WordPress is the most popular website platform online. But if you want to make the most of it, you need to use the best WordPress plugins.
Luckily, many of these plugins are free. Give them all a try to see what works for you to help market and grow your business.
Before we get into the list, this post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy to learn more.
Yoast SEO
One of the best WordPress plugins I’d recommend is Yoast SEO. It’s free, but you can pay for extra features if you want. I just use the free version, and it’s helped me optimize my blog posts and website pages.
You can go through a checklist to make sure your post is ready to go. Now, over time, some of the “requirements” aren’t as relevant. For example, meta descriptions used to be super helpful, but they’re not as useful now.
Still, the plugin is nice, especially if you’re new to using SEO. I also like how you can add a canonical link to your blog posts. That way, if you want to republish the content on another platform, you won’t get penalized by Google for duplicate content.
Redirection
Another essential plugin to have is titled Redirection. This allows you to set up redirects, which ensures people land on an active page. For example, I used to offer private flute lessons but no longer do.
So when I decided to delete my lesson studio page, I redirected it to a more general work with me page. That way, if someone clicks on a link to the studio page, they won’t land on an error page.
You never know when you may need to set up a redirect. Having a plugin makes it super easy to do, plus this plugin is completely free.
UpdraftPlus
I recently installed UpdraftPlus as my backup plugin of choice. It will back up your website to the cloud or send a copy to your email. So if your website gets hacked or if you need to move hosts, you can access a recent copy.
You won’t have to worry about losing all of your blog posts and website content. And you won’t have to start over from scratch in an emergency.
This plugin is free but has paid versions with extra features. I use the free version, and it seems to be working well so far.
Jetpack
Jetpack is a plugin by Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. But on a self-hosted WordPress site, you can use the plugin. It offers everything from website analytics to backups and other security features.
I primarily use it for analytics, and that feature is free. While I also use Google Analytics, it’s nice to be able to see certain details within the WordPress dashboard and in the app on my phone.
The plugin can tell you how many website views you get each day. Plus, it will track your most popular pages as well as the day and time with the most activity on your website.
Wordfence Security
Another security plugin that I enjoy is Wordfence. The plugin is free, and it alerts you if there are any security issues with your site. That includes login attempts, plugin updates, and more.
I do find it annoying how often I get emails about logins because the notifications include my own activity. But it’s still nice to know that if a hacker tried to get in, I’ll find out without necessarily having to log into the site myself.
Site Kit by Google
The Site Kit by Google plugin helps you connect to various Google features without having to install a bunch of code on your site. I use it for Analytics, Search Console, and AdSense.
You can view basic information about each of those services without having to log into their respective dashboards. That can be nice if you’re looking for a brief update.
I really like using the Search Console feature. It can tell you about your top performing content and what keywords get your website the most impressions and clicks on Google.
Contact Form 7
If you want to grow your business, you need to make it easy for people to contact you. I use the Contact Form 7 plugin on this website. It was easy to set up and add to my contact page.
Another plugin you can use is WP Forms, which I’ve used on a couple of other blogs that I’ve started. Both have free options, so you don’t have to pay money to set them up or write code to create a contact form.
MailChimp Forms by MailMunch
Another one of the best WordPress plugins is for email marketing. The MailChimp Forms plugin lets you create special forms that encourage people to sign up for your email list.
For example, I used the plugin to create the top bar that you saw when you first clicked on this website. You can design the colors to match your branding and add whatever text you want to the form.
And if you ever want to change those things, you can do so easily.
Easy Digital Downloads
As your business grows, you may want to sell digital products. I’ve used Easy Digital Downloads to host PDFs and other files for sheet music, eBooks, and guides.
The plugin is free, but you can pay for premium extensions. I use the MailChimp extension to track sales generated through emails. But there are extensions for other popular email marketing programs, like ConvertKit.
You can use the base plugin to host anything from PDFs to audio files and videos. Whenever someone buys something, the plugin will automatically send the file to the customer.
WooCommerce
Maybe you want to sell digital products and physical products (or just physical products). The best WordPress plugin to use is WooCommerce. It works similarly to Easy Digital Downloads, especially with digital products.
If you sell physical items, you still have to ship them. But the plugin will help you list products and track your sales. Like EDD, WooCommerce is free but has premium extensions that can help you run your business.
I believe it can also help you track things like sales tax. That way, you won’t have to worry about certain sales issues.
Piano Block
A plugin I started using recently is called Piano Block. It’s free, and it lets you add a digital piano to your blog post or page editor.
The plugin developer created it to help you enjoy writing because you can play as you write. But you can also make the block visible to people who come to your website.
I did that on my piccolo blog to provide a resource for practicing. You can go to that page and select a note to play as a drone. Then, you can work on your intonation.
How to Choose the Best WordPress Plugins
As you compare the best WordPress plugins, you may notice there are a lot of options. I’d recommend looking for a few things before you install a plugin on your musician or music business website.
Consider Your Budget
First, you’ll need to figure out how much you can afford to spend each month or year. A lot of the plugins I use are free, but the premium versions offer more features and benefits.
If you’re tight on cash, you can start with the free stuff. But you may want to upgrade to a premium tier as you start making more money. Just make sure you know how much you can pay for your website.
Start With the Essentials
When you first set up your WordPress website, I’d start with a few plugins. You can always add more later. But don’t wait too long before installing the basics, like plugins for security and analytics.
At the very least, I’d use Jetpack, Wordfence, and Yoast. They’re enough to get you started, so you can get your website up and running quickly.
Think About Your Content
Another thing to keep in mind is the content you have on your site. For example, maybe you want to start an online store. You’ll want to install Easy Digital Downloads or WooCommerce.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to improve your SEO, Yoast is vital. And if email marketing is your main goal, you may want something like MailChimp Forms.
Compare Similar Plugins
I’d also recommend looking into competing plugins for the ones I listed. Sure, I like the ones I shared, but they may not work for you. Or they might not have the features you need.
Don’t be afraid to look into more SEO plugins or eCommerce plugins. The more options you have, the more likely it is you’ll find one you like.
Test a Few
As you look into different plugins, you may find that the first one you try isn’t quite right. Don’t write off all plugins of that type, such as all analytics or security plugins.
Give a few plugins a try. Use the free version of various plugins to see if you like the basics. Then, you can decide if you want to upgrade your plan or switch to an alternative.
Uplevel Your Music Business Website Today
If you’re looking to grow your music business, you should consider some of the best WordPress plugins.
And if you’re looking to grow your website with a blog, let’s talk. Blogging has done wonders for my business, and I know it can help you too.
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