It’s time to get a handle on your plugins. They can be a source for both performance and security issues. This week, you’ll add another column to the plugin spreadsheet you started in Step 1.
This post is part of the Successful Site Owner Series
Free Webinar
This is the second in a four part series with one easy step a week for you to take, leading up to a free, zero-pitch webinar on Jan 28 2015 at 3:00 pm ET. We’ll have a brief overview of the worst offending plugins, and then spend the rest of the time helping a few select folks go over their plugin list live.
To get the most from the webinar, you have to do your part.
It’s super important for you to take responsibility for your site and getting back in touch with your plugins is a great place to start.
Let’s Review
Step 1 – create a spreadsheet with the names of all of your plugins.
Read more about Step 1 and why this is so important to do.
Step 2
List the function of each plugin.
That’s it.
Function Examples
For instance, Akismet blocks spam comments.
The WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast has multiple functions. List all that you use, such as:
- Individual page/post meta description for SERPs
- provide XML sitemap
- connect G+ business page
- Facebook Open Graph Tags and Twitter Card Validation
The Login Lockdown plugin protects your login page from a Brute Force attack.
How This Helps
First and foremost, adding the function of each plugin to your list will help you identify potential plugin conflicts.
Second, it will help you remember why you installed this plugin and help you determine if you actually need that function anymore.
Third, it will help you evaluate whether there is a better plugin available now.
Resource Hogs
Some plugins use excessive hosting resources such as CPU and memory. That could get your site limited due to resource overages, meaning that it is not available to the public for a time. (Read more about overages.)
And some plugins fill your database with manner of data that you don’t actually need. That can really slow down your site response time.
During Site Audits plugins come up as the number one culprit in resource overages and slow performance.
More importantly, they are the top source for hacked sites too.
In the plugins webinar, we’ll talk about resource hog plugins and cover solutions and alternatives.
Get to the Head of the Line
If you made it this far in the post, I assume you’re serious about getting your plugins under control.
BlogAid News subscribers will have first shot at being selected to have their plugins reviewed during the live webinar. Hint hint.
