It seems like one the existential questions of our time – at least, for web designers. But for years, many of us have been trying to figure out the “right” number of WordPress plugins to use within a website.
I hate to break it to anyone who likes nice, round figures: There is no specific number. No threshold that defines you as either a pro or poser. I know, some people define their success by using a minuscule number of plugins. If you can get away with doing so, you get much respect from me.
For the rest of us, plugins are a tempting proposition. They can take care of so many tasks – large and small. And they’re only a few clicks away.
But add too many and it can weigh down your site’s performance. Not to mention that every single thing you install adds another layer of complexity to the mix.
While there is no one-size-fits-all number of plugins you can or should run, there are some ways to tell if you’re past the limit. Here are a few factors to help you make that determination.
The Hosting Environment
Computing power and network bandwidth are incredibly important factors in terms of performance. Yet, most often the only control designers have over them is when choosing a host (if one hasn’t already been chosen for us). If you have a choice, look for a provider that offers lots of both.
Beyond raw power, the server’s OS and related software also play a role. You’ll want to ensure you’re running PHP 7.x, as that’s been proven much faster than previous versions. Server-based caching and load balancing can provide a big boost if your host offers them.
As important as anything, though, is the type of hosting account you have. If it’s low-end shared hosting, you’re probably not going to get the same bang for your buck that you’d get with a higher-end VPS or dedicated setup. The more dedicated resources your site has, the more well-coded plugins you may be able to get away with using.
Plugin Quality and Optimization
One of the truisms of code is that there is more than one way to make something work. But we also know that some techniques work a whole lot better than others. Consistent quality is so important as all it takes is one resource-hogging plugin to slow everything to a crawl.
The best way to figure out if a plugin has performance problems is to test it. There are a number of third-party testing suites out there that can provide you with a great picture – literally. You can access colorful graphs and charts that will tell you which plugins are taking the most time and resources on your site.
However, those of us with budgetary restrictions may not be able to afford this type of subscription service. Many are aimed at the enterprise market and are priced as such.
But all is not lost. To do some testing on the cheap, the free Query Monitor plugin will provide some insight into how your plugins, database, scripts and styles are performing. It also points out any PHP errors, which can be a factor in degraded performance.
If you do see that a specific plugin isn’t performing well, then that opens the door to testing out an alternative or digging deeper (which we’ll get to later).
A Plugin’s Purpose
A WordPress plugin can mean many things to many people. Not everyone will use them in the same way. And so developers often build plugins in a way that they feel will improve their chances of attracting users. Sometimes the result is a plugin that ends up being a bit like a Swiss army knife, with multiple functionalities included.
While a plugin that does a bit of everything can be great, it can also cause some bloat. On the other side of the coin, you’ll find that some plugins are rather small in scope and size – choosing to focus on just one particular feature.
The debate can be had of whether it’s better to run one plugin that does 20 things, or 20 plugins that each do one thing. Again, there really is no easy answer. It becomes a matter of testing performance.
One thing in favor of the Swiss army knife is that it could make troubleshooting easier. The more plugins you have to keep track of, the harder it can be to pinpoint issues.
Settings Matter
One often-overlooked area of plugin performance is in paying attention to its settings. Some plugins run very quickly when tuned a certain way, while sputtering in other configurations.
For instance, I’ve worked with a popular security plugin (which I won’t name, but you may be able to guess) for a number of years. One of its core features is a “Live” mode that lets you see users currently browsing your website. It’s a seriously cool feature, but can also hinder performance on a busy site.
Turning this feature off boosts performance quite noticeably. And while using the plugin may mean taking a small performance hit otherwise, the added security is worth the tradeoff. But knowing how to set it up properly is half the battle.
It’s All About Balance, Not Specific Numbers
As we’ve seen, there are a number of factors that can affect how plugins perform on a WordPress website. It’s the plugins themselves, how they interact with each other, how well they’ve been optimized and the server they’re installed on.
It’s rare to find two sites that are configured exactly the same. Therefore, the ideal number of plugins will vary for pretty much everyone. We can drive ourselves crazy trying to get our site down to only x number of plugins. I’d argue that it’s a waste of time to even worry about the number.
Rather, using plugins (or even custom code you’ve written yourself) is about getting the functionality you need and being willing to live with whatever tradeoffs that come with it.
Sometimes, a plugin will provide great functionality and terrible performance. In that case, you might want to look for a competitive product that is more balanced. Or it could be a matter of turning off certain features that are causing problems. The only way to know for sure is to test and retest.
