One of the best things about Wordpress is the availability of thousands of free and premium plugins. Plugins allow you to add new features and functionality to your WordPress site easily. But if you’re new to WordPress, you may be wondering: how exactly do you install WordPress plugins?

In this beginner’s guide, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of finding, installing, and activating plugins on your WordPress site. Let’s get started!

Finding WordPress Plugins

With over 55,000+ free WordPress plugins in the official directory alone, there’s no shortage of options to choose from. Here are some tips for finding the best plugins for your needs:

Determine What Functionality You Need

First, make a list of things you want to add to your WordPress site. Do you want an opt-in form, contact form, slideshows, security features, etc? Your list will guide your plugin search.

Search the WordPress Plugin Directory

The official WordPress plugin directory allows you to search by keyword, popular tags, or browse by category. Look for plugins with a lot of active installs and positive ratings.

Check Plugin Review Sites

Sites like WPLift and WPMayor often highlight and review the most useful plugins for things like SEO, speed, security, and more. Their expert-curated suggestions are very helpful.

Ask Other WordPress Users

Poll friends, colleagues, or WordPress community groups for the plugins they find essential. Popular picks include Yoast SEO, WP Rocket, Akismet, and more.

Consider Paid Premium Plugins

For advanced functionality like membership sites or e-commerce, premium paid plugins offer robust solutions. A one-time fee gets you better support and ongoing updates.

How to Install WordPress Plugins

Once you’ve found a plugin you want to use, it’s time to install it. Here are the simple steps:

Download the Plugin Zip File

On the plugin page, look for a download button to get the plugin zip file. Save this to your computer’s downloads folder.

Log in to Your WordPress Dashboard

Access your WordPress admin dashboard by going to https://mansoorbhanpurawala.com/wp-admin/ and entering your login details.

Go to Plugins > Add New

In the left-hand menu, click on “Plugins” and then “Add New.” This is the page where you install new plugins.

Click Upload Plugin

Near the top of the page is a section to upload a plugin. Click the “Upload Plugin” button.

Upload the Zip File

A dialog box will open, allowing you to choose a file. Select the plugin zip file you downloaded earlier and click “Install Now”.

Activate the Plugin

After WordPress installs the plugin, you’ll see an “Activate” button. Click this to activate and enable the plugin on your site.

And that’s it! The plugin is now installed and working on your WordPress site.

Using FTP to Install WordPress Plugins

An alternate installation method is using FTP. This allows you to upload the plugin files directly to your server. Here’s how:

Install an FTP Client

You’ll need an FTP program like FileZilla. Log into your hosting account and access your FTP login details.

Connect to Your Server

Open your FTP client and enter your FTP hostname, username, and password to connect.

Upload the Plugin Folder

Find the /wp-content/plugins/ folder and upload the extracted plugin folder there.

Activate in WordPress Dashboard

Log in to your WordPress dashboard and activate the plugin as normal. The files are now in place.

FTP installation can help if the normal upload method fails. But most users can use the upload steps first.

Activating and Configuring Your Plugin

After installation, there are a couple more steps:

Activate the Plugin

As mentioned, click “Activate” on the Plugins page to enable the plugin’s code and features.

Adjust the Plugin Settings

Many plugins include customizable settings and options you can tweak. Locate the plugin menu item in your dashboard to configure it.

Test the Plugin Functions

Try out the new functionality the plugin adds to preview it in action and ensure it works properly.

Taking a minute to activate and set up your plugin helps optimize it for your specific needs.

Must-Have WordPress Plugins

Here are some of the essential free plugins I recommend installing on any new WordPress site:

• Yoast SEO – Improves your SEO with XML sitemaps, optimized post titles and metadata, and more.
• WP Rocket – Dramatically boosts site speed and performance with caching and other optimizations.
• WPForms Lite – Easily build custom contact forms, surveys, pop-ups, and more.
• MonsterInsights – Connects your WordPress site with Google Analytics for in-depth traffic analytics.
• Akismet – Blocks spam comments to keep your site safe and tidy.

These plugins provide immense value and are used by millions of WordPress sites. Test them out for yourself!

Why Bluehost is the Best to Install WordPress Plugins

To use plugins properly, you need a quality WordPress web host. I recommend Bluehost because:

Optimized WordPress Environment– With their specialized managed WordPress hosting, all sites come pre-configured for optimal plugin performance.

Blazing Fast Servers – Bluehost servers are finely tuned to work flawlessly with popular page caching plugins like WP Rocket.

Malware Detection – Their security scans help identify any vulnerable, outdated plugins to keep your site safe.

Get started with Bluehost’s managed WordPress hosting now!

Conclusion

Learning how to install and activate WordPress plugins properly is an important skill for any webmaster to master. Following this simple guide, you can expand your WordPress site’s functionality dramatically.

Always be sure to install plugins from trusted developers, test them fully, and keep them updated. And with a quality host like Bluehost, your plugins will perform smoothly.

So explore the world of WordPress plugins – they offer nearly endless possibilities! Let me know if you have any other questions.