If you want your website to run smoothly, then you need to maintain it. The problem is that even simple WordPress sites have a lot of moving parts, so keeping everything in top shape can take up a lot of time.
The good news is that there are plenty of plugins you can use to simplify – and even automate – your WordPress optimization efforts. You just have to configure the tools you want to use, and let them work for you in the background.
In this guide, we’re going to introduce you to 12 of our favorite WordPress optimization plugins. Let’s get right to it!
SPEED OPTIMIZATION PLUGINS
Excellent performance is essential on all websites. That’s why in this section, we’re going to focus on all-in-one plugins that help you speed up your site.
PLUGIN #1: AUTOPTIMIZE
Even the simplest WordPress website usually has several third-party scripts running in the background, as well as additional CSS. Those scripts can add up, slowing down your site’s loading times.
Autoptimize minifies and caches that code, in order to diminish its impact on your site’s performance. If you’re not using another minification plugin, this one should be at the top of your list.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
PLUGIN #2: HUMMINGBIRD PAGE SPEED OPTIMIZATION
Hummingbird Page Speed Optimization offers a ton of functionality, helping you tackle script minification, file compression, and caching. That means Hummingbird can help visitors load your site’s pages much faster.
Overall, Hummingbird is an excellent all-in-one optimization tool. However, be careful not to set up any other caching or minification plugins, since that might cause conflicts.
Average Rating: 5/5
PLUGIN #3: WP-OPTIMIZE
All the information you upload to your WordPress website goes into a unique database. Over time, that database can become bloated, which may slow down your site. That’s where WP-Optimize can help, by deleting all the data you don’t need anymore.
It’s worth noting that in our experience, WP-Optimize only has a significant impact on sites with large libraries of content. If you just set up your website, it may not make a huge difference.
Average Rating: 5/5
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION PLUGINS
Your site’s speed isn’t the only factor that requires optimization. If you want your website to grow, you also need to optimize its content to attract attention from search engines.
PLUGIN #1: YOAST SEO
Yoast SEO is by far the most popular WordPress SEO plugin. It provides you with an overview of how well optimized your content is, both when it comes to SEO and readability.
With Yoast, you get a clear idea of how well you’re using keywords, and what your content will look like in search engines. If you’re new to SEO, Yoast is a great option, since it provides you with a lot of tips for improving your content.
Average Rating: 5/5
PLUGIN #2: ALL IN ONE SEO PACK
As the name implies, All in One SEO Pack is a one-stop shop for all your WordPress SEO needs. It offers much of the same functionality as Yoast, and is a popular alternative.
What sets this plugin apart is its module system. It includes multiple modules, which enable you to disable functionality you don’t need. If you like flexibility in your plugins, then you might prefer this one over Yoast.
Average Rating: 5/5
PLUGIN #3: THE SEO FRAMEWORK
The SEO Framework is less popular, but provides you with all the SEO functionality you’ll need. It’s also remarkably lightweight, which makes it well worth considering.
On top of that, this plugin uses a similar module system to All in One SEO Pack, which means you get to micromanage its features. If you want to try out an alternative to Yoast, this is a top pick.
Average Rating: 5/5
IMAGE OPTIMIZATION PLUGINS
One of the factors that most affects your site’s performance is its media. High-quality images tend to weigh a lot, which can slow things down. The following plugins come in handy for optimizing your images.
PLUGIN #1: SMUSH IMAGE COMPRESSION AND OPTIMIZATION
Smush Image Compression and Optimization takes the image files you upload, and compresses them so they don’t take as long to transmit and display. It can also enable you to optimize images outside your media library, and resize graphics.
What’s more, Smush offers the most user-friendly interface of all the WordPress image optimizers we’ve tried. If you want a hassle-free experience, then it’s worth checking out.
Average Rating: 5/5
PLUGIN #2: EWWW IMAGE OPTIMIZER
Most image optimization plugins include very similar functionality, so let’s focus on what sets this one apart. Along with compressing your images, EWWW Image Optimizer can also convert them into other file types. Plus, it enables you to choose from multiple compression methods.
In other words, this plugin gives you more control over the way you handle images on your website. It also provides plenty of time-saving automation features.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
PLUGIN #3: SHORTPIXEL IMAGE OPTIMIZER
Like our previous picks, ShortPixel Image Optimizer can reduce your image file sizes. However, it supports more file types than the competition, including JPGs, PNGs, GIFs, and even PDFs.
That last one isn’t an image format, of course. However, the feature can come in handy if you share a lot of PDF content through your site.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
CONVERSION OPTIMIZATION PLUGINS
Finally, it’s also vital to optimize conversions. This can include encouraging purchases, email sign-ups, and so on. Each of the following plugins can help you maximize the number of conversions on your site.
PLUGIN #1: HUSTLE
Collecting as many emails as possible is one of the most important things you can do to boost conversions. If you’re not yet using a plugin to help you do that, it’s best to get started right away.
Hustle focuses on helping you generate leads by creating sign-up forms, exit popups, and social sharing icons. This is one of our top choices because it integrates with all the major email marketing platforms, including AWeber and MailChimp.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
PLUGIN #2: POPUPS BY OPTINMONSTER
As you might expect, Popups by OptinMonster is all about popups. It enables you to use a drag-and-drop builder to create popups of various types, as well as forms.
Popups can be highly effective when it comes to collecting emails and driving other types of conversions. If you want to try a more aggressive marketing strategy, this plugin might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
PLUGIN #3: NELIO AB TESTING
One of the best ways to improve conversions on your website is to test new designs and content, until you land on a winning combination. Nelio AB Testing enables you to set up ‘split testing’ experiments, so you can determine which variations users prefer.
To do this, Nelio uses heat maps, which you can analyze to determine what elements your visitors are drawn to. If you want to use hard data to drive conversions, A/B testing tools like Nelio are well worth your time.
Average Rating: 4.5/5
DON’T JUST DRIVE TRAFFIC, PROVIDE THE OPTIMAL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE TO DRIVE CONVERSIONS
If you’re running a website, one of your main goals will always be to get more traffic. However, you also must strive to provide an excellent experience for your users. If you have a poorly-optimized website, you’ll likely struggle to transform its traffic into actual conversions.