In the end, the goal is to use only the plugins you need, while optimizing the ones you have to the fullest extent.
PHP Internals News: Episode 10: LSP and Operator Precedence
London, UK
Thursday, May 16th 2019, 09:10 BST
In this tenth episode of "PHP Internals News" we talk to Nikita Popov (Twitter, GitHub) about a few RFCs that are related to LSP and operator precedence.
Today, users can access more than 1.5 billion websites, which means you have a tremendous amount of competition in the online marketplace, even if you operate in a niche industry. Competition isn’t the only reason for low site sales, however. A variety of factors can impact your revenue and traffic.
That’s why it’s common for companies to ask this question: Why isn’t my website making money?
This post answers that question and provides an overview of how your business can fix these problems, which range from a slow site to a nonexistent search engine optimization (SEO) strategy. Get started on solving your site’s issues now or connect with our team online to see how we can help!
1. Your website isn’t responsive
Did you know that more than 50 percent of the world’s Internet traffic comes from mobile devices? It’s true, and it demonstrates a growing trend. People are relying more on their smartphones and tablets to access the Internet, rather than their laptops or desktops.
That’s why a responsive design, which adapts to a user’s device, is essential.
Why an unresponsive website costs you money
An unresponsive design costs your site money for a few reasons, including:
Mobile-first index
Google is one of the world’s largest search engines, claiming more than 75 percent of the global search market share. This fact is important because Google follows a mobile-first approach to its crawling and indexing process.
That means Google crawls your website and indexes it for search results from a mobile perspective. If you don’t have a responsive website, Google will know. As a responsive website is critical to the user experience, non-responsive sites will (usually) rank lower in search results.
A lower ranking translates to less traffic, as 75 percent of users stick to the first page of search results.
User experience
When it comes to web design, the user experience is crucial. You need to provide the best possible experience for your website visitors. If you don’t, they will leave your site, which can result in fewer purchases and less money for your business.
As more than 40 percent of online transactions happen on mobile devices, your company needs a responsive website if you want to make money. Otherwise, you’re giving away valuable customers (and revenue) to your competitors.
In short, an unresponsive website isn’t good for your bottom line.
This amount can vary, depending on your site’s size, content management system, and any other site features. If you want your website to make money, however, it’s a necessary investment and one that offers a substantial return on investment (ROI).
Got a sluggish website? Learn why that’s a problem and how to fix it now.
Why a slow website costs your business money
No matter your industry, your company can’t afford a slow website. It doesn’t matter who your target audience is, from business buyers in manufacturing to early adopters in the tech sector, you need a fast site to earn their attention and their money.
Studies show that people won’t wait for websites anymore.
That’s why websites that load in five seconds maintain a 35 percent lower bounce rate. For reference, bounce rate describes the percentage of single-page sessions, which highlights whether a user stays on your website or leaves without visiting any other pages.
A high bounce rate can cause your site to lose traffic (and money) by earning lower rankings in search results. Again, a lower ranking in search results translates to decreased visibility, which can eradicate your online sales, leads, and more.
How to fix a slow website
Depending on your website, it’s a fast fix to improve your site speed. For example, if you have multiple videos on a page, removing a few can boost your page speed. Compressing your website’s images can also increase your site’s load time.
Additional fixes, like the following, will require the expertise of a developer:
With 75 percent of businesses investing in SEO, you can bet there is a reason why. SEO helps your website become a lead- and revenue-generating machine by improving your visibility in valuable search results.
If your company doesn’t use SEO, it’s one possible reason why your website isn’t making money.
Why an optimized website loses money
In today’s digital landscape, users rely on search engines like Google and Bing to find their next purchase. Studies show that 80 percent of consumers and 71 percent of business buyers start their product research with search engines.
If your company doesn’t optimize your website for search engines (and users), you miss a significant amount of traffic and lose a substantial amount of money. Your audience doesn’t even have a chance to discover your business and its products or services.
Instead, they find your competitors because those businesses optimize their websites for SEO.
When they partnered with WebFX and invested in SEO, their website’s year-over-year organic traffic increased by 43 percent. Even better, their year-over-year organic contact form submissions improved by more than 70 percent.
With the potential impact of SEO on your company’s revenue, you can’t afford to overlook SEO.
How to fix an unoptimized website
Optimizing your website for SEO doesn’t happen overnight or in a week. It’s an ongoing process, which means your business needs to commit to SEO and make it a part of your strategy. Even if you invest in SEO services, it will still take time to optimize your site and generate revenue from it.
