My Go-To WordPress Toolbox
I joke that if you hire 100 WordPress Designers, you may get 100 different solutions. With so many themes and plugins to choose from, it allows for maximum customization and flexibility but if you don’t know where to start it can also lead to complete overwhelm.
Never fear, here is my go-to list of all things WordPress. Notice it’s a very small list…
HOSTING - WP Engine
It’s simple. If you only do one thing then you have to do it really well. This is the case for WP Engine as they ONLY host WordPress sites. Unlike some host providers who appear to be less expensive then charge for basic add-ons like backups, staging and support; these come standard with WPE and (wait for it…) if you have an issue (wait for it…) there is an actual… real, live human available for Tech Support. If you are interested in learning more, enjoy a discount on me by using my affiliate link here.
THEME - Astra
With hundreds of websites designed, Astra is the ONLY (yup, only) theme for me. It’s highly customizable, lightweight and works great with Elementor Pro. Here’s an article I wrote with more information.
PLUGINS
— Elementor and Elementor Pro. Elementor is a drag and drop editing tool that has a similar feel to working with Wix or Squarespace. It allows for almost limitless design and the Pro version (which I highly recommend) has pre-built blocks and even kits which are basically completely designed sites you can use as a starting point with only a click. (NOTE: Kits come with the default Hello theme which I would keep if this is the direction you choose.)
— Duplicate Page. This handy little plugin will allow you to duplicate a page or post with a simple click. A real time savor if you want to either play with the design of a page or copy the design to another page.
— Yoast SEO. Full disclosure, I am not an SEO expert and find this plugin complex to use but it’s great if you really want to focus on SEO and Google ranking.
Those are my essentials but here are a few others that might be of use.
— Prime Slider. Can you say gorgeous sliders in a click? Go ahead, check out this free plugin and tell me that I’m wrong.
— Smash Balloon Instagram Feed. Allows you to add a live IG feed to your site.
— Hummingbird. I go back and forth on this as there are a lot of plugins that claim to improve sitespeed to this one is subject to change but it’s super easy to use compared to most. Great for sites heavy in imagery.
— Really Simple SSL. If you take my advice on WP Engine then SSL is included but if your host provider doesn’t offer it, this plugin is a quick and easy solution to secure your site.
— Updraft. This is a backup plugin. I can not stress enough that you should backup your WP site at the HOST LEVEL. WP sites can break over a simple plugin update and if your site goes down and your backup is on your site, let’s just say that you are going to have a really bad day. If you do go this route, please connect to a Google Drive or external system. Again, daily backups are included with WP Engine as well as some other host providers.
