding features to your site.
Don’t forget to review our WordPress Tips and Tricks article for more helpful information or our article on the best WordPress multipurpose themes.
References:
1. “The Ultimate Guide to WordPress Plugins: 18 Examples & How They Work”, Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/website/wordpress-plugins
2. “4 of the best website translation plugins (+ features you need)”, Source: https://weglot.com/blog/4-of-the-best-website-translation-plugins/
3. “Why Backups are so Important for WordPress Security?”, Source: https://geekflare.com/wordpress-backup-importance/
4. “14 Best WordPress SEO Plugins and Tools That You Should Use”, Source: https://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/9-best-wordpress-seo-plugins-and-tools-that-you-should-use/
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Article by Pankaj Shah: DCP WordPress Web Designers