Companies that already use SEO should consider a professional SEO audit. If you already have a fast website and responsive design, missteps in your strategy could result in decreased traffic and online revenue. With an SEO audit, you can receive third-party insight into your approach.
Depending on your business and team size, SEO may require time that your company doesn’t have to give. If that’s the case, it’s worth considering the value of an SEO agency and professional SEO services. With SEO services, you can get the full benefits of SEO, minus the time- and resource-commitments.
Your website is one of your company’s most valuable assets. A lot of businesses, however, overlook the potential of their site to generate revenue, leads, store visits, and more. For your organization, this misstep is the perfect opportunity.
Turn your website into a revenue-generating platform with the above recommendations today.
Or, get professional assistance from our award-winning team by contacting us online or calling us at 888-601-5953. As a full-service agency, we provide all the services necessary to maximize your site’s ability to make money and generate real growth for your company.
How The Global Garcinia Cambogia Extract Market Will Behave?
A research report on “Global Garcinia Cambogia Extract Market 2019 Industry Research Report” is being published by researchunt.com. This is a key document as far as the clients and industries are concerned to not only understand the Global competitive market status that exists currently but also what future holds for it in the upcoming period, i.e., between 2018 and 2025. It has taken the previous market status of 2013 – 2018 to project the future status. The report has categorized in terms of region, type, key industries, and application.
Major Geographical Regions
The study report on Global Garcinia Cambogia Extract Market 2018 would cover every big geographical, as well as, sub-regions throughout the world. The report has focused on market size, value, product sales and opportunities for growth in these regions. The market study has analyzed the competitive trend apart from offering valuable insights to clients and industries. These data will undoubtedly help them to plan their strategy so that they could not only expand but also penetrate into a market.
A sample of report copy could be downloaded by visiting the site:
The researchers have analyzed the competitive advantages of those involved in the industries or in the Garcinia Cambogia Extract industry. While historical years were taken as 2013 – 2017, the base year for the study was 2017. Similarly, the report has given its projection for the year 2018 apart from the outlook for years 2018 – 2025.
Key Players and Type
Like any other research material, the report has covered key geographical regions such as Europe, Japan, United States, India, Southeast Asia and Europe. Researchers have given their opinion or insights of value, product sales, and industry share besides availability opportunities to expand in those regions. As far as the sub-regions, North America, Canada, Medico, Australia, Asia-Pacific, India, South Korea, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe, Russia, Central South America, Middle East Africa are included.
Major players in the report included are :
Xi’an Lyphar Biotech
Shaanxi Fuheng (FH) Biotechnology
Shaanxi Guanjie Technology
Wuhan Vanz Pharm
Hunan Kanerga Pharmaceutical Sales
TWO BLUE DIAMONDS
MARUTI FUTURISTIC PHARMA
KINAL GLOBAL CARE
NUTRA GRACE
Types covered in the Garcinia Cambogia Extract industry are :
0.5
0.6
Other
Applications covered in the report are :
Food Industry
Pharmaceuticals Industry
Other
Geographical Scope of this report includes :
North America
United States
Canada
Mexico
Asia-Pacific
China
India
Japan
South Korea
Australia
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Vietnam
Europe
Germany
France
UK
Italy
Russia
Rest of Europe
Central South America
Brazil
Rest of South America
Middle East Africa
GCC Countries
Turkey
Egypt
South Africa
Rest of Middle East Africa
Report Aims
The objective of the researchers is to find out sales, value, and status of the Garcinia Cambogia Extract industry at the international levels. While the status covers the years of 2013 – 17, the forecast is for the period 2018 – 25 that will enable market players to not only plan but also execute strategies based on the market needs.
A sample of report copy could be downloaded by visiting the site:
The study wanted to focus on key manufacturers, competitive landscape, and SWOT analysis for Garcinia Cambogia Extract industry. Apart from looking into the geographical regions, the report concentrated on key trends and segments that are either driving or preventing the growth of the industry. Researchers have also focused on individual growth trend besides their contribution to the overall market.
There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Garcinia Cambogia Extract market.
Sections 1. Industry Synopsis of Global Garcinia Cambogia Extract Market.
Researchunt has been providing industries In-depth and 100% accurate market research reports from so many years and is one of the Trusted and passionate company in the market. We have been serving many companies including Fortune-500 Companies and various businesses around the Globe.
Contact Us:
Kasey Miller (PR Marketing Manager)
3294 Gnatty Creek Road
Huntington,
NY – 11743 sales@researchunt.com
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